Magnesia Refight

In october 1999 we organized a DBM game based on the battle of Magnesia, 190 BC, where the armies of republican Rome crushed the hellenistic army of Antiochus III, King of Seleucid Asia. For the orders of battle and special rules we used the excellent Magnesia scenario designed by Luke Ueda-Sarson, without which  this refight would not have been possible.

 
Seleucids: Antiochus +  Philippos: Otso, Zeuxis: Petri, Seleucus: Pertti.
Off-picture Mendes: Akseli
Romans: Hellen allies: Tero, Domitius + Scipio: Ville, Gracchus: Timo,   Aemilius:Mikko

The battle took place on a relatively featureless plain. The Seleucid army had a fortified camp on a gentle hill. The Seleucid right (Roman left) flank was guarded by River Hermos.

The Seleucid army

The Roman army

The initial plans and orders

Seleucids:
These barbarians from Magna Graecia are most annoying. As they will not leave while they still can, and furthermore do not comprehend that the will of the gods and the arms of all the peoples of Greece and Asia are arrayed against them, We have decided to drive them from Our land with the spear.
   Mendes, your division shall form a vanguard in the position of honour on Our right. We and Our companions will fight in the King's place on the right wing and trample the barbarian into the dust of Asia.
   Trustworthy Philippos, take command of the phalanx and strike the Roman down in the center, but advance against the legions only when you see Our companions crush their left.
   Seleucus' division will command his cavalry on the left wing. Together we shall impale their legions as the Bull of Zeus runs through their foreign gods, which have admittedly proven to be strong on the soil of Greece and Magna Graecia, but they do not know these lands, and therefore cannot help the Roman.
   Zeuxis, you are overfond of wine and have often drunk until you have lost your senses completely and cavorted most unchastely and performed the goat-dance. Therefore We shall place your division in the left van, where you shall not exert yourself too much, but will watch Seleucus' flank.

I have said all the appropriate prayers, performed the sacrifice of wine and all else that is necessary. Finally I have had my priests read every possible omen, so that with rheumy eyes they convince me that We know the will of the gods better than any other mortal, discounting themselves, of course. And in every other respect have We given Our everything, that the gods of Asia and Greece should favour us over the Roman on this day. As We have given Our all, must you men also act manfully and follow the will of the gods on the field of Magnesia today. All the peoples of Greece and Asia will remember this day forever.

-Antiochus III the Great

Romans:
Ultimatum ultimus: Friends! Countrymen! Romans! We are here not because of Eumenes, The King of Pergamon, but to further heighten the glory of Rome! It doesn't matter if WE lose or win here today, but if ROME loses the shame will be unbearable. We have been sent here by the people and the senate of Rome and that is why Rome's own honour is at stake.
  Marcus Aemilius! You will defend our left flank with a legion of our Italian allies. You must restrain yourself from attacking too far because that would leave the flank of our legions too vulnerable.
   Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus and Lucius Cornelius Scipio! You will have the greatest responsibility and the greatest honour as you shall lead the two legions of Roman citizens. You have the most difficult position, but the roman legionary soldiers can stop any attack if well lead. The Seleucids will be directing the spearehad of their attack agains your legions, but I have my faith in you.
   Eumenes the King of Pergamon will be attacking against the Seleucid left with his cavalry. Even if this may seem a difficult task Eumenes must still prove his worth as an ally of Rome.
   Diophane of Megalopolis will be aiding Eumenes in his attemp for a breaktrough.
   I will personally command the Roman and Italian equites, and will support the attack of Eumenes.
   Our second legion of Italian allies will be defending the right flank of the roman legions and aiding the roman legions in resisting the the hellenistic masses. If Eumenes can accomplish a breaktrough he will then be turning to attack the flank of the Seleucid phalanx, and the legions will attack.

For the greater glory of Rome! Gnaeus Domitius

The battle

View from the Hellenistic camp

The battle started with the Seleucid psiloi and scythed chariots rushing off to meet their doom in the hands of Roman Velites. By turn 4 the initial skirmish had been decided, and remains of the Seleucid chariot force fled from the field, causing some panic among the Hellenistic foot.

Eumenes' psiloi trash scythed chariots

The mounted Seleucid left flank, Seleucus and Zeuxis, skirted round the flank of the Roman allies, Eumenes and Dipohanes. By turn 9 both allied generals had died and the Roman flank collapsed.

On the other flank the Hellenistic army advanced cautiously. The main Hellenistic force, the phalanx, watched the events from their position on Mt Sypilos.

Romans advancing as Hellens watch on

By turn 15 Antiochus decided to advance with some of his elephants, and shift part of the phalanx to his left, where his subordinates had broken the Roman allies. The Romans, however, attacked the practically unsupported elephants, killing them.

