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Hub AI
Battle of Lyncestis AI simulator
(@Battle of Lyncestis_simulator)
Hub AI
Battle of Lyncestis AI simulator
(@Battle of Lyncestis_simulator)
Battle of Lyncestis
The Battle of Lyncestis/Lyncus took place in 423 BC between the allied forces of the Lyncestians and Illyrians against those of the Spartans and Macedonians. The battle was part of the wider Peloponnesian Wars. Before Athens suffered defeat at Delium in 424 BC, Sparta had sent an expedition under Brasidas to assist Perdiccas II of Macedonia and other opponents of Athens. At first Sparta avoided involvement in Macedon's war with Arrhabaeus, but in 423 BC they joined an expedition which ended with retreat by the Macedonians and a brilliantly contrived escape of the Spartans.
After the initial joint Illyrian and Lyncestian attack was repulsed, they pursued the Macedonians and blocked Brasidas' route at a pass, forcing his army up the surrounding hill and into Macedonia. This brought to a head the quarrel between Brasidas and Perdiccas.[full citation needed][full citation needed]
Arrhabaeus, the rebellious king of Lyncestis (also Lyncus), was subject to Perdiccas, whom Perdiccas at the time wanted to subordinate to Argead control. Much of what is known about the Macedonian kings before Alexander I relates to their struggles against Illyrian incursions. These Illyrian raids penetrated western Macedonia and threatened the Argead territory in the central plain. A century later the Illyrians continued to press their claim by joining Arrhabaeus. In 423 BC Sirras married the daughter of Arrhabaeus. Some claim that the Illyrians were under Sirras when the battle took place but this is not supported in historiography (Thucydides incidentally never makes any mention of Sirras). If the Illyrians were indeed under the rule of Sirras during the events of the battle, then they were either the Taulantii or Enchelii,[full citation needed][verification needed] depending on the affiliation of Sirras with either tribe and the exact location of his kingdom.
Perdiccas II was allied to the Spartans and, in 424 BC, helped the Spartan general, Brasidas, to take Amphipolis from the Athenians, one of her most important colonies, mainly for its ready access to timber for her fleets. This was a severe blow to Athens, and would tie them to Macedonian timber for years to come, which strengthened Macedonia’s bargaining power considerably. In return for this, and after initial reluctance, the Spartans helped Perdiccas secure his borders, by leading an assault on King Arrhabaeus, with the promise of support from the Illyrians.[full citation needed][verification needed]
Brasidas and Perdiccas started on a second joint expedition into Lyncestis. Perdiccas was leading the forces of the Macedonians he ruled over and a body of hoplites. Brasidas had with him Chalcidians, Acanthians and such forces as the other allies could have contributed, in addition to the rest of the Peloponnesians in the area. In all three there were about 3,000 southern Greek hoplites, accompanied by all the (Northern Greek) Macedonian cavalry together with the Chalcidians, almost 1,000 strong, besides an immense number of barbarians.[citation needed]
On entering Lyncestis, Brasidas and Perdiccas found the Lyncestians encamped and waiting for them, so Brasidas and Perdiccas took up a position opposite. The infantry on either side were on hills, with a plain between them, into which the cavalry of both armies galloped down and engaged . After this, the Lyncestian hoplites advanced from their hill to join their cavalry and offered battle; in response to which Brasidas and Perdiccas also came down to meet them, and engaged and routed them with heavy loss; the survivors taking refuge upon the heights and there remaining disengaged. Brasidas and Perdiccas then waited two or three days for the Illyrian mercenaries who were to join Perdiccas. Perdiccas then wished to go on and attack the villages of Arrhabaeus, but Brasidas refused. He was anxious to return, as the Illyrians had not appeared, and he feared that the Athenians might sail up during his absence and attack Mende.
In the meantime, the news arrived that the Illyrians had actually betrayed Perdiccas and allied instead with Arrhabaeus. The fear inspired by their warlike character made both parties now think it best to withdraw. However, owing to the disagreement between Brasidas and Perdiccas, nothing had been settled as to when they should retreat. During the night the Macedonians and their allies, believing that an army of Illyrians many times more numerous than that which had arrived was advancing, took fright. This compelled Perdiccas to flee in the direction of his homeland. At daybreak, Brasidas, seeing that the Macedonians had gone, and that the Illyrians and Arrhabaeus were on the point of attacking him, formed his hoplites into a square with the light troops in the centre, and prepared to retreat. Posting his youngest soldiers to dash out where ever the Illyrians and Lyncestians should attack them, Brasidas and 300 picked men went to the rear intending to face about during the retreat and to beat off the most forward of their assailants.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, before the Illyrians approached, Brasidas sought to sustain the courage of his soldiers, clearly shaken by the fearsome appearance of a new enemy:[verification needed]
Battle of Lyncestis
The Battle of Lyncestis/Lyncus took place in 423 BC between the allied forces of the Lyncestians and Illyrians against those of the Spartans and Macedonians. The battle was part of the wider Peloponnesian Wars. Before Athens suffered defeat at Delium in 424 BC, Sparta had sent an expedition under Brasidas to assist Perdiccas II of Macedonia and other opponents of Athens. At first Sparta avoided involvement in Macedon's war with Arrhabaeus, but in 423 BC they joined an expedition which ended with retreat by the Macedonians and a brilliantly contrived escape of the Spartans.
