Philip then sent a small force to take the Cynoscephalae hills (coordinates: 39º25'N, 22º34'E). Share your thoughts, experiences and the tales behind the art. Philip also pursued a war with Athens—at that point a Roman ally. Like it or not, he was committed to a general engagement. The situation finally stabilized due to the efforts of the Aetolian cavalry, with the Romans pressed, but holding. A year after the Peace of Phoenice, the Successor King Ptolemy IV Philopator (father-loving) died, leaving his six year old son Ptolemy V to succeed him. Battle of Cynoscephalae: decisive battle during the Second Macedonian War (200-197 BCE), in which the Roman general Titus Quinctius Flamininus overcame the Macedonian king Philip V. Philip V of Macedon. Today, we ventured south and west into the ridges and hills surrounding the Karadag range in Thessaly where the famous Battle of Cynoscephalae was fought in 197 B.C. 10.) The last line would be armed with a thrusting spear. But enough waxing eloquent on Greece. Let me bring you up to speed on the Battle of Cynoscephalae. A few days later, on hearing of the battle of Cynoscephalae; the whole of Acarnania submitted to the Roman general. The Romans also fielded twenty war elephants, with their attendant crews. For two hundred years the Macedonian Phalanx had been invincible on the battlefield. During the march there was a heavy rainstorm, and the morning after there was a fog over the hills and fields separating both camps. Just at this time the Rhodians determined to win back from him the district on the mainland known as Peraea, which had been held by their forefathers. This website uses cookies to provide all of its features. The Battle of Cynoscephalae is a battle that took place in 197 BC. Once he was sure the battle was lost, he escaped. This propaganda move worked, and Rome enjoyed a detachment of Greek sympathy from Philip, transferring to Rome. 6.) It was the site of the victory (197 bc) that ended the Second Macedonian War when the Romans under Titus Quinctius Flamininus defeated Philip V of Macedon. We have Plutarch’s Life of Flamininus in his Parallel Lives, which gives a moralistic retelling from Rome’s point-of-view, 3 chapters from Livy, with all the attendant concerns about his mistranslations and prioritization of drama over accuracy, and 9 chapters from Polybius, who was a client of the powerful Aemili family, and thus positively disposed toward Rome. Cynoscephalae is de naam voor een heuvelrug in Thessalië.Deze heuvelrug had zeer hoge toppen, wat erg in het voordeel was voor de Romeinen, aangezien zij in een veel flexibelere formatie vochten dan … Rome's crisis of command had the Second Macedonian War off to a bad start, and there was every indicator that it would mimic the First in an end not particularly favorable to Rome. They fled at first contact with the elephants. Flamininus immediately set out for Epirus, taking 3,000 veterans from the Second Punic War, and ignoring the administrative and ceremonial duties of a Roman consul. 1. Hammond in 1988. The Battle of Cynoscephalae (Greek: Μάχη τῶν Κυνὸς Κεφαλῶν) was an encounter battle fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V.. Prelude. For 300 years cavalry used in concert with the spear phalanx had dominated Western battlefields. Mike, I echo c-bone's comments and really can't wait for the book. It matches Plutarch's assessment that Flamininus had over 26,000 soldiers, and that the opposing forces were roughly the same size. The three lines would be deployed in ten staggered maniples (handfuls), with a maniple-wide gap between each one. Even better, Scotussa was near the road to Palaepharsalus, which meant Philip's army could be in contact with his line of supply to the north, and also perhaps to troops he had garrisoned to the south in Pharsalus. Philip had 16,000 phalangites—heavy infantry in full panoply, armed with the long pike, 2,000 "peltasts" (an elite corps of probably phalangites, named for the pelte shield they carried), 2,000 Thracians (armed either skirmishers or light "shock" close-combat troops), 2,000 Tralles (Illyrians, most likely armed as skirmishers), 1,500 mercenaries of various nationalities and 2,000 cavalry, for a total strength of 25,500 men. We’re overlooking Lake Plasitras, which is like something out of a fantasy novel, right down to the sheer-faced mountains rising straight from the shore and the butter-colored sun seeming to sink below the surface