37.40
The
king's army was a motley force drawn from many nations and presented the
greatest dissimilarity both in the men and their equipment. There were
16,000 infantry in the Macedonian fashion. known as the "phalanx." These
formed the centre, and their front consisted of ten divisions; between each
division stood two elephants. They were thirty-two ranks deep. This was the
main strength of the king's army and it presented a most formidable
appearance, especially with the elephants towering high above the men. The
effect was heightened by the frontlets and crests on the animals, and the
towers on their backs on which stood the drivers, each accompanied by four
soldiers. On the right of the phalanx Antiochus stationed 1500 Gallograeci
infantry, and with them were linked up 3000 cavalry, clad in mail armour and
known as "cataphracti." These were supported by the "agema," another body
of cavalry numbering about 1000; they were a select force, consisting of
Medes and men drawn from many tribes in that part of the world. Behind
these in support were sixteen elephants. The line was continued by the royal
cohort called "argyraspides" from the kind of shield they carried. Then came
the Dahae, mounted archers, 1200 strong; then 3ooo light infantry, half of
them Cretans and half Tralles. Beyond these again were 2500 Mysian
bowmen, and at the end of the line a mixed force of Cyrtian slingers and
Elymaean archers.
On the left of the phalanx were 1500 Gallograeci infantry and 2000
Cappadocian, similarly armed and sent by Ariarathes, next to whom were
posted a miscellaneous force numbering 2700. Then came 3000 cataphracti
and the king's personal cavalry, 1000 strong, with somewhat slighter
protection for themselves and their horses, but otherwise closely resembling
the cataphracti, made up mostly of Syrians with an admixture of Phrygians
and Lydians. In front of this mass of cavalry were scythe chariots and the
camels which they call dromedaries. Seated on these were Arabian archers
provided with narrow swords four cubits long so that they could reach the
enemy from the height on which they were perched. Beyond them again a
mass of troops corresponding to those on the right wing, first Tarentines,
then 2500 Gallograeci cavalry, 1000 newly enlisted Cretans, 1500 Carians
and Cilicians similarly armed, and the same number of Tralles. Then came
4000 caetrati, Pisidians, Pamphylians and Lydians, next to these Cyrtian and
Elymaean troops equal in number to those on the right wing, and finally
sixteen elephants a short distance away.
