Battle of the River Amnias
Battle of the River Amnias | |||||||
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Part of the First Mithridatic War | |||||||
The charge of the Persian scythed chariots at the battle of Gaugamela; illustration by Andre Castaigne (1898-1899). | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Pontus | Bithynia | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Archelaus Neoptolemus | Nicomedes IV |
The Battle of the River Amnias was fought in 89 BC between
Forces
The Pontic army was under the overall command of Mithridates, who had a force of 250,000, compared to Nicomedes, who only had 50,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry. The Pontic advance force at the
The battle
The Battle of the
Turning Point
The turning point of the battle occurred when the Scythed chariots led by Archelaus dived into Nicomedes army. According to Appian, the chariots caused wounds of such a hideous nature that they caused fear and confusion among Nicomedes' troops, "...cutting some of them in two, and tearing others to pieces." So horrified was the army at the spectacle of men being cut in half while still breathing, or their mangled bodies hanging in parts on the scythes that, "overcome rather by the hideousness of the spectacle than by the loss of the fight, fear took possession of their ranks."[3] This gave Neoptolemus time to regroup and attack what was now the rear of Nicomedes' army. Even though Archelaus and Neoptolemus now had the clear advantage, the battle did not end until Nicomedes had lost most of his army.
Aftermath
The remaining survivors from Nicomedes' army fled into Paphlagonia, where they were able to join up with the Roman army under Manius Aquillius. Later in the year this combined army would be defeated by Pontic forces at the fortress of Protophachium forcing the Romans out of Asia Minor.
References
- ^ "Battle of the Amnias River, 89 B.C."
- ^ "Battle of the Amnias River, 89 B.C."
- ^ White, Horace (1912). the Foreign Wars in Vols. I and II, the Civil Wars in Vols. III and IV. Harvard University.