of the water. The sources are very clear and almost entirely in lockstep on the composition of the Antigonid army. Roman Macedonian Where in Thessaly? Description: English: An animation showing the events of the Battle of Cynoscephalae. Observing that the arriving Antigonid troops (under Nicanor) were strung out and disorganized, he ordered his right to charge up the ridge, with the elephants in front. Myke, thanks for the ongoing travelogue. The Greek allied infantry may have been armed as thureophoroi (light, missile-capable, shock-troops equipped with the thureos shield) or as skirmishers. © 2017 Osprey Publishing Limited. Philip’s alliance with Hannibal earned Rome’s lasting enmity, and was resolved in a stalemate with the Peace of Phoenice in 205 B.C. This bought him four months during which the rest of the treaty was negotiated. 7/8000 gesneuvelden en 4/5000 gevangenen. Philip retreated to a safe distance to observe the rout. Philip received his retreating force, and integrated them on the right of his newly arrived troops, and deployed them double-depth (32 ranks deep). Methods/Techniques Rome Macedon New way of Rome Old way of Greece When? The Roman skirmishers (velites) would have deployed in a screen out front, and the cavalry on the flanks. [33.18]In every direction alike Philip's fortunes were sinking. At this point, Philip realized he had no choice. 4.) +44 (0)1865 727022. With the Karadag range between them, the two armies marched on only generally aware of the other's position, utterly ignorant of the fact that they were just 12KM apart. The combat engaged about 26,000 men on each side. Show area … )&oldid=55773599, Wikipedia:Geen afbeelding lokaal en wel op Wikidata, Creative Commons Naamsvermelding/Gelijk delen, 16.000 soldaten in de falanx, 1500 huurtroepen, 4.000 peltasten, 2.000 lichtbewapenden van. Cynoscephalae (Ancient Greek: Κυνὸς κεφαλαί, meaning "dog's heads") may refer to: . Summary . These numbers match Livy's statement that the armies were about equal, but conflicts with his statement that the Romans were stronger in cavalry. The Aetolians were waved off, and Philip was required to relinquish his conquests in the Balkans, Greece and Asia Minor. The battle on the hills grew fierc… The Romans would have deployed their troops in a triplex acies of three lines—the hastati (green/young men), the principes (more veteran troops), and finally the triarii (hardened veterans). Normally, the left hand projected past the shield rim, allowing the phalangite to wield the pike with both hands. Our literary sources for Cynoscephalae are comparatively good when you consider the general state of ancient material. Flamininus quickly defeated Philip at the Aous River Gorge, by means of a flanking maneuver. In 198 B.C. The sources give the following evolution of the battle, in this order: 1.) For the hastati and principes, most likely a bronze pectoral that covered the heart. He also had to scuttle his navy. The Antigonids were one of the great “Successor” (diadochi) dynasties descended from Alexander the Great’s generals, who squabbled over his empire after his death in 323 B.C. The Battle of Cynoscephalae (June 197) became famous because Roman legions, commanded by Titus Quinctius Flamininus (the portrait is from the museum of Delphi) defeated king Philip V‘s Macedonian phalanx.The army that had once been the best in the world and had defeated Persian kings, Indian raja’s, and Sogdian nomads, now had to recognize that the legions were better. Pausanias' Description of Greece discusses the war at length and the battle more briefly. The exact composition of this force isn't clear, but Polybius indicates that at least some of the troops were Aetolian. Cynoscephalae (Boeotia), a town of ancient Boeotia Cynoscephalae (Thessaly), a town of ancient Thessaly Cynoscephalae Hills (Boeotia), a range of hills in ancient Boeotia Cynoscephalae Hills (Thessaly), a range of hills in ancient Thessaly (where the battles below were fought) Two hills of southeast Thessaly in northeast Greece. The battle of Cynoscephalea of 197 B.C. Rome's First Macedonian War, also fought against Philip V, broke out largely due to Philip’s mistaken belief that the Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca, having just crushed the Romans at Cannae in 216 B.C., would win the Second Punic War. That night, a soaking rain fell, resulting in a thick mist the following morning. The two covering forces bumped into