[EB AAR] The Pyrrhic Dynasty : A Makedonian AAR

[Julius Barca the Great]

I must say, this is one truly epic AAR. A great read and the images are skillfully captured. Every update is a masterpiece.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Thanks Julius.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 145 : Allies on the Far Side of the Persia

During the reign of Aristotelis, the Antigonids and the Seleukids had waged war with one another, the spoils of that war being the lands of Mesopotamia. Because of Prince Bykoli and his friend/son-in-law Pefkolaos, the Antigonids had won that war and pushed the Seleukids all the way back to the Persian Gates. Soon after that war, tragedy struck both empires. In the west, the Arche Makedonia fell into civil war, and in the east waves of steppe horsemen invaded the weakened Arche Seleukeia. The invading army of steppe horsemen conquered all of Parthia, Iran, and Persia. The Pyrrhids replaced the Antigonids in the west and won the civil war, but in the east it had seemed that the Seleukids had been completely defeated and had gone from history.

The Seleukids ruled nearly nothing in an forgotten corner of the world. It was not until the rule of Antigonos III in the west that news came of Seleukid activity once more. With an army of loyal Gedrosioi and a small but elite force of Makedonian cavalry, a Seleukid Basileus for the first time in more than two generations engaged in an offensive war. Striking from Gedrosia, in coordination with the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom, the Seleukids attacked Persia.



For years, the Seleukids struck into Karmania, marching against the Persians every season and then retreating back into their own lands to rest when it was either too hot or too cold. After many years of trials, they rested the majority of the lands of Karmania from the Persians and established themselves a new capital in those lands.



In Baktria, the Persians held a strong front against the Indo-Hellenic Kingdom but the Seleukids continued to have successes. After fortifying Karmania, the Seleukid armies turned north and invaded the lands of Ariana. They marched all the way to the city of Alexandreia-Ariana but failed to take the city.

The dual-monarchy of the Persian Empire continued to find even more enemies. The constant problem with steppe nomads continued, they feared attack from the Arche of the Hellenes to the west, the Seleukids and Indo-Hellenes attacked from the east, and finally a new threat came from the northeast. The Persians had established control over the mountain passes and trade routes heading to the far east. Along these routes came news of displaced peoples heading west. They had been lifted up from their homelands and pushed to the edge of the mountains. Although the Persians treated them like a client for decades, they would not longer have it. When all Persian authority beyond the great mountains was lost, they knew this new threat was going to be yet another problem for them if they were pushed or chose to migrate further to the west.



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The known world during the second year of the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I (121BC):

Next: Chapter 146 : Troubles in Foreign Lands

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Chapter 146 : Troubles in Foreign Lands

Arabia

General Aidesios Thermaios had fallen back with his army from Macaraba to the oasis of Lathrippa in order to avoid the armies of the Kingdom of Sab'yn. However, he was only encamped at the oasis for about half of a year before another army came marching against him. The city of Macaraba had surrendered without a fight and become a client city of the southerners. Once the city had fallen, its people told the Sabaeans where Aidesios had gone and lead the soldiers of Saba strait to Lathrippa.



General Aidesios took up the defensive on the top of a hill, while the the Saba army readily moved on the offensive against him.



Aidesios' forces were split into two groups, with the largest atop a large hill and a small group to the west on a separate hill. The Saba army marched up the slope and attack Aidesios' main army while ignoring the smaller force. While the two armies fought, the smaller force of Syrians to the west watched and waited.



Since the smaller group did nothing, the Saba soldiers continued to ignore them. As the fight when on, both sides began to tire and the smaller force saw their moment to attack. The light infantry charged down their own hill to the base of the larger hill where the main battle was taking place. Seeing themselves surrounded, the western flank of the Saba army broke and fled. The rest were soon to follow.



Although General Aidesios Thermaios continued to win battle after battle, he lost the ability to hold his ground. Low on supplies and under constant attack, Aidesios retreated from Macaraba and Lathrippa and back into friendly territory of allied Arab tribes who had yet to be subjugated by the armies from the Kingdom of Sab'yn.



A few months later, in the lands on the far side of Arabia, a small kingdom repelled another attack against one of their cities.



The Hellene-built towers around the city managed to repel the first wave of attack and do damage to the Saba seige equipment.



Yet, many siege towers made their way to the city walls and the defenders were forced to push back the Saba invaders who made their way atop them.



After a considerable fight, the Saba soldiers were repelled. With the walls defended, the local king decided to risk his army and grasp a resounding victory from the situation he had been given. He gathered his men and marched out from the city to chase down the remaining Saba soldiers and slay all of them in the field.



The Saba army obliged him and met him in the the open ground outside the city walls. The Saba force made up of mostly horsemen threw themselves at the Arab defenders.



When the dust had settled, the daring move proved successful. Thousands of Saba soldiers lay dead, including their general, with very few friendly losses. The city was defended and time was bought, for it would take time before the Kingdom of Saby'n could completely replace that army.



