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The Wars of Succession: The African War.
Years 6 to 10 of Alexandros Sōtēr Theos.
(284 B.C. – 280 B.C.)
“If only the descendants of Lysimakhos had inherited his wisdom, a great deal of the tragedies that beset his house could have been averted.” -- Priapatios of Sousa, The Life of Lysimakhos of Makedonia.
Landing at Byblos in Syria in the summer of 285 B.C., King Alexandros IV Philopatōr begins preparing for a campaign against Lysimakhos in Aphrikē. However, he finds himself at this time already thinly stretched, having lost many troops in both India and Hellas, and now compelled to maintain a sizable garrison in both the eastern and western theatres to solidify his recent reconquests. A war on two fronts, though still within the resources and abilities of the empire, has nevertheless taken its toll upon it. Though it is possible that a man of exceptional greatness, a military genius with the full force of a powerful reputation (such as the Great King’s late father), could successfully manage such a task and spend a lifetime attempting to retake the lost eastern and western possessions of the Argeads, King Alexandros IV is now slowly beginning to realize that, though gifted, he is not his father. He thus finds himself forced to rely increasingly on brutality, especially in Hellas, to ensure that his rebellious subjects are cowed by fear if nothing else.
The Great King of Asia spends the year 284 B.C. amassing an army at Tyros and continuing preparations for his coming African campaign. However, just before his plans are completed in the winter of 283 B.C., the king receives startling news while at Sidōn: the loyal Seleukos, satrapēs of Arabia, has been assassinated at Nikaia Arabia by a group of Sabaean rebels. The death of his governing strongman now leaves Eudaimon Arabia in chaos, with the powerful Sabaean lord Zamir Ali Yanuf now emerging as the leader of the rebels. With Seleukos’ death, there is little left to keep order or unite the Argead troops there, and many soon either desert the royal army or are bought off as effective mercenaries, Zamir now in control of the ample wealth of the incense trade. By August, 283 B.C., Zamir is successful enough to have himself proclaimed King of Saba at the ancient royal capital of Marib.
Once again, King Alexandros IV is faced with a second war on two fronts, something he greatly wishes to avoid. Thus, instead of attacking the Sabaeans and punishing them for their rebellion, he decides to concede defeat and cut his losses. Knowing that Eudaimon Arabia’s geographical isolation already makes it a difficult province to govern effectively, the Great King instead offers to lend King Zamir his support and recognition, promising not to invade Saba in exchange for a large annual tribute. King Zamir Ali Yanuf wisely agrees, knowing that while the king may be presently occupied in Aphrikē, but, once he is finished securing his power there, King Zamir will have little chance of victory when faced with the full might of the Argead empire, including the near limitless human resources it commands.
The Arabian problem solved and the valuable incense trade secured, King Alexandros IV finally marches west, entering Aigyptos with his force of 45,000 in May, 282 B.C. Deciding to increase his popularity in Aigyptos and secure the province’s loyalty, the Great King stops in Memphis to be undergo a ritual coronation as pharaoh there, much to the great acclaim of the Egyptian people. He even orders the construction of several new temples to Isis and Amun, shortly before marching for Kyrēnaïkē.
Aside from a light skirmish at Arai, King Alexandros IV at first encounters very little resistance in Aphrikē. At Sabrata on October 28, however, he finally faces Lysimakhos’ son by his Persian wife, Philippos (the aging Lysimakhos now nearing eighty and in declining health, and thus unable to personally command his troops). Despite the fact that Philippos only commands 35,000 soldiers, he has one great advantage: the core of his army consists of tested veterans who have spent the last few years fighting the hostile desert tribesmen of Libya, while a great many more are skilled mercenaries hired from amongst the ranks of the Berber tribesmen of Aphrikē. Using his army’s skill to his advantage, Philippos distinguishes himself as a superior tactician, defeating King Alexandros IV Philopatōr at Sabrata, and halting his further advance into Aphrikē for a time.
Marching his army south, King Alexandros winters with his forces at Oea. There, he is attacked by Philippos in January, hoping to drive the Great King back into Kyrēnē. The surprise attack fails, however, and King Alexandros IV is able to adequately defend his position, and force the rebels to retreat north.
The victory at Oea seems to at least reverse the trend of Argead defeat for a time, allowing King Alexandros to take Thakapē in the July, and penetrate as far as Ruspina in the fall of 281 B.C., scoring a series of minor victories. This, however, is mostly due to the death of Lysimakhos that spring and the temporary retreat north of Philippos in order to formally take power in Karkhēdōn as ruling satrapēs in Aphrikē. Once again, the young Philippos manages to defeat Alexandros IV at Thapsos in December, forcing him to winter at Thenai.
It is at the battle of Akholla, however, on March 4, 280 B.C. that Philippos manages to finally win a decisive and crushing victory against the invading King Alexandros, permanently halting all further Argead advances into Aphrikē, and securing the independence of the new realm. Realizing that he is fighting a losing battle against Philippos, with his forces now becoming increasingly outnumbered and outmaneuvered, later that spring, King Alexandros IV finally abandons his African possessions and retreats into Kyrēnē, ordering that province to be further garrisoned and fortified, in case of future conflict with the newly risen Karkhēdōn.
In honor of his victory at Thapsos, Philippos inaugurates the new Hellenic Kingdom of Karkhēdōn, taking the title of king (Greek: Basileus), under the reign name of King Philippos I Nikatōr (“Victor”).
Above: the Argead Empire and its dependent allies at the end of the Succession Wars, 280 B.C.
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