one another, and a skirmish erupted. My fiancee and I have been visiting historical sites in Greece for the last 3 years and I'd say you can't find a more friendly or helpful people. You must be logged in as a Bronze, Silver or Gold Osprey member to comment on this post. The Battle of Cynoscephalae, fought in 197 B.C., ended the second of Rome’s four Macedonian Wars, securing a place in history for the Roman consul Titus Quinctius Flamininus, checking the power of the Antigonid King Philip V, and imposing a brutal peace that laid the groundwork for the Third Macedonian War against Philip’s son Perseus. It may have been a single brigade of approximately 4,096 men, or some other partial unit. Flamininus, seeing that the forcing back of his force was adversely impacting the morale of his entire force, sounded the general engagement. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. Thessaly, Greece, 197 BC Second Macedonian War Macedonian Light Troops, Reinforced, Push Back the Romans (Polybius 18.22) - See also About Polybius Philip's Camp (See also About Philip V of Macedon) Roman-Allied Greek Cavalry Marching blind, Philip sent light troops out to reconnoiter from high ground, at precisely the same time Flamininus sent out "ten squadrons of horse and about a thousand light-armed infantry" (Polybius) with the same purpose. Justinus discusses the battle in his Epitome of the Philippic Histories, and mention is also made in the Chronicle of Eusebius and in Orosius' History Against the Pagans. The battle is mentioned in Quintus Ennius' Annales. Officers or wealthier soldiers may have worn a bronze muscle-cuirass in place of the linothorax. Philip V  was the Great-Great-Great-Grandson of Alexander’s famous general Antigonus I Monopthalmus (Antigonus the One-Eyed), the founder of the Antigonid dynasty. 3.) We know little of how the OOB played out on the ground, but can extrapolate from general knowledge of Roman and Antigonid deployments from this period. 7.) De tekst is beschikbaar onder de licentie. All Rights Reserved. The initial meeting of the covering forces supposedly took place on top of this ridge, with both forces sending panicked messengers back to their commanders pleading for aid. We also know that Rome's Aetolian Greek allies sent them 400 cavalry and 6,000 infantry, while the Athamanian Greeks sent 1,200 infantry. Phalangites would deploy sixteen men deep. De slag. Dr Alexander Meeus and Karl Soundy must be thanked for their help in preparing this. Livy goes on to criticize the Roman annalist Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius, who also exaggerates the casualties at 32,000 killed and 4,300 captured. This file contains text that might be in a language different from your own. It is possible that the twenty maniples Polybius is referring to here are those of the Triarii from the legion and its associated ala, as these would amount to twenty maniples, would be the in the rear of the Roman right, and would be the most veteran and disciplined troops—more likely to break off a pursuit to get back in the fight. We’re working our tails off, and this is still one of the most incredible trips of our lives. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The Antigonid left, not properly formed up, or deployed into phalanx didn't even bother to try to fight. We also know that legions of this period (including the alae "wings" of the socii) had around 300 cavalry attached to them, which would give a grand total of 28,000 infantry and 1,600 cavalry – 29,600 men. Philip fled to Tempe, where he recovered as many survivors as he could. Roman consul Titus Quinctius Flamininus entered Macedon with his two Senate-provided legions to confront and dethrone King Philip V in the Second Macedonian War. It was also a contest primarily between two iconic, culturally-representative and distinct formations: the Antigonid phalanx with their twenty-one foot pikes (sarissa), and the Roman legion with their short swords (gladius hispaniensis) and javelins (pilum). Cause: Philip trying to expand kingdom. An additional 800 infantry joined the Romans from Crete. The first two lines would have been armed with 2 javelins each and the short sword. Death of Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epophanes Antichus III the Great Philip V of Macedonia For the phalanx is like an animal of invincible strength as long as it is one body and can keep its shields locked together in a single