Part 3: The Betrayal
BC 272
The Greek City States of Athens and Sparta, always trying to gain the upper hand on Macedon saw an opportunity now. The Athenians would disrupt Macedonian leadership through assassination and espionage while the Spartans would start training an army to take back the whole of the Peloponnese.
The Athenians were at first successful, they assassinated the Governor of Amphipolis, Ikaros.
This they thought would cause unrest in the city, it did not, Ikaros was a beloved Governor and man of the people. The assassin was caught and under only the most severe torture did he name “Athens…the Athenians…” as his employer. The Athenians moved too quickly though, the Spartans had not created a large enough army to face the Macedonians yet.
Polyneikes, ever a politician used the people’s anger to create new levies and increase taxes to prepare for war with the Greek City States. By the end of 272 Polyneikes had given Anakreon, now seventeen, the new Macedonian army. He was given the office of Strategos and also given carte-blanche to use the army as he sees fit.
The Greek Cities, attempting to surprise the Macedonians laid siege to Corinth.
Anakreon responded quickly to Damasos, the Governor of Corinth’s request for aid and began marching his men out of Larissa immediately. They would march down to the Gulf of Corinth and take boats across to Arcadia.
The Relief of Corinth
The Greek City’s men were waiting for Anakreon next to a small out-cropping of rocks at the bottom of a hill, half their line up the hill and half down. Anakreon let his men walk into position; he didn’t rush them but let them take their time, he had a plan.
When the Macedonians were directly across from the GCS he ordered his men to double-time the rest of the way up the hill to take a position above the GCS.
It worked like a charm; the GCS attempted to take the higher position but were outflanked.
Anakreon, seeing the Captain of the GCS left alone while his men charged the hill, ordered his Light Lancers to charge him.
They were successful despite their heavy losses.
As the day wore on, the GCS troops tried to force their way up the hill, this gave the Macedonians good target practice.
In the end it was quite an easy victory for young Anakreon due to his strategic prowess, his first of many.
The Second Battle of Arcadia
The Greek City State of Athens, angry at the demise of the army they paid for; sent one of their own at the head of the next army facing Anakreon. The young general, Demosthenes of Athenai was brash and arrogant, he thought of the Macedonian general as “a child, to be spanked and beaten so he will run home to his mother and cry in her bosom”.
Anakreon did not have a mother though…so we join the battle at the top of a hill in Arcadia, where Anakreon attempted to outmaneuver Demosthenes to no avail.
Their armies meet at the top, on even ground overlooking the Gulf of Corinth.
The GCS hoplites charge the Macedonian levy and attempt to break their formation, the Macedonian hoplites charge their right flank in shield wall.
The GCS levy attempts to break through the Macedonian left flank, but the Thracians are there.
The Macedonian Phalanx regulars come to the aid of the levy phalanx and beat back the GCS hoplites.
Anakreon sees a GCS levy all alone and orders his Thureophoroi and Thracians to surround and attack. Also, Demosthenes seeing his men falter attempts to rally them by charging the Macedonian line.
He meets Hades at the end of a Macedonian sarissa.
The GCS reinforcements arrive too late, Anakreon reforms his line at the top of the hill and lets his archers have their way. The Peloponnesians are made into pin cushions for Macedonian arrows.
Another victory for Anakreon, though his men carried this day.
End of Part 3
Next: The Annexation of Patras