Around the Arche

Within the Arche but outside of the lands of southern Hellas, very little happened during this continued era of peace. News spread across the Arche that there were riots in Athenai and a possiblity of a dynastic change, but news quickly followed of the restoration of order and the ascension of Basileus Hippostratos I. Very few places in the provinces and satraps even reacted to this news, for it meant no changes for them, save maybe a new governor in a place or two.

The one exception was in the lands of Raetia and Noricia. These lands still bore a barbaroi culture and the population was one that felt occupied. They took the news of riots in the the capital as a chance to rebel. The rebellion had no organization and was quickly quelled. This episode was but another sign of the weak grip the Arche held on the un-Hellenized frontier lands.



Around the same time as the riots in Athenai, a large plague broke out in southern Mesopotamia. It was reported that Laandros, the last surviving son of Pyrrhos II was badly ill and that death filled the streets of the cities in that region.



The plague in Mesopotamia came and went, with many thousands dead. Laandros, despite his advanced age recovered and resumed his command of the frontier armies in Mesopotamia and Elymais. He would live many more years.

About a year into the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I, ironically, a great port was completed on the Propontos. This port was quite impressive and added to the continuing shift of the economic center of the Arche from Hellas to the immediate east. It is said that not to long after, Basileus Hippostratos began considerations to move the capital once again. This time to somewhere in the east.



The era of relative peace that had lasted since the end of the First Persian War in 133BC was beginning to seem like it could not last. The war in Arabia that had been ignored was beginning to push its way to the borders of the Arche. In Iran, the Persian Empire was building up forces on their borders with the Arche while waging war with the Hellenized peoples on her far side. And in Gallia, the Aedui Confederation had nearly united the lands and defeated the Arche's Arverni allies. While the Aedui were not hostile with the Arche, the concept of a powerful neighbor to the northwest was undesirable to the Arche's leadership.



As the era of peace started drawing to a close, another plague broke out. This time it was in the lands of Africa. The twin city of Karchedon and the lands around her filled with death and suffering.



With the Arche secure and his son fully in power, Antigonos III gathered the royal army of Makedonia and a fleet in the port. Once again, he was prepared to march to war. During the second year of joint rule with his son, he would set sail once more for war on his Arche's borders.

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The known world during the second year of the reign of Basileus Hippostratos I (121BC):

Next: Chapter 147 : War!

[Warburg]

The Sab'yn are really starting to get annoying, cant you just remove them from Arabia and create the Boii with them?

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

I could, theoretically, make Sab'yn into the Boii, but that would be a lot of work and I'm too lazy to do that. Besides, I kind of like the little factions being annoying on my borders. It seems more realistic. I was, however, considering making the Arverni into the Boii if they were to loose another territory.

[ReD_OcToBeR]

Persia is going apezhit in the north, soon you'll be battling near the Crimea!....lol

and have another rep...seeing how this is a masterpiece an all ....

[Lord Zhang Ku]

please don't tell me this thread is dead. I have always been a big fan, so I hope that this thread is continued.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Hello again. Due to writing a large paper, dealing with uni graduation, then going on a trip, I have not been around the fora. I haven't been doing anything with RTW, EB, or this AAR for nearly six months. I had the next chapter half written but haven't touched it in months. Since I don't have much time, this AAR is probably finally dead.

If you're wondering, the next chapter was to be

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

the beginning of the Second Persian War. I won the war but didn't manage to grab all of Persia. There was then going to be a golden age and a slow decline into corruption and complacency. That was the planned ending.

I want to thank everyone who read this AAR and those who commented. Maybe when I get a job and get bored I'll start playing TotalWar again and write another AAR in the future.

[Warburg]

I've enjoyed it man, but everything good has to end one day...

[ezekiel2517]

It was a good going. A few days short of 2 years!.

Enjoy RL, dude.

[messiah]

That's sad news. But it was fun while it lasted and I'm happy you devoted yourself to entertain your readers.

[Lord Lancelot]

This is great AAR, many events that is interesting +Rep

[Scipio Africanus Maximus]

Alas, that the most epic of AARs on the forum should reach its end! I would like to thank you for such an entertaining tale that has captivated us. Good luck with real life and have some rep for your devotion.

[Nerva]

This is the best AAR i have ever seen. It took almost a week to read it all, too bad its over but you make such a wonderful work MAA! my congratulations for the longest AAR ever seen in twc! I just hope that when EBII goes out you could make a new AAR like this one or even better.
+rep
Nerva

[Samariten]

I agree ive read the whole AAR aswell and its the best i have ever read.

[ReD_OcToBeR]

I just noticed your Good Bye post while skimming through this masterpiece on this lazy afternoon. I always find myself time and again reading sections and gathering inspiration from it. This is in my opinion the greatest AAR on TWC ever. It was one of the AARs that gave me the thought of starting an AAR back around 2 years ago. Best of luck MAA, in whatever you pursue.

Sorry for "Necroing" but I felt I had to acknowledge his work.