formation; but when it has been broken up into The Battle of Cynoscephalae was a decisive engagement between the Roman Republic and the Antigonid Dynasty of Macedon. was the decisive battle of the First Macedonian War, and was the first of a series of victories won by Roman legions over the Greek phalanx that ended three centuries of Greek dominance on the battlefield.. The sources are vague on exact deployment, and we're reliant mostly on modern scholarship to make sense of where the armies deployed and where the battle took place. info@ospreypublishing.com The Antigonids would ideally deploy their phalanx in four strategia (brigades) in a line, with the most veteran units to the right (likely the peltasts). The Battle of Cynoscephalae was an accidental engagement, with neither general ready for, nor desiring a pitched battle, fought over terrain that suited neither side. We can agree with Livy's assessment that Antias exaggerates, as, even if those were combined casualties, it would mean the utter annihilation of both armies. Roman C2 was pushed out largely to the centurio level (2 officers roughly equivalent to a modern company-grade officer) who commanded each maniple. Need a translated version? The Cretan troops were almost certainly archers. Battle of Cynoscephalae summary. He stationed the right of his army behind the war elephants and held them in position, and sent the left half of his army to the aid of his beleaguered covering force. In 201 BC, Rome won the Second Punic War against Carthage. The Battle of Cynoscephalae, 197 BC, settled once and for all the age-old dispute of phalanx versus legionary warfare. Flamininus responds to his covering force's plea for reinforcements, sending 500 cavalry and 2,000 infantry to assist. These articles provide a great foundation from which to reckon what we already know about the battle, and to use as a jumping off point for a re-examination. Command and Control (C2) would have been largely centralized in the monarchical Antigonid phalanx, resulting in a rigid force designed to deploy once and hold position thereafter. One unnamed tribune (A Roman rank approximating a modern field-grade officer) wheeled off less than twenty maniples (Polybius) and attacked the Antigonid right in the rear. Map Description Historical Map of the Battle of Cynoscephalae 197 BC . Livy and Polybius agree that 8,000 Antigonids were killed and 5,000 captured. NOTE: Livy says they dropped their pikes and charged with swords, and is widely believed to have mistranslated Polybius. It features in Rome: Total War as a historical battle. The Battle of Cynoscephalae (Greek: Μάχη τῶν Κυνὸς Κεφαλῶν ) was an encounter battle fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V. Enter your email address below to sign up to our General newsletter for updates from Osprey Publishing, Osprey Games and our parent company Bloomsbury. We’re not here on vacation. Pritchett in 1969, and N.G.L. Battle of Cynoscephalae, (197 bce ), conclusive engagement of the Second Macedonian War, in which Roman general Titus Quinctius Flamininus checked the territorial ambitions of Philip V of Macedonia and bolstered Roman influence in the Greek world. Cynoscephalae, (Greek: “Dogs’ Heads”), ancient range of hills in Thessaly, Greece, 7 miles (11 km) west of modern Vólos. 2.) Flamininus, judging that his left wasn't going to be able to win the battle, transfers himself to his right. Cynoscephalae was the first battle in the campaign of Roman imperialism against Macedonia and the eastern Mediterranean. The fullest recent treatment of the battle is NGL Hammond’s ‘The campaign and Battle of Cynoscephalae 197 BC, JHS, V 108 (1988) 60-62. The Battle of Cynoscephalae, fought in 197 B.C., ended the second of Rome’s four Macedonian Wars, securing a place in history for the Roman consul Titus Quinctius Flamininus, checking the power of the Antigonid King Philip V, and imposing a brutal peace that laid the groundwork for the Third Macedonian War against Philip’s son Perseus. Days later, on hearing of the battle of Cynoscephalae was een Slag in de Tweede Macedonische Oorlog die werd... Single brigade of approximately 4,096 men, or some other partial unit, sounded general... To Tempe, where he recovered as many survivors as he could with the phalanx... The Athamanian Greeks sent 1,200 infantry with his two Senate-provided legions to confront and dethrone king Philip of. 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