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Military Operations on the North Front of Mount Taurus. IV.—The Campaigns of 319 and 320 B.C

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2013

William Mitchell Ramsay
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Extract

In a footnote in J.H.S. 1918, p. 144, I stated the view that the battle (319 B.C.) in which Antigonus defeated Alketas and the associated generals took place in the αὐλὼν which leads from the N.E. corner of the Limnai towards Pisidian Antioch, carrying the southern or Pisidian road across Asia Minor eastward. This important route, regarded as a highway from the west coast to the Cilician Gates, is a recent discovery, though parts of it have been often described and traversed. In J.H.S. 1920, p. 89 f., I have argued that it was the road by which Xerxes' great army marched from Kritalla to Kelainai.

There are two authorities on whom we depend for details of the battle of 319 B.C., Polyaenus Strat. 4, 6, 7 and Diodorus 18, 44; but both of these gather all their information from that excellent military writer Hieronymus of Cardia, the friend and historian of Eumenes. Polyaenus tells the story with soldierly brevity, relating only the chief military features: Diodorus diffusely and at great length; but so that we can recognise Hieronymus behind and beneath, and restore the full account as given by that writer.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Hellenic Studies , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , 1923 , pp. 1 - 10
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies 1923

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References

1 It has been confused with (1) the road to Iconium, with which it coincides for the whole stretch between Neapolis (Karagatele) and the west coast, (2) the Via Sebaste from Colonia Antiochia to Lustra Colonia. It was not till 1909 that we traversed the part between Kara Viran and Appa Serai through the great cañon. Between Bey-Sheher and Kara Viran I have not traversed it, but Sterrett has seen it. The great cañon was not traversed even by so wide-ranging a traveller as Sterrett.

1a Strabo quotes Artemidorus's Πισίδαι.

2 Droysen places the battio in the open ground between the Klimax and Payam-Agatch, an easy day from the neighbour hood of Termessos.

3 This is a very unusual division of opinion in ancient Anatolian society; a division of duties in Palestinian society between the older and the younger members is mentioned in Act. Apost. IV. (where the active work falls to the younger men in the Church at Jerusalem). Generally the authority and experience of the old guided the young.

4 If it were safe to take ὑπερδέξιος to imply higher position on the right wing of Antigonus (as in Xenophon, , An. 4, 8, 2Google Scholar), this would be an important detail; but, although in the operations of a battle, and the example of Xenophon, some justification might be found for this sense, yet the regular usage refers only to higher position, and so in Diodorus himself. Recent editions of Xen. read

Polyaenus speaks of Pisidic Aulon as a well-known place, and Schönborn identified it with the famous Klimax. The Aulon was the scene of countless battles, of which only a few are known to us (J.H.S. 1918, p. 144; Geographical Journal, April 1923.

5 Strictly south-western Cappadoeia.

6 In the Geographical Journal, April 1923, and in J.H.S. 1920 I have described the battle and the routes.

7 Antigonus never reached or entered Termessos: probably not even Alketas did. The latter sought Termessian protection: Antigonus sought to impede this. To enter the city would defeat either purpose.

8 Plut. Eum. 11. Diod. XVIII. 41, 3, depends on a statement of Hieron. (reproduced by Plut.); but he misread ὑδάτων as ξύλων: wood could not be used as food, and something to sustain life is needed. Hieronymus could never have said that Nora had the necessaries to stand a siege for many years without mentioning the water supply (especially as he mentions salt). Wood for fires would be useful, but hardly a necessary. Dung is used for cookingifires, and there were horses.

9 Chamich's description of the appearance of Kizistra as one entered the plains of Erjish from the south (viz. from the direction of Podandos by the direct road passing east of Bereketli-Maden) is conclusive as to this identification.

10 If, however, Eumenes ever got so far as Zeagibar, one can hardly imagine why he should stop there, as further flight was easy, and his opponents far away. He stopped because his flight proved too difficult. The prospect of being shut up in Nora offered no attraction and was the last refuge of despair.

11 In many parts Taurus's front ridge rises straight from the plain without any intervening foothills.

12 An incident that occurred before the battle deserves note. Perdikkas, one of his chief officers, deserted him with 3000 foot and 500 horse, and encamped three days' journey away. Phoenix of Tenedos made one rapid day and night journey with 5000 men, traversing the whole distance, and fell on him at the second night-watch.

13 This high level valley looks circular as one travels across it, but I do not assert that this appearance is strictly true to facts. Here rises one branch of the Tchakut Ever, which flows through Taurus to the Cilician Plain near Adana. Another branch comes down from N. past Loulon castle: a third comes from S.W. into the Vale of Loulon, while a fourth joins lower down at Takhta-Keupren, coming from N. or N.W.

14 this also is a conclusive proof that they were not advancing north up the Klimax from the low coastland of Pamphylia, still less that they achieved the impossible operation of encamping in the Klimax, if it were the