Cretan War (205–200 BC): Difference between revisions

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Philip next concluded a treaty with [[Antiochus III the Great]], emperor of the [[Seleucid Empire]], hoping to divide up the land held by [[Ptolemaic Egypt]] under the young pharaoh [[Ptolemy V]]. Philip agreed to help Antiochus to seize [[Egypt]] and [[Cyprus]], while Antiochus promised to help Philip take control of [[Cyrene]], the [[Cyclades]] and [[Ionia]].<ref name="Green">Green, ''Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenstic Age'', 304</ref>

With this treaty concluded, Philip's army attacked Ptolemy's territories in Thrace. Next, the Macedonian fleet headed south and took the island of [[Samos]] from [[Ptolemy V]], capturing the [[Ancient Egypt|Egyptian]] fleet stationed there. The fleet then turned north and laid siege to the island of [[Battle of Chios|Chios]]. Philip was planning to use the northern Aegean islands as stepping stones as he worked his way down to Rhodes. The siege was not going well for Philip, as the combined fleets of Pergamum, Rhodes and their new allies, Cyzicus and Byzantium were, blockadinghad Philipsuccessfully blockaded his fleet. Philip, seeing no other option, decided to to risk battle against the allies.

The Macedonian fleet of around 200 ships outnumbered the allied fleet around two to one.<ref name="Green">Green, ''Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenstic Age'', 307</ref> <ref name="Polybius 16.2">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.2 16.2]</ref> The battle began with Attalus, who was commanding the allied left wing, advancedadvancing against the Macedonian right wing, while the allied right flank under the command of the Rhodian admiral, [[Theophiliscus]] attack the Macedonian's left wing. The allies gained the upper hand on the allies'their left flank as theand captured Philip's flagship. there; Philip's admiral, Democrates, was slain duringin the fighting.<ref name="Polybius 16.3">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.3 16.3]</ref> Meanwhile, on the allied right flank, the Macedonians were pushing back the Rhodians back. Theophiliscus, fighting on his flagship, received three fatal wounds but he managed to rally his men and defeat the Macedonian boardrsboarders.<ref name="Polybius 16.5">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.5 16.5]</ref>

On the allied left flank, Attalus saw one of his ships being sunk by the enemy and the one next to it in danger.<ref name="Polybius 16.6">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref> He decided to sail to the rescue with two quadriremes and his flagship however. Philip, however, whose ship had not been involved in the fighting soto farthis point, saw that Attalus had strayed some distance from his fleet and sailed towardsto whereattack Attalus washim with four [[quinqueremes]] and three hemioliae.<ref name="Polybius 16.6">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref> Attalus upon, seeing Philip approaching, fled in terror and was forced to run his ships aground. AttalusUpon landing he spread coins, purple robes and other splendid articles on the deck of his ship and he fled to the city of [[Erythrae]]. When the Macedonians arrived at the shore, they stopped to collect the plunder.<ref name="Polybius 16.6">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref> Philip, thinking that Attalus had perished in the chase, started towing away the Pergamese flagship.<ref name="Polybius 16.6">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref>

The situation on the allies' right flank, meanwhile, had reversed and the Macedonians were forced to disengage and retreat, leaving the Rhodians to tow their damaged ships into the harbour of Chios. The allied left and centre had also gained the advantage earlier and forced the Macedonians to retreat before sailing back to Chios unmolested.<ref name="Polybius 16.6">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref>

The battle was a costly toone for Philip, who hadlost 92 ships destroyed and seven7 captured.<ref name="Polybius 16.7">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.7 16.7]</ref> ForOn the alliesallied side, the Pergamese had three ships destroyed and two captured., Thewhile the Rhodians lastlost three ships andsunk hadand none captured. During the battle the Macedonians lost 6,000 rowers, and 3,000 marines killed and had 2,000 men captured. The casualties for tethe allies were significantly lowlower, with the Pergamese lossing 70 men, the RhodianRhodians 60 andkilled, the allies as a whole losing 600 captured.<ref name="Polybius 16.7">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.6 16.6]</ref> Peter Green discribes this defeat as "a crippling and costly defeat".<ref name="Green">Green, ''Alexander to Actium: The Historical Evolution of the Hellenstic Age'', 307</ref> This defeat effectivleyeffectiveley crippled the Macedonian fleet and saved the Aegean islands from another large invasion.

After this battle, the Rhodian admirals decided to leave Chios and sail back home. On the way back to Rhodes, the Rhodian admiral Theophiliscus died of the wounds he received at Chios, but before he died he appointed [[Cleonaeus]] as his successor.<ref name="Polybius 16.9">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.9 16.9]</ref> As the Rhodian fleet was sailing in the strait between [[Battle of Lade (202 BC)|Lade]] and [[Miletus]] on the shore of Asia Minor, Philip's fleet attacked them. Philip defeated the Rhodian fleet and forced it to retreat back to Rhodes. The Milesians were impressed by the victory and sent Philip and the [[Heracleides]] garlands of victory when they entered Milesian territory.<ref name="Polybius 16.15">[[#Polybius|Polybius]] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plb.+16.15 16.15]</ref>