After the initial joint Illyrian and Lyncestian attack was repulsed, they pursued the Macedonians and blocked Brasidas' route at a pass, forcing his army up the surrounding hill and into Macedonia. This brought to a head the quarrel between Brasidas and Perdiccas.[full citation needed][full citation needed]
Arrhabaeus, the rebellious king of Lyncestis (also Lyncus), was subject to Perdiccas, whom Perdiccas at the time wanted to subordinate to Argead control. Much of what is known about the Macedonian kings before Alexander I relates to their struggles against Illyrian incursions. These Illyrian raids penetrated western Macedonia and threatened the Argead territory in the central plain. A century later the Illyrians continued to press their claim by joining Arrhabaeus. In 423 BC Sirras married the daughter of Arrhabaeus. Some claim that the Illyrians were under Sirras when the battle took place but this is not supported in historiography (Thucydides incidentally never makes any mention of Sirras). If the Illyrians were indeed under the rule of Sirras during the events of the battle, then they were either the Taulantii or Enchelii,[full citation needed][verification needed] depending on the affiliation of Sirras with either tribe and the exact location of his kingdom.
Perdiccas II was allied to the Spartans and, in 424 BC, helped the Spartan general, Brasidas, to take Amphipolis from the Athenians, one of her most important colonies, mainly for its ready access to timber for her fleets. This was a severe blow to Athens, and would tie them to Macedonian timber for years to come, which strengthened Macedonia’s bargaining power considerably. In return for this, and after initial reluctance, the Spartans helped Perdiccas secure his borders, by leading an assault on King Arrhabaeus, with the promise of support from the Illyrians.[full citation needed][verification needed]
Brasidas and Perdiccas started on a second joint expedition into Lyncestis. Perdiccas was leading the forces of the Macedonians he ruled over and a body of hoplites. Brasidas had with him Chalcidians, Acanthians and such forces as the other allies could have contributed, in addition to the rest of the Peloponnesians in the area. In all three there were about 3,000 southern Greek hoplites, accompanied by all the (Northern Greek) Macedonian cavalry together with the Chalcidians, almost 1,000 strong, besides an immense number of barbarians.[citation needed]
On entering Lyncestis, Brasidas and Perdiccas found the Lyncestians encamped and waiting for them, so Brasidas and Perdiccas took up a position opposite. The infantry on either side were on hills, with a plain between them, into which the cavalry of both armies galloped down and engaged . After this, the Lyncestian hoplites advanced from their hill to join their cavalry and offered battle; in response to which Brasidas and Perdiccas also came down to meet them, and engaged and routed them with heavy loss; the survivors taking refuge upon the heights and there remaining disengaged. Brasidas and Perdiccas then waited two or three days for the Illyrian mercenaries who were to join Perdiccas. Perdiccas then wished to go on and attack the villages of Arrhabaeus, but Brasidas refused. He was anxious to return, as the Illyrians had not appeared, and he feared that the Athenians might sail up during his absence and attack Mende.
In the meantime, the news arrived that the Illyrians had actually betrayed Perdiccas and allied instead with Arrhabaeus. The fear inspired by their warlike character made both parties now think it best to withdraw. However, owing to the disagreement between Brasidas and Perdiccas, nothing had been settled as to when they should retreat. During the night the Macedonians and their allies, believing that an army of Illyrians many times more numerous than that which had arrived was advancing, took fright. This compelled Perdiccas to flee in the direction of his homeland. At daybreak, Brasidas, seeing that the Macedonians had gone, and that the Illyrians and Arrhabaeus were on the point of attacking him, formed his hoplites into a square with the light troops in the centre, and prepared to retreat. Posting his youngest soldiers to dash out where ever the Illyrians and Lyncestians should attack them, Brasidas and 300 picked men went to the rear intending to face about during the retreat and to beat off the most forward of their assailants.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, before the Illyrians approached, Brasidas sought to sustain the courage of his soldiers, clearly shaken by the fearsome appearance of a new enemy:[verification needed]