This being a report of the third battle in the fictional miniatures campaign entitled "The Macedonian & Punic Wars". The battle was resolved using DBM 3.0.
Early in 240BC relations between the Hellenistic Greeks, an adhoc league that was commanded by Leonidas of Sparta, and Macedonia under Philip [1] deteriorated significantly. [2]
At this time Greece was divided. Boeotia, Achea and Aetolia were allied with Leonidas while Athens remained loyal to the new King of Macedonia. Obviously both power blocks had much to gain or lose by any subsequent military action. Throughout spring and summer the tensions between the countries mounted as each organized their armies, but as the harvest began to be collected Greece was at war.
Simultaneously both armies advanced. Philip with a vast Macedonian Army against Aetolia while Leonidas advanced on Athens from the south. Both armies became involved in sieges, but the Macedonian siege of the major Hellenistic cities in Aetolia being successful before the fall of winter while Hellenistic League’s siege of Athens was not.
As the spring campaign season of 239BC arrived we find Leonidas in Boeotia with a considerable army and Philip in Aetolia, also with a sizable army. As a second Greek army under Eudamidas advanced into Athens and again put the city under siege, so the forces at Boeotia and Aetoila advanced against each other. However Leonidas was forced back into Aetolia, Leonidas not being one to take a reverse, determined to give battle in Boeotia.
Philip forced to leave a garrison in Aetolia was to be reinforced by Pyontos Gontas, advancing from Thessaly. However Gontas and his supporting army failed to arrive leaving Philip able to field some 19,000 men of which some 4000 were cavalry which though less than planned was considered enough by Philip for the task at hand. Against this sizable army Leonidas could muster some 20,000 and while greater in number he lacked cavalry having only 2000, most of which were Tarantine. [3]
The forces deployed on the battlefield as shown.
Leonidas was somewhat disturbed at the array to his front. Although his line extended the Macedonian right this was well protected by the Macedonian horse, consisting as it did of Thessalian cavalry, Thracian light horse and the Macedonian Companions. Facing the centre was the heavy Macedonian foot, mostly phalangites but with some hoplites in support. To Leonidas’s right was the main enemy light formations including large numbers of Thracian infantry and supporting light infantry.
As the two armies were deployed near each other it was not long before the first clashes occurred. On the left the Greek peltasts were caught in some depth by advancing Macedonian light horse, but counterattacking the peltasts managed to catch a number before the remaining light horse were withdrawn to the flank, making room for the heavier Macedonian and Thessalian cavalry. In the centre the Macedonian phalanx halted its advance while Philip ordered forwards more Thracians and light troops to clear the vineyards. Leonidas, dismounted and at the head of the Spartan hoplites, however pushed forward and soon the main battle lines clashed.
The solid lines soon began to break up and Neodias, commander of the Macedonian phalanx charged with a small bodyguard into the Spartan and allied hoplites. While his initial charge was successful and a hole was made in the Spartan line his subsequent drive along the line was not successful and Neodias was pushed back and cut down surrounded as he was by Spartan perioikoi. Meanwhile on the Greek left the Greek horse continued to expand and began to advance on the Macedonian cavalry. Leonidas was desperate for victory in case the hoplites should be overwhelmed on the centre and right.
Philip, not being a main of caution, once again pushed forward with his cavalry against the lighter though longer Greek line which was supported by peltasts. In fact Philip, at the head of his bodyguard, charged home against a body of Greek peltasts, who no doubt aware of what had recently befallen their forces in Aetolia, fought with great determination and held their position while yet more peltasts moved forward to support them. Outnumbered and outflanked Philip, like Neodias, was cut down. [4]
Now without adequate leadership the Macedonian army broke and fled. A great number being put to the sword in the following retreat to Aetolia. In all, by the close of day, some 14,000 Macedonians lay dead on the fields of Boeotia.
However, this was not to be the end of the conflict. Taking the events as an opurtunity the young Demetrius returned to Pella from exile and siezed the crown. At once he reconstructed the Macedonian army and within but a few months he took the field. Again battle was joined in Boeotia, but again disaster struck the army of Macedonia and Leonidas destroyed this second army. With both armies exhausted and the provinces taxed to breaking a peace was negoitated between the two states which by Fall of 238BC seemed secure.
Notes:
- It would seem that Philip had seized power from Antigonas Gontas in 241BC and forced Antigonas’s son Demetrius into exile.
- A diplomatic message sent from Leonidas to the Ptolemic Empire was delivered to Macedonia in error. This communication requested an alliance against Macedonia, and paved the way for war.
- For the battle both forces were converted to tabletop forces where each campaign unit fielded 40 points. Thus each army had 280 points available but the Macedonians having twice as much cavalry.
- The death of Philip and the defeat of Macedonia in turn allowed Demetrius to return from exile and at once resume Antigonas power.