1 lugl 200 anni a. C. - Battle of Panium

Descrizione:

The Battle of Panium, fought in 200 BC near Paneas (modern-day Caesarea Philippi), was a decisive conflict between the forces of Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic army led by Scopas of Aetolia. This battle, part of the Fifth Syrian War, resulted in a complete victory for the Seleucids, leading to the conquest of the province of Coele-Syria and marking the decline of the Ptolemaic Kingdom as an independent power.

Background:
In 202 BC, Ptolemy, the governor of Coele-Syria, defected to the Seleucid side, allowing Antiochus III to occupy most of the province, including Gaza. Scopas of Aetolia, a Ptolemaic commander, managed to reconquer parts of the province during the winter of 201 BC. Antiochus gathered his army at Damascus and confronted the Ptolemaic forces near the stream of Panium in the summer of 200 BC.

Ptolemaic Dispositions:
The Ptolemaic army deployed a front line four kilometers wide, with its left wing positioned on the plain below the Panium plateau. The army consisted of 25,000–32,000 Macedonian settler phalanx troops, along with Aetolian mercenaries led by Scopas.

Seleucid Dispositions:
Antiochus commanded a force of around 70,000 soldiers, including cataphracts, elite cavalry, phalangites, war elephants, and light skirmishers. His son, Antiochus the Younger, led the elite cataphracts and secured a foothill of Mount Hermon during the night before the battle.

Battle:
The battle began with Antiochus the Younger's cataphracts attacking and routing the Ptolemaic cavalry. In the center, the Ptolemaic phalanx initially forced back the Seleucid counterparts, but the Seleucid elephants disrupted their advance. Antiochus the Younger then charged the rear of the Ptolemaic phalanx with his cataphracts, while the war elephants pressed from the front. The Ptolemaic forces, trapped between two fronts, were almost annihilated, with Scopas fleeing the field along with a significant portion of his troops.

Aftermath:
Scopas led his men to seek refuge at Sidon, but they were eventually forced to surrender. Coele-Syria came under Seleucid control, and the Ptolemies were compelled to sign a peace treaty with Antiochus in 195 BC. The Macedonian settler phalanx's role in the Ptolemaic army was scaled down in the following years. The battle marked the end of Ptolemaic independence and the beginning of Seleucid dominance in the region.

Aggiunto al nastro di tempo:

Data: