I'm enjoying it very much! 1. Livy and Polybius agree that 8,000 Antigonids were killed and 5,000 captured. Livy definitively states the number of captives at 5,000, while Polybius says it was not less than 5,000. Livy and Polybius also agree that the Romans took about 700 casualties, almost certainly entirely on the Roman left, from the Roman covering force and the main body that reinforced them. The last line would be armed with a thrusting spear. Despite this, Philip resumed his march, and his troops became confused and disoriented due to heavy fog. The next few years were one of constant tension between the Antigonids and Rome, as Philip continued to try to expand his reach in Greece and Asia Minor, bringing him into running conflicts with the powerful states of Pergamum and Rhodes. It was also the first clash of two rival military systems: the Greek spear phalanx and the Roman sword legion. The Battle of Cynoscephalae ( Greek: Μάχη τῶν Κυνὸς Κεφαλῶν) was an encounter battle fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V. We can agree with Livy's assessment that Antias exaggerates, as, even if those were combined casualties, it would mean the utter annihilation of both armies. All legionaries would have carried the scutum, an oval shield with a central boss that protected the hand while it gripped a single handle, which also doubled in allowing the shield to be used as a punching weapon. These articles provide a great foundation from which to reckon what we already know about the battle, and to use as a jumping off point for a re-examination. Cynoscephalae synonyms, Cynoscephalae pronunciation, Cynoscephalae translation, English dictionary definition of Cynoscephalae. The first two lines would have been armed with 2 javelins each and the short sword. Philip also pursued a war with Athens—at that point a Roman ally. The Roman right pursued the fleeing Antigonid left. The Battle of Cynoscephalae (Greek: Μάχη τῶν Κυνὸς Κεφαλῶν) was an encounter battle fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V.. Prelude. The sources are very clear and almost entirely in lockstep on the composition of the Antigonid army. A lot of good scholarship on Cynoscephalae has been published, perhaps the most famous being a series of pieces by J. Kromayer in 1907, W.K. By force of arms it would now give way to the highly trained and disciplined Roman Legion, which would now dominate the … The Roman skirmishers (velites) would have deployed in a screen out front, and the cavalry on the flanks. Summary . Further reading. The Romans would have deployed their troops in a triplex acies of three lines—the hastati (green/young men), the principes (more veteran troops), and finally the triarii (hardened veterans). The Battle of Cynoscephalae, 197 BC, settled once and for all the age-old dispute of phalanx versus legionary warfare. Philip seized the opportunity to strike a secret pact with the Seleucid (another Successor dynasty) King Antiochus III to seize the territory of the child King Ptolemy. During the march there was a heavy rainstorm, and the morning after there was a fog over the hills and fields separating both camps. Today, we ventured south and west into the ridges and hills surrounding the Karadag range in Thessaly where the famous Battle of Cynoscephalae was fought in 197 B.C. But enough waxing eloquent on Greece. Normally, the left hand projected past the shield rim, allowing the phalangite to wield the pike with both hands. Flamininus, seeing that the forcing back of his force was adversely impacting the morale of his entire force, sounded the general engagement. In 198 B.C. Philip pled his case to Rome, passionately asserting that his actions were not in violation of the Peace of Phoenice, but the arguments fell on deaf ears, and Rome soon had armies on the move in Illyria to protect their allies and bring Philip to heel. 8.) Cynoscephalae, (Greek: “Dogs’ Heads”), ancient range of hills in Thessaly, Greece, 7 miles (11 km) west of modern Vólos. Phalangites would deploy sixteen men deep. The cavalry would be deployed on the flanks and the skirmishers out front in a screen. The two armies skirmished and maneuvered in Thessaly, with Philip finally marching west in the direction of Scotussa, a fertile region, where Philip hoped to supply his army. The Triarii may have all worn mail. The superior impact/solidity of the double-depth phalanx, and momentum imparted by the downhill charge gave Philip the advantage, and he drove the Romans back down the ridge toward their camp. He also had to scuttle his navy. Philip received his retreating force, and integrated them on the right of his newly arrived troops, and deployed them double-depth (32 ranks deep). Philip had 16,000 phalangites—heavy infantry in full panoply, armed with the long pike, 2,000 "peltasts" (an elite corps of probably phalangites, named for the pelte shield they carried), 2,000 Thracians (armed either skirmishers or light "shock" close-combat troops), 2,000 Tralles (Illyrians, most likely armed as skirmishers), 1,500 mercenaries of various nationalities and 2,000 cavalry, for a total strength of 25,500 men. Phase I. Illustrating. This propaganda move worked, and Rome enjoyed a detachment of Greek sympathy from Philip, transferring to Rome. One unnamed tribune (A Roman rank approximating a modern field-grade officer) wheeled off less than twenty maniples (Polybius) and attacked the Antigonid right in the rear. Cynoscephalae is de naam voor een heuvelrug in Thessalië.Deze heuvelrug had zeer hoge toppen, wat erg in het voordeel was voor de Romeinen, aangezien zij in een veel flexibelere formatie vochten dan … Philip then sent a small force to take the Cynoscephalae hills (coordinates: 39º25'N, 22º34'E). More importantly, Flamininus announced that his mission was no longer just to check Philip, but proclaimed the "Freedom of the Greeks," an effort to liberate all of Greece from foreign occupation (a promise that rang hollow when Rome occupied Greece following Cynoscephalae). command was taken up by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, a commander of real energy, if not genius, who drastically altered the course of events. The Battle of Cynoscephalae was an accidental engagement, with neither general ready for, nor desiring a pitched battle, fought over terrain that suited neither side. 9.) Geography. The Antigonids would ideally deploy their phalanx in four strategia (brigades) in a line, with the most veteran units to the right (likely the peltasts). This done, Philip marched half his army over the ridge to deliver what he believed to be a finishing blow. An additional 800 infantry joined the Romans from Crete. The Roman legionaries also wore a complete panoply. 197 BC. De Slag bij Cynoscephalae was een slag in de Tweede Macedonische Oorlog die gevochten werd tussen Rome en Macedonië. Galba was replaced by Publius Villius Tappulus, who managed to do even worse, with 2,000 veterans of the Second Punic War under his command mutinying. I’m writing this from the balcony of the Hotel Titagion in the mountains of Agrafa. You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to utilize the functionality of this website. The Battle of Cynoscephalae (Greek: Μάχη τῶν Κυνὸς Κεφαλῶν ) was an encounter battle fought in Thessaly in 197 BC between the Roman army, led by Titus Quinctius Flamininus, and the Antigonid dynasty of Macedon, led by Philip V. Our literary sources for Cynoscephalae are comparatively good when you consider the general state of ancient material. Consuls served for a year, and it's likely that Flamininus was aware of this ticking clock and acting to prosecute the war before it ran out. [33.18]In every direction alike Philip's fortunes were sinking. 6.) At this point Nicanor, hurrying with the rest of the phalanx, crested the ridge and saw what was happening and hurried to help. With the Karadag range between them, the two armies marched on only generally aware of the other's position, utterly ignorant of the fact that they were just 12KM apart. Between them lay a ridge of low hills named "Dog-Heads," in Greek—Cynoscephalae. Cynoscephalae (Boeotia), a town of ancient Boeotia Cynoscephalae (Thessaly), a town of ancient Thessaly Cynoscephalae Hills (Boeotia), a range of hills in ancient Boeotia Cynoscephalae Hills (Thessaly), a range of hills in ancient Thessaly (where the battles below were fought) Unfortunately, Neither Antias nor Claudius' original annals survive in anything or than fragmentary-referential form. Two hills of southeast Thessaly in northeast Greece. The pelte was slung on the arm using a loop called the porpax, and may have included an antilabe, a handle that could be used to grip with the hand to maneuver the shield if the phalangite transitioned to their sword (a backup weapon). His worries about the Rising power of Rome. 3.) Rome's crisis of command had the Second Macedonian War off to a bad start, and there was every indicator that it would mimic the First in an end not particularly favorable to Rome. The Phalanx halved its frontage and extended its depth as Livy notes (33.8.14). Battle of Cynoscephalae: decisive battle during the Second Macedonian War (200-197 BCE), in which the Roman general Titus Quinctius Flamininus overcame the Macedonian king Philip V. Philip V of Macedon. A year after the Peace of Phoenice, the Successor King Ptolemy IV Philopator (father-loving) died, leaving his six year old son Ptolemy V to succeed him. All Rights Reserved. We know that the Roman camp was located down a slope from the Antigonid position, and the general impression (probably incorrectly) given by the sources is that the Cynoscephalae ridge ran in a single, unbroken line east-west between the two armies. Before advancing, he left orders for Nicanor to join him as soon as possible. Philip V  was the Great-Great-Great-Grandson of Alexander’s famous general Antigonus I Monopthalmus (Antigonus the One-Eyed), the founder of the Antigonid dynasty. Pritchett in 1969, and N.G.L. Attitudes quickly soured, however, when Rome occupied "the Fetters of Greece," three pivotal fortresses at Corinth, Chalcis and Demetrias. The three lines would be deployed in ten staggered maniples (handfuls), with a maniple-wide gap between each one. Mike, I echo c-bone's comments and really can't wait for the book. The sources give the following evolution of the battle, in this order: 1.) For 300 years cavalry used in concert with the spear phalanx had dominated Western battlefields. Flamininus shadowed the Antigonid king, hoping to force a decisive battle when the ground was suitable. The Battle of Cynoscephalae was a decisive engagement between the Roman Republic and the Antigonid Dynasty of Macedon. Battle of Cynoscephalae:For the earlier battle fought here, see Battle of Cynoscephalae (364 BC). JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. The Romans also fielded twenty war elephants, with their attendant crews. The Greek allied infantry may have been armed as thureophoroi (light, missile-capable, shock-troops equipped with the thureos shield) or as skirmishers. Flamininus immediately set out for Epirus, taking 3,000 veterans from the Second Punic War, and ignoring the administrative and ceremonial duties of a Roman consul. We got to spend the day seeing the ancient city of Dion, where Alexander the Great sacrificed before launching on his expedition into Asia, and we also toured the battlefield of Cynoscephalae, which is one of the battles covered in Legion vs. Phalanx. It matches Plutarch's assessment that Flamininus had over 26,000 soldiers, and that the opposing forces were roughly the same size. It is possible that the twenty maniples Polybius is referring to here are those of the Triarii from the legion and its associated ala, as these would amount to twenty maniples, would be the in the rear of the Roman right, and would be the most veteran and disciplined troops—more likely to break off a pursuit to get back in the fight. 5.) It was the site of the victory (197 bc) that ended the Second Macedonian War when the Romans under Titus Quinctius Flamininus defeated Philip V of Macedon. We received a warm welcome from the Mayor of Fasala, the closest city to the battlefield. The two covering forces bumped into one another, and a skirmish erupted. The battle is mentioned in Quintus Ennius' Annales. info@ospreypublishing.com The battle of Cynoscephalae was a turning point in military history. The roman victory in the battle of Cynoscephalae ( 197 BC ) marked the end of the second macedonian war between Rome and Philip V, king of Macedon. Armor Where? Flamininus quickly defeated Philip at the Aous River Gorge, by means of a flanking maneuver. The war had been triggered by Philip V of Macedonia’s attempts to extend his kingdom into Asia Minor and the Aegean. battle of Cynoscephalae [the ~] noun Related Definitions for "battle of Cynoscephalae": the battle that ended the second Macedonian War (197 BC); the Romans defeated Philip V … That night, a soaking rain fell, resulting in a thick mist the following morning. The exact composition of this force isn't clear, but Polybius indicates that at least some of the troops were Aetolian. Livy goes on to criticize the Roman annalist Quintus Claudius Quadrigarius, who also exaggerates the casualties at 32,000 killed and 4,300 captured. 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