Romans advance againts the unsupported Elephant

At the same time  the agema of King Antiochus had clashed into the roman legionaries near the banks of Hermos. This did not go well, and the mounting losses caused Antiochus' command to break.

Antiochus charges the Romans

Antiochus did not have to lament the situation for too long, as on turn 16 he was killed. Mendes, commander of the far right phalanx, was engaging the legionaries to his front, pushing them forward. The Romans were suffering heavily, and were very close to breaking.

Having lost his flank support with Antiochus, Mendes' phalanx was easily outflanked and on turn 20 his command broke.

The Hellenistic cavalry on the other flank had regrouped after it's pursuit of the fleeing allies and was charging the Roman right.

Hellen flank engaging the legions

The hellen phalanx was finally charging into the roman legions in the center of the battlefield, but failed to smash the latin line. On the left flank the armoured cavalry charged the line of legionaries and latin cavalry several times, but failed to break them. The gods truly sided with the Romans, their dice coming up with 5 and 6, against the Hellenistic 1 on innumerable occasions on turns 21 to 23. At that time the Hellenistic cavalry broke from the mounting losses, and the rest of the Hellenistic army followed them off the field.

The romans had won the hard-fought battle of Magnesia, and the players retired to discuss the battle over a pint or ten...

Aftermath

Gnaeus Domitius: It is time for a feast my friends! We have defeated Antiokhos and his soldiers! Now will someone pass the wine?
Marcus Aemilius: Here's the wine Gnaeus Domitius. That indeed was a glorious battle. I can still fell the fear of the Seleucids as they turned and fled. But Eumenes was a bit disappointing.
Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus: Eumenes.. right.. haha. But maybe he decided the battle after all. If his and Diphanes' men hadn't fled the Seleucid right wouldn't have broken up so badly in the pursuit. But I must congratuleta you, Gnaeus Domitius for withdrawing the equites so fast.
Gnaeus Domitius: Yes, thank you. But the breaking of Eumenes really wasn't the first decisive thing in the battle..
Lucius Cornelius Scipio: Indeed. The velites performed magnificently against the seleucid skirmishers, and then delayed the phalanxsh long enough to allow the chavalry wtihhdraw... but on the other hand.. now where whas I?
Marcus Aemilius: Antiochos really has great wine! But anyway... you must agree that the battle really shtarted only when the lheghinosh attackged. Rhight?
Lucius Cornelius Scipio: Yessh! The Sheleushid Chataphractsh rheally were phitiful! Fhirts they come thundering down their mount Shyfilus and driving our velites befeore them but when they had to phase the legionsh they shtarted to phull back!
Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus: And then good old Gnhaes ordered ush to charge after them! Ha! You should have sheen their faces! They just weren't able to believe ush attacking!
Lucius Cornelius Scipio: But I must sthill give them some... shome... whhat's the word? Credit! Them fight wash agtually where ehven. And your legion was quite nearly broken Thibberius... or whas it mine?
Gnaeus Domitius: And by that time i had arranged the allied legion under my command to cover the flank of your attack... and the chavalry on the egsthreme rhigt.. I musth adhmit that I really was quite nervoush when the Sheleukhid khataprktchs formed to attack the leghion and the equitesh.
Marcus Aemilius: And by that time the Sheleuks had shtarted to attack everywhere.. we we were defending in a shuaqre and their forst khataphract cataphrr chataprkh charge had just been broken. Each phalag phanx phalangskh manouever for attack...
Lucius Cornelius Scipio:Our legions both performed magnificently agains the phalangites. But the right fhlank was the chritical fhront. Actually if any legion had bhroken the rest would propably have ghone thuuuu.
Gnaeus Domitius: But the Ithalians held like a whall of stheel! The khtataphrackts charged five... or whas it really ten tim-
Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus: I rheally think it whas fou-
Gnaeus Domitius: well anyway they held. And at the same time their thriarii and the eghuites ecxshploited the weak hinghe in the sheleuchik mhounted line and and and bhorke them. And thenh the hrest of the sheleuk line shtarted to crumble.
Lucius Cornelius Scipio:Yesh but the shmaller phalanx had bhroken beefore that rgiht?
Marcus Aemilius: ThruelIy! It really whas a long shtruggle, but we attackhed their flhank and thieir fighting spirit hhad allhready benn broken as Antogonos-
Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus: Antoichosh really..
Marcus Aemilius: Whoever. He had dhied anyway.. as hish ktaphracts broke. Andh before the plalangh bhore I hhad earlier in the bhattle PERSHonally led my bodyghuard to rhepel a flanking attac-
Gnaeus Domitius:Whew ran outth ow whine!
Tiberius Semphorius Gracchus: Hey yhou there! Go fetch ush shome more of thisss!

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