Battle of Chaeronea (86 BC)
Encyclopedia
For the earlier battle, see Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)
The Battle of Chaeronea was the victory of the Roman
forces of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
over King Mithridates VI of Pontus
near Chaeronea
, in Boeotia
, in 86 BC
during the First Mithridatic War
. This battle is described in three ancient texts, although the accounts differ slightly. The description of the battle is found in Appian
's Mithridatic Wars, Sections 42-43, Frontinus' Stratagems
, as well as Plutarch
's Life of Sulla, chapters 17-19.
, Scythian, Cappadocian, Bithynian, Galatian
, and Phrygian
troops, numbering near 120,000. Each nationality was commanded by their own general, all of whom answered to Archelaus as commander-in-chief.
Sulla's forces consisted of several legions of Roman troops, as well as Greeks who had defected to the Roman side. They numbered about 40,000.
Appian and Frontinus add that the chariots were in fact destroyed by the light armed infantry, who assailed the Mithridatic unit with missiles.
The infantry then engaged each other in the center. Archelaus sought to use his superior numbers to his advantage as quickly as possible and extended his right wing (the Roman left) to envelop the Romans.
Seeing this, the legatus
(Roman lieutenant) Hortensius led his forces to counter this move, and were slowly separated from the rest of the Roman force as they spread to meet the enemy. Archelaus charged this Roman detachment and surrounded them.
At this time, Sulla was stationed on his right wing which had not yet been engaged by the Mithridatic forces. Learning of Hortensius' dire situation, he made for his left wing to help out. Archelaus noticed the dust cloud and the standards of the Roman commander approaching and abandoned his position in order to attack the now commander-less Roman right wing.
Thus, the threat was lifted from Hortensius' forces, but the other Roman legate, Murena
, simultaneously found himself in trouble, being attacked by the elite bronze-shields unit of the enemy. Sulla heard the pleas for assistance echoing on the hills and decided to send Hortensius' force to Murena, and lead his own unit and the fifth cohort
back to his post on the right wing.
Sulla found his right wing standing firm against Archelaus' personal onslaught, and with his arrival successfully routed the Mithridatic forces from his right wing. At about the same time, the Roman forces in the center led by Murena, who was actively encouraging his men in battle, also managed to rout the Mithridatic force. Victory was Sulla's.
Appian and Plutarch claim that only 10,000 of the enemy forces survived and escaped to the nearby town. They add that 14 Romans were not accounted for at the end of the battle, two of which returned at nightfall, making the Roman casualty count an unbelievable 12 soldiers. While these figures are obviously inaccurate,as the close range nature of fighting between the infantry forces must have caused heavier Roman losses,nevertheless,the Pontic forces undoubtedly suffered disproportionately heavier casualties.
The battle would be followed by the Battle of Orchomenus
after Archelaus was reinforced by eighty thousand fresh troops under Dorylaeus
.
Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)
The Battle of Chaeronea was fought in 338 BC, near the city of Chaeronea in Boeotia, between the forces of Philip II of Macedon and an alliance of Greek city-states...
The Battle of Chaeronea was the victory of the Roman
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
forces of Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix , known commonly as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He had the rare distinction of holding the office of consul twice, as well as that of dictator...
over King Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI of Pontus
Mithridates VI or Mithradates VI Mithradates , from Old Persian Mithradatha, "gift of Mithra"; 134 BC – 63 BC, also known as Mithradates the Great and Eupator Dionysius, was king of Pontus and Armenia Minor in northern Anatolia from about 120 BC to 63 BC...
near Chaeronea
Chaeronea
Chaeronea is a village and a former municipality in Boeotia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Livadeia, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 2,218...
, in Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
, in 86 BC
86 BC
Year 86 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Cinna and Marius/Flaccus...
during the First Mithridatic War
First Mithridatic War
The First Mithridatic War was a war challenging Rome's expanding Empire and rule over the Greek world. In this conflict, the Kingdom of Pontus and many Greek cities rebelling against Rome were led by Mithridates VI of Pontus against the Roman Republic and the Kingdom of Bithynia...
. This battle is described in three ancient texts, although the accounts differ slightly. The description of the battle is found in Appian
Appian
Appian of Alexandria was a Roman historian of Greek ethnicity who flourished during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius.He was born ca. 95 in Alexandria. He tells us that, after having filled the chief offices in the province of Egypt, he went to Rome ca. 120, where he practised as...
's Mithridatic Wars, Sections 42-43, Frontinus' Stratagems
Stratagems (book)
Stratagems is a work by Frontinus, a collection of examples of military stratagems from Greek and Roman history, ostensibly for the use of generals...
, as well as Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's Life of Sulla, chapters 17-19.
Forces
Appian tells us the Pontic commander Archelaus had Thracian, PonticPontic Greeks
The Pontians are an ethnic group traditionally living in the Pontus region, the shores of Turkey's Black Sea...
, Scythian, Cappadocian, Bithynian, Galatian
Galatian
Galatian may refer to:*of or relating to Galatia or its people*Galatian language...
, and Phrygian
Phrygian
Phrygian can refer to:*A person from Phrygia*Phrygian cap once characteristic of the region* Phrygian language*Phrygian mode in music* Phrygian Valley, a historic location in northwestern Turkey...
troops, numbering near 120,000. Each nationality was commanded by their own general, all of whom answered to Archelaus as commander-in-chief.
Sulla's forces consisted of several legions of Roman troops, as well as Greeks who had defected to the Roman side. They numbered about 40,000.
Geography
The terrain of the plain of Chaeronea was integral to the beginning and end of the battle. Sulla consistently refused to offer Archelaus battle until he found his enemy encamped in terrain favourable to his Roman force. Archelaus' camp was in a rocky region near a broad plain at the bottom of a slope. Sulla took advantage of the favourable ground and arrayed his forces before the plain on the hill, with a tactically advantageous view into the camp. Plutarch states that in this way Archelaus had no choice but to array his army on the plain, or risk being stoned to death by the Romans from above. There was no other way out of the battle since the camp was surrounded by rocks; Archelaus had to array his army before the Romans on the plain below the hill. Moving his army out of the camp onto the rocks would have disordered their formations, and prevented their horses and chariots from being effective.The Engagement
As the Mithridatic forces formed up, Sulla hastily advanced upon them, closing the gap between the armies, thereby rendering the deadly scythed-chariots useless. Regarding this instance, Plutarch says:
[Sulla] robbed the scythe-bearing chariots of their efficiency. For these are of most avail after a long course, which gives them velocity and impetus for breaking through an opposing line but short starts are ineffectual and feeble, as in the case of missile which do not get full propulsion. And this proved to be true now in the case of Barbarians. The first of their chariots were driven along feebly and engaged sluggishly, so that the Romans, after repulsing them, clapped their hands and laughed and called for more, as they are wont to do at the races in the circus.
Appian and Frontinus add that the chariots were in fact destroyed by the light armed infantry, who assailed the Mithridatic unit with missiles.
The infantry then engaged each other in the center. Archelaus sought to use his superior numbers to his advantage as quickly as possible and extended his right wing (the Roman left) to envelop the Romans.
Seeing this, the legatus
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
(Roman lieutenant) Hortensius led his forces to counter this move, and were slowly separated from the rest of the Roman force as they spread to meet the enemy. Archelaus charged this Roman detachment and surrounded them.
At this time, Sulla was stationed on his right wing which had not yet been engaged by the Mithridatic forces. Learning of Hortensius' dire situation, he made for his left wing to help out. Archelaus noticed the dust cloud and the standards of the Roman commander approaching and abandoned his position in order to attack the now commander-less Roman right wing.
Thus, the threat was lifted from Hortensius' forces, but the other Roman legate, Murena
Lucius Licinius Murena
Lucius Licinius Murena was Roman consul in 62 BC. His father had the same name.At the end of the First Mithridatic War, he was left in Asia by Sulla in command of the two legions formerly controlled by Gaius Flavius Fimbria...
, simultaneously found himself in trouble, being attacked by the elite bronze-shields unit of the enemy. Sulla heard the pleas for assistance echoing on the hills and decided to send Hortensius' force to Murena, and lead his own unit and the fifth cohort
Cohort (military unit)
A cohort was the basic tactical unit of a Roman legion following the reforms of Gaius Marius in 107 BC.-Legionary cohort:...
back to his post on the right wing.
Sulla found his right wing standing firm against Archelaus' personal onslaught, and with his arrival successfully routed the Mithridatic forces from his right wing. At about the same time, the Roman forces in the center led by Murena, who was actively encouraging his men in battle, also managed to rout the Mithridatic force. Victory was Sulla's.
Aftermath
As the Mithridatic forces fled back towards their camp, they were easily slain, having been completely disordered by the uneven terrain of their path of retreat. Appian claims that Archelaus blocked his soldiers' entry into the camp and forced them to turn and face the Romans. They did so, but could not withstand the Roman impetus.Appian and Plutarch claim that only 10,000 of the enemy forces survived and escaped to the nearby town. They add that 14 Romans were not accounted for at the end of the battle, two of which returned at nightfall, making the Roman casualty count an unbelievable 12 soldiers. While these figures are obviously inaccurate,as the close range nature of fighting between the infantry forces must have caused heavier Roman losses,nevertheless,the Pontic forces undoubtedly suffered disproportionately heavier casualties.
The battle would be followed by the Battle of Orchomenus
Battle of Orchomenus
The Battle of Orchomenus was fought in 85 BC between Rome and the forces of Mithridates VI of Pontus. The Roman army was led by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, while Mithridates' army was led by Archelaus. The Roman force was victorious, and Archelaus later defected to Rome...
after Archelaus was reinforced by eighty thousand fresh troops under Dorylaeus
Dorylaeus
Dorylaeus , was a commander in the Kingdom of Pontus who served under Mithridates the Great. Dorylaeus reinforced Archelaus with eighty thousand fresh troops after the latter's loss at Battle of Chaeronea. Dorylaeus wanted to bring about a battle with Sulla right away, but changed his mind after a...
.