World on Fire

by Christian Kachel

  ****

  Word was received that Satrap Peucestas had agreed to march his army west to meet our royal forces and discuss an alliance against Antigonus, Cassander and Ptolemy. The following week, our army warmly received Peucestas as he rode out with his entourage in full Royal Persian dress at the head of a massive force of over twenty thousand men and over one hundred elephants. Absorbing such a contingent would double our army’s size and provide all the resources necessary to face Antigonus in open contest. Eumenes had come a long way since leading a rebel force of two thousand loyalists holed up at Fortress Nora the previous year.

  The soldiers observing the formal welcoming party thought they were witnessing the reincarnation of King Darius himself. Peucestas stood atop a golden chariot and was dressed in the finest eastern silks, wearing a jewel-encrusted golden crown bestowed to him by Alexander himself in Susa. His entourage dressed in similar Persian garb, flanked by many Persian attendants in tow. Peucestas had styled his hair in the Persian tradition and wore several pounds of jewelry. It was clear Peucestas had adopted the customs of the Persian kings and even took the impressive step of learning the local language of his satrapy.

  Our first meeting with our Persis ally inside the Susa palace was cordial, although it became clear Peucestas did not want to subordinate himself or his men to a foreigner; this despite openly renouncing much of his Macedonian heritage in favor for the more decadent Persian practices. A quick solution was needed to the initial impasse and the following day General Eumenes decided to resume his diplomacy within the safe confines of Alexander’s tent.

  Peucestas and his advisors were invited to perform our now familiar ritual of meeting before the accoutrements of Alexander himself. Our tent once again had its intended effect on our Persis ally, who was overawed by such a hallowed display of Alexander’s aura. It was agreed the army would decide matters by council within Alexander’s tent and Peucestas would retain personal command of his army as well as all recruits from the eastern Satrapies. Antigonus assisted in cementing General Antigenes’ relationship to Eumenes by declaring Seleucus the new Satrap of Susiana after entering the satrapy on his way to face us.

  Having secured his tenuous alliance with the Silver Shields, Peucestas’ eastern forces and the royal loyalists, the decision was made to follow Peucestas’ advice and make our initial stand against Antigonus’ approaching army at the Coprates River just east of Susa. Peucestas was very knowledgeable of the region and Eumenes would have the added benefit of operating in a friendly satrapy against an adversary that had never stepped foot in territory east of Syria. Eumenes planned to ambush our adversary as he attempted to cross the deep river by ferry and exact revenge for the embarrassment perpetrated on our navy in Sidon. The river formed a barrier, along with the Zagros Mountain range, to entry into eastern Susiana, Persis and points further east.

  Vettias was chosen to lead a scouting team overlooking the river while our main body lay in hiding, awaiting a point mid-crossing that splintered a contingent of Antigonus’ force on our side of the river large enough to inflict a significant blow, yet small enough to succumb to our attack. Long-range scouts had identified Antigonus’ presence in western Susiana and reports came in that he had renewed his alliance with Seleucus and Peithon, whose combined resources swelled his ranks to over forty-thousand men.

  I accompanied Vettias on this scouting mission and he arrayed his contingent over many hills spanning dozens of miles, each with fast horses ready to deliver immediate word of the crossing location. When a sighting of the army was finally received, Vettias dispatched a rider to alert the main force while he and I rode to the crossing to observe the ambush that was to come. Arriving at a prominence overlooking the river, I witnessed Antigonus’ enormous army begin the tedious chore of fording a deep, fast-moving river. They used a relay of boats that would ferry across small detachments of their force at a time and deposit them on the opposite bank where they took up a defensive position while the rest of the army transited. Two hours had passed and the number of enemy soldiers along our shore grew to several thousand. Our army was not to attack until Vettias signaled that enough men had crossed however.

  Runners informed us our main body was in place and awaiting the final order. When we estimated ten thousand men across the river, Vettias sent a messenger on horseback to notify General Eumenes to attack. Vettias and I remained on our overwatch position to observe the ambush to come. The Silver Shields led the charge over the bluffs they had used to screen their presence and stormed Antigonus’ stranded contingent with vicious efficiency. The surprise and violence of the Silver Shields was successful in pinning the doomed force in place along the shore while the rest of our phalanx moved in behind them. Several hundred men retreated to board the few ships remaining on their side of the river while others braved the fast-moving waters themselves and were mostly swept away.

  General Eumenes had given instructions to accept all surrenders and the initial crush of death became a steady stream of capitulation as thousands of Antigonus’ men became our prisoners in full view of their commander who was powerless to assist them. The blow to his reputation was more important than the number of men lost that afternoon – General Eumenes had succeeded in at least partially repaying his enemy for the humiliation at Sidon. Our prisoners were quickly shepherded into pre-positioned holding areas to be first segregated and eventually integrated into our main body.

  That evening there was much celebration and the mood within Alexander’s tent began on a high note. “Gentlemen, we have successfully foiled Antigonus’ crossing of the Coprates River and barred him entry to the eastern satrapies,” Eumenes began in a confident tone, as if he expected no other outcome. “He will now be forced to travel the arduous route north around the Zagros Mountains into Media in order to force battle with us again. I want to personally thank the men seated before me for your continued heroic deeds and loyalty to the Argeads. We have succeeded in forcing our enemy to bend to our wishes and now is the time to exploit his unfavorable position. With Antigonus so far north we will march west – back through the very territory his allies are in command of – plundering their resources and installing satraps of our own. We will continue our march back to Phoenicia where we will again establish a sea line of communication to Greece so we may support Lord Regent Polyperchon in his struggle against Cassander.

  “As we all know, events in Greece have deteriorated, with the imbecile King Philip III declaring for Cassander. Defeating this fraudulent faction is now our best chance to eliminate our enemy’s legitimacy and forcing Antigonus to negotiate a settlement on favorable terms. Once hostilities in Asia and Europe are over, we can focus on bringing Egypt back into the fold and solidifying Alexander’s Empire once and for all with Alexander IV seated on the throne.”

  General Eumenes’ plan appeared to have the approval of our officers, as well as those of the Silver Shields, but Peucestas’ men were less then pleased. “General Eumenes,” Peucestas began after standing up to address the assembly. “My army cannot support this audacious plan; for doing so would leave an enemy force on the doorstep of our undefended Satrapies who will destroy our cities, plunder our possessions and violate our families in our absence. I must insist that we decide matters with Antigonus here before any return to the west is made.”

  “Peucestas, my most valuable ally,” Eumenes replied. “Now is the time to press our advantage and exploit Antigonus’ weak position to settle the dynastic infighting taking place in Greece – for events there could undo all the military victories we are to have in the east. What good does a victory over Antigonus mean if Cassander is triumphant in Greece and simply declares us outlaws once more? We would be fighting another army from Macedon within a year’s time – not to mention a win for Cassander equals the total annihilation of the Argead House.”

  “And what good does it do for us to help influence the war in Greece only to be defeated by Antigonus after he ravages the eastern satrapies and swells h
is ranks to levels we cannot match?”

  Both points seemed valid to me and I was thankful I did not have to make the final decision. It was clear however, Peucestas’ priority was his holdings in the east and not some dynastic struggle in Greece. Deliberations continued for several hours before Eumenes finally acquiesced to his eastern ally, whose intransigence held firm, knowing our force was not strong enough to defeat Antigonus if they were split. It was decided we would march east to Persis to recruit more men and bolster our supplies before meeting Antigonus who would be descending into the satrapy from Media.

  The following morning our army continued its march east where we picked up the ancient Royal Road of the Achaemenids. The road brought us through rich estates and lush farmlands before meandering us through the southern edge of the Zagros Mountains through the Persian Gates. My cousin Leandros had spoken of this pass, describing how Alexander fought through a tribal ambush here on his way to secure the treasury of Persepolis. Our army camped outside the city walls and feasted well that evening, with our eastern host providing all manner of food, drink and entertainment. Vettias opined that Peucestas would ply us with wine and meat to win our army’s affection to compete against the spectacular military ambush General Eumenes produced at the Coprates River.

  The city looked to be a shell of its former glory as described by Leandros; most of the grand palaces had been damaged by the fire set by Alexander’s army thirteen years prior in drunken retaliation for the burning of the Athenian Acropolis. Persepolis was still nominally the capital of the Persis Satrapy but most of the administrative functions, to include Satrap Peucestas’ formal residence, had been moved to the comforts of Pasargadae, the ancient capital of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Dynasty.

  On our third evening in the city, Peucestas hosted the most extravagant banquet anyone present had ever witnessed. Four concentric rings were arranged, in order of precedence, with the combined battle staff and leadership sitting in the middle. The outer ring was over one-half mile in circumference and was allocated for the phalanx. The inner rings were for the cavalry, Silver Shields and dignitaries. Vettias’ concerns appeared to be coming to fruition.

  I decided to exploit the spectacle to see Mara in her tent within the Silver Shields’ baggage train. My longing to be with her and Talos outweighed any concern I had for being seen, since the number of discerning eyes would be drastically reduced on this night. I donned a mild disguise and boldly made my way to her quarters. When she recognized me standing at her doorway she became angry that I would be so foolhardy and risk our future for my impatience. After, she calmed down we laid together while Talos slept. My feelings of elation during this time erased any misgivings I had about my imprudence, as I slipped out of her tent after spending several blissful hours with my family. My feelings were beginning to overpower my judgment and I realized something needed to be done soon to secure our safe future together. That night I began thinking of a solution that put my family first and my oath second.

  ****

  The next evening Eumenes erected Alexander’s tent in the once grand Hall of One Hundred Columns. Prior to attending the meeting, Vettias sought me out and divulged his latest scheme to keep the coalition together in light of Peucestas’ overt attempts to further his position.

  “Tonight General Eumenes will read news contained in a message just brought to us from Greece that Lord Regent Polyperchon and Olympias have defeated Cassander’s faction on the field.”

  “What!” I whispered with great excitement. “This is excellent news.”

  “It certainly would be – if the aftermath had been different. A great event has occurred, Andrikos, one never before witnessed in all of Europe, nor do I think it ever will again. Two Greek armies stood across from one other on a battlefield, each led by a woman – Olympias on one side and Queen Adea on the other. What a sight that must have been – can you imagine? The men aligned with Adea proved the weaker of heart, however, and refused to take up arms against the sight of the mother, wife and son of Alexander. Adea’s army defected and she and her husband were taken prisoner. Despite Polyperchon’s pleas for mercy, Olympias ordered Philip III and Adea killed. The King’s Hand has failed in our task to protect half of the royal family, despite their decision to oppose our side. Greece is in turmoil and Cassander now marches his remaining forces to Pella as we speak for the final battle.”

  “How is this going to affect our efforts?” I asked.

  “General Eumenes’ authority over the army remains tenuous with regard to Peucestas. He will, of course, highlight the fact our faction has won a great victory over the usurpers. He is going to leverage this news to command several large loans of money be made by the eastern satraps so they will have a vested interest in seeing him victorious and able to pay the sums back. This should shore up his support in the east and blunt any designs Peucestas has on undermining Eumenes’ authority. If a lender gives you ten talents he owns you until repayment; if he gives you one hundred talents you own him until repayment. It is a vexing road we are forced to travel in keeping these damned Macedonian generals on our side.”

  That evening General Eumenes delivered the news from Greece and commanded loans be made to his army. He also gave the order to march north in two days’ time to meet Antigonus and determine control of Asia.

  CHAPTER 16

  Our march north skirted the eastern side of the Zagros Mountains where Antigonus was marching south to meet us – having taken the northern route around the range after crossing the Coprates River was denied to him. Approximately eighty-thousand men now stood opposite each other on a plane known to the Persians as Paraetacenae. It was the largest battle ever to be fought by two European commanders and the first where both European armies commanded elephants. It had been a long and arduous two years since our defeat at Orcynia in Cappadocia due to Apollonides’ treachery and now, at the moment of battle, both armies faced each other – each reluctant to make the fateful first move.

  Both commanders held position on their right flanks, the traditional position of honor in Macedonian armies, at the head of their respective cavalries and elephants. Deserters informed us Antigonus’ beloved teenage son, Demetrius, accompanied his father on their right flank and prepared for his first foray into combat. The enemy’s left flank of light cavalry was commanded by the assassin Peithon, with our left flank occupied by Peucestas and our eastern allies.

  Both armies arrayed their phalanx in the center of their lines as was tradition, but ours was reinforced by the invincible Silver Shields. Their ferocious attack at the Coprates River was my first exposure to their military prowess and the ease in which they completely overpowered Antigonus’ men was awesome. The fact that these men were now in old age mattered not – for they were the only cohesive unit remaining from Alexander’s campaigns. