Collaborative Campaign Year 13: Part 2

The last post in this series saw Picenia attack and take control of the City State of Sentis, a member of the Cyraenian Pentapolis. In today's episode there is further action in this theatre.

Mark once again takes up the tale... (Text and pictures are © Mark Cordone).

***

The Battle of Cyllene

After the battle of Aphidna, Demetrius, and the Picenians began to consolidate their control of the city state of Sentis.  While this was happening, the rest of the Pentapolis city states met to decide what to do.  With the Therissian's abstaining, the other three cities voted to back the claim of Anaxander, Antonatus's brother, to the throne.  An army under the Kartosian king Doryssus was raised to invade Sentis.  It consisted of some 3000 elite, disciplined Kartosian hoplites, around 100 Herelion armored elphas supported by about 4000 peltasts and archers, and a Cyraenian phalanx of 4000 with 2000 additional cavalry.

Governor Auteus Callosus the Picenian province of Luss had the 5000 disciplined men of the 8th Legion and 2000 Kigali cataphracts.  In addition Demetrius fielded a 4000 man phalanx, 3000 archers and about 2000 unreliable peltasts from Sentis.

On the 4th day of the 11th month of the year of the Hippopotamus the armies met along the coast near the sleepy fishing village of Cyllene.  It was warm and sunny with only a few clouds in the sky as the armies deployed for battle. Auteus deployed his phalanx in the left sector with their flank resting on the beach.  In the center he placed the 8th Legion and on a hill to the right he deployed his archers.  In reserve he had the cataphracts and the unreliable peltasts.

King Doryssus was with his vaunted elite, disaplined hoplites on the left, the elphas were in the center and in the rough ground in front of the hill he had his archers and peltasts.  In reserve were the Cyraenian phalanx and cavalry.  Anaxander was with the horsemen.

The battle began with an archery duel on the right which saw the Herelion's emerge victorious and take possession of the high ground.  They then began to shoot into the flank of the 8th Legion as the elphas advanced.  This was too much for the legionaries, who broke and fled. 

As Auteus tried unsuccessfully to rally them his peltasts briefly retook the hill as the cataphracts charged but were scattered by the elphas.

As this was going on the vaunted Kartos hoplites advanced along the beach only to be routed when their king was killed in the melee.  They could not be rallied but Anaxander took command of the army.  As he did so some very effective shooting from the Sentis peltasts panicked the elphas who stampeded to the rear.  

Keeping his cool, Anaxander sent his reserve phalanx forward on the left.  In the subsequent melee both sides were exhausted but charging with his cavalry up the now wide open center of the field Anaxander broke the enemy who fled pell mell to be mostly slaughtered during the pursuit.

Sentis was retaken, and governor Auteus Callosus was killed trying to rally his shattered army.  Demetrius was captured and quickly tried and executed as Anaxander established himself as tyrant of Sentis.  Thus the Picenian attempt to gain control of Sentis came to an end.

***

Thanks to Mark for another excellent, and beautifully illustrated, battle report, including a Leviathan! Picenia has been thwarted for now.....