The Seleucid Army: Organization And Tactics In The Great Campaigns (cambridge Classical Studies)

This is a 1976 study of the organization and tactics of the Seleucid armies from 312 to 129 BC. 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. The second part reconstructs the great campaigns in order to examine the Seleucid tactics. The book provides a lesson in Hellenistic and military history and discusses several questions: how did the Hellenistic armies develop after Alexander? What distinguished the Seleucid army as superior to its Hellenistic contemporaries? The answers illuminate the expansion of Hellenism as we learn how the Seleucid army was used as a military, social and cultural instrument to impose the rule of the dynasty over the vast regions of the Empire and how it helped to shape Hellenistic society in the East. Frontmatter......Page 1 Contents......Page 7 MAPS......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 11 Introduction......Page 13 PART I - ORGANIZATION......Page 17 1 - The numerical strength of the Seleucid armies......Page 19 1. The military settlements......Page 32 2. The national contingents......Page 60 1. Heavy infantry......Page 66 2. Cavalry......Page 79 3. Elephants and chariots......Page 87 4 - The command -- king, strategoi and other officers......Page 97 5 - Training and discipline......Page 106 PART II - THE ARMY IN ACTION......Page 115 6 - Seleucus I at Ipsus (301 B.C.)......Page 117 7 - Against Demetrius at Cyrrhestica (285 B.C.)......Page 123 8 - The victory over Molon (220 B.C.)......Page 129 9 - The storming of the Porphyrion pass (218 B.C.)......Page 136 10 - The battle of Raphia (217 B.C.)......Page 140 11 - The crossing of the Elburz range (210 B.C.)......Page 154 12 - The battle of Panion (200 B.C.)......Page 158 13 - The defence of Thermopylae (191 B.C.)......Page 170 14 - The battle of Magnesia (190 B.C.)......Page 175 15 - The march to Beith-Zacharia (162 B.C.)......Page 186 16 - Bacchides against Judas Maccabaeus at Elasa (160 B.C.)......Page 196 Conclusion......Page 213 Notes......Page 219 Bibliography......Page 289 Addenda......Page 307 Index......Page 313 "This is a study of the organization and tactics of the Seleucid armies from 312 to 129 BC. In the first part of the book Dr Bar-Kochva discusses the numerical strength of the armies, their sources of man-power, the contingents of the regular army, their equipment and historical development, the chain of command, training and discipline. In the second part he reconstructs the great campaigns (Ipsus, Cyrrhestica, Porphyrion, Molon, Raphia, the Elburz, Panion, Thermopylae, Magnesia, Beith Zacharia and Elasa) in order to examine and illustrate in detail the Seleucid tactics. The book provides a lesson in Hellenistic and military history and discusses a number of questions: How did the Hellenistic armies develop after Alexander? What distinguished the Seleucid army from its Hellenistic contemporaries and assured its superiority? The answers illuminate the expansion of Hellenism as we learn how the Seleucid army was used as a military, social and cultural instrument to impose the rule of the dynasty over the vast regions of the Empire and how it helped to shape Hellenistic society in the East"--Publisher description

This is a study of the organization and tactics of the Seleucid armies from 312 to 129 BC. In the first part of the book Dr Bar-Kochva discusses the numerical strength of the armies, their sources of man-power, the contingents of the regular army, their equipment and historical development, the chain of command, training and discipline. In the second part he reconstructs the great campaigns (Ipsus, Cyrrhestica, Porphyrion, Molon, Raphia, the Elburz, Panion, Thermopylae, Magnesia, Beith Zacharia and Elasa) in order to examine and illustrate in detail the Seleucid tactics. The book provides a lesson in Hellenistic and military history and discusses a number of questions: How did the Hellenistic armies develop after Alexander? What distinguished the Seleucid army from its Hellenistic contemporaries and assured its superiority? The answers illuminate the expansion of Hellenism as we learn how the Seleucid army was used as a military, social and cultural instrument to impose the rule of the dynasty over the vast regions of the Empire and how it helped to shape Hellenistic society in the East.

Frontmatter 1 Contents 7 MAPS 8 Acknowledgements 9 Abbreviations 11 Introduction 13 PART I - ORGANIZATION 17 1 - The numerical strength of the Seleucid armies 19 2 - Sources of manpower 32 1. The military settlements 32 2. The national contingents 60 3 - The regular army 66 1. Heavy infantry 66 2. Cavalry 79 3. Elephants and chariots 87 4 - The command -- king, strategoi and other officers 97 5 - Training and discipline 106 PART II - THE ARMY IN ACTION 115 6 - Seleucus I at Ipsus (301 B.C.) 117 7 - Against Demetrius at Cyrrhestica (285 B.C.) 123 8 - The victory over Molon (220 B.C.) 129 9 - The storming of the Porphyrion pass (218 B.C.) 136 10 - The battle of Raphia (217 B.C.) 140 11 - The crossing of the Elburz range (210 B.C.) 154 12 - The battle of Panion (200 B.C.) 158 13 - The defence of Thermopylae (191 B.C.) 170 14 - The battle of Magnesia (190 B.C.) 175 15 - The march to Beith-Zacharia (162 B.C.) 186 16 - Bacchides against Judas Maccabaeus at Elasa (160 B.C.) 196 Conclusion 213 Notes 219 Bibliography 289 Addenda 307 Index 313 9780521206679 Cambridge Classical Studies A 1976 study of the organization and tactics of the Seleucid armies from 312 to 129 BC. Dr Bar-Kochva discusses the numerical strength of the armies, their sources of manpower and their equipment and historical development, and also reconstructs the great campaigns in order to examine the Seleucid tactics.