Adopting the titles king of asia and great king, the macedonian rulers of the seleucid dynasty laid claim to the territory of the former achaemenid empire during the hellenistic period. The seleucid empire began to crumble after 100 bce and was finally toppled by rome through the efforts of its general pompey the great l. Mar 29, 2012 this is a 1976 study of the organization and tactics of the seleucid armies from 312 to 129 bc. The consequence is the absence of thorough discussion on the seleucid army its recruitment, composition and performances, in particular, of the empire s resources and of its government. Organisation and tactics in the great campaigns cambridge classical studies by barkochva, bezalel isbn. It was carved out of the remains of alexander the great s macedonian empire by its founder, seleucus i nicator. The seleucid empire carved up the remains of alexander the greats empire, and stretched from turkey to pakistan at the height of its power. For one, antiochus iii attacked roman allies in greece and asia minor and in the war that followed were defeated and had crippling peace terms. Although only his books on the roman civil wars survive in their entirety, large parts of appians book on the syrian war, or syriaca, have also come down to us. Cappadocia and armenia declare independence while ptolemy ii attacks the.
They met again when judahs army was at the gates of jerusalem, but it was a much shorter battle. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Mar 21, 2019 the seleucid army by bezalel barkochva, 1976, cambridge university press edition, in english. By scipiomaximus the seleucid empire probably has one of the roughest starts in rome total war, mostly because youre almost sure to be fighting a three front war, but also because you start with an extremely stretched out empire. The maccabean revolt was a jewish rebellion, lasting from 167 to 160 bce, led by the maccabees against the seleucid empire and the hellenistic influence on jewish life. The seleucid army goodreads meet your next favorite book. The army was essentially a professional force paid mainly in coin and augmented during major campaigns by levies of native troops and allies. They were, however, written at or near the time of the events, and were treated. Ive played a bit as macedon, usually have about 56 pikes per army, then some flanking infantry hoplitesthureos spears and swords, cav and skirmishers usually try to go for a mix of slingsarchers and peltasts, but the seleucid s syrian heavy archers look pretty good so id probably go mostly with them and just 12 peltasts for close up. While most seleucid history is supported by a variety of records, the details of the jewish rebellion are mainly known through the books of the maccabees. The seleucid military was unique in that it combined many of the features of the hellenistic armies, such as the phalanx with features of the eastern armies such as heavy cavalry, mounted archers, and. There are bits and pieces on these three topics, and references to other more detailed books, but these are scattered throughout the book. The fall of the seleucid empire and the maccabean revolt duration. Under antiochus iii the great, the seleucid empire thrived.
The first part of the book discusses the numerical strength of the armies, their sources of manpower, the contingents of the regular army, their equipment and historical development, the chain of command, training and discipline. See more ideas about ancient history, military art and greek warrior. Oct 29, 2015 the jewish people overcame the massive difference in manpower to secure an almost impossible victory over the seleucid empire and over antiochus. The seleucid army organization and tactics in the great. The phalanx was a large, dense formation of men armed with small shields and a long pike called sarissa. This issue deals with the seleucid empire, one of the large hellenistic states that emerged after the death of alexander the great in 323 bc and the wars of the successors that followed it. Seleucus gained control of the eastern provinces, and his empire was the largest among the successor states. Military units and formations of the hellenistic world. May 08, 2015 the fall of the seleucid empire and the maccabean revolt duration. They met again when judahs army was at the gates of. Seleucid army composition tactics total war forums. This book deals with the war that the romans and the seleucid king antiochus iii the great fought in 192188, but also discusses, as an appendix, the history of the seleucid empire. Cataphract, phalanx formation, antigonid macedonian army, seleucid army general books llc, source wikipedia, books, llc general books, 2010 126 pages. The seleucid empire 31263 bce was the vast political entity established by seleucus i nicator victor or unconquered, l.
The seleucid empire might be the least known of the empires created among alexanders conquests, but it was actually the biggest, and it played a crucial role not only in hellenizing the middle east but making it possible for the later byzantine empire to maintain its hellenism in the region. Ive played a bit as macedon, usually have about 56 pikes per army, then some flanking infantry hoplitesthureos spears and swords, cav and skirmishers usually try to go for a mix of slingsarchers and peltasts, but the seleucids syrian heavy archers look pretty good so id probably go mostly with them and just 12 peltasts for close up. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Her army soon beat small byzantine forces that initially crossed the border, outside of ankara the two armies met. Now, his son, antiochus i, is given the formidable task of keeping the empire intact. Shahs of the seleucid empire by iananso22 on deviantart. This book was published in 1989 and the seleucid army in 1976 or in 1979 if i remember well, it depends from the version. The book is well structured and conveys the opinion of the author in a quite clear way. Contains both description of most notorious military institutions of the seleucid empire and largest battles, in which it army participated.
The rise and demise of the seleucid empire ancient origins. The seleucid army by bezalel barkochva, 1976, cambridge university press edition, in english. Oct 22, 2019 the seleucid empire began to crumble after 100 bce and was finally toppled by rome through the efforts of its general pompey the great l. These are deuterocanonical books of the bible, meaning that most of the content of the books is nonbiblical. Antigonuss army, which was much reduced because of the losses at paraitakene, now numbered 22,000 infantry, and 9,000 cavalry, more than 7,000 fewer men than he had in 317.
Essentially, the author comes up with a collection of sweeping, controversial and unsubstantiated statements that happen to run contrary to archaeological. Seleucid expenditure was mainly incurred for the armed forces, probably around 50 percent of the total budget in peacetime and considerably more in wartime. Space, territory, and ideology in the seleucid empire, paul j kosmin harvard university press paperback, august 2018 this book is actually the second part of kosmins two magisterial books about the seleucid empire, following hard on the heels of the land of the elephant kings. From the seleucid empire to the arrival of rome by cam rea. And soon the byzantines fell back beaten and scattered. Start by marking the seleucid army seleucid and ptolemaic reformed armies 168145 bc volume 1. Maccabees represent the army of judas maccabeus that defied the seleucid empire and eventually gained independence for judea from the failing seleucids. The byzantine forces were smaller and soon overwhelmed by the large numbers of the seleucid empire. Time and its adversaries in the seleucid empire by paul j. In addition there are lists of peripheral troops which include the mercenaries and territorial troops that made up successor armies. Was the ancient seleucid army a powerful fighting force. There are only a few books written about the seleucid empire, the empire founded by seleucus the i, following the death of alexander the great. Aug 28, 2014 the next issue of ancient warfare, viii. Rapidly becoming hellenised by its ruling macedonian elite, the seleucid empire is an industrious centre of city building and civil engineering, attracting many greek colonists.
The seleucid empire was one of the last diadochi kingdoms to last, but eventually, they were defeated the by parthians. The seleucid army was the army of the seleucid empire, one of the numerous hellenistic states that emerged after the death of alexander the great as with the other major hellenistic armies, the seleucid army fought primarily in the grecomacedonian style, with its main body being the phalanx. Timeline in the narrative of i maccabees, after antiochus iv issued his decrees forbidding jewish religious practice, a rural jewish priest from modiin, mattathias the hasmonean, sparked the revolt. Organization and tactics in the great campaigns by bezalel barkochva and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Eumenes army numbered 36,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 114 elephants. Nov 23, 2014 the seleucids were powerful but they had a number of problems. Antiochus i soter, son of the alexandrian successor seleucus nicator, rules a vast and culturally diverse territory formed from the remnants of the great macedonian conquerors eastern empire. The misconception of the seleucids demise it is the year 281 b. This is a 1976 study of the organization and tactics of the seleucid armies from 312 to 129 bc. Start by marking the seleucid army seleucid and ptolemaic reformed armies 168145 bc volume 1 as want to read. The seleucids were powerful but they had a number of problems. Diadochi, hellenistic era, syrian wars, seleucid roman war, battle of magnesia, treaty of apamea, seleucid dynastic wars, parthians, maccabean revolt, seleucus i, antiochus iii. Seleucid empire, founded in 312311 bce by seleucus i nicator, formerly a general in the army of alexander the great. Seleucid empire, 31264 bce, an ancient empire that at its greatest extent stretched from thrace in europe to the border of india.
The study of antiquity and the middle ages 17,730 views. At the center he placed his most reliable soldiers, a 10,000 strong unit of veteran macedonian pikemen known as the silver shields. The phalanx was a large, dense formation of men armed with small shields and a long pike called the. Cleopatra led her armies in person like her father had once done. Diadochi, hellenistic era, syrian wars, seleucidroman war, battle of magnesia, treaty of apamea, seleucid dynastic wars, parthians, maccabean revolt, seleucus i. Download pdf theseleucidarmy free online new books in. The second part reconstructs the great campaigns in order to examine. Jul 31, 2015 the battle of gabiene took place in january 316. The seleucid army was the army of the seleucid empire, one of the numerous hellenistic states that emerged after the death of alexander the great as with the other major hellenistic armies, the seleucid army fought primarily in the graecomacedonian style, with its main body being the phalanx. The seleucid empire was a hellenistic state that existed between the 4th and 1st centuries bc. When alexander died, he left no certain successor to his kingdom but, allegedly, claimed it should go to the strongest. After the defeat, antiochus armies were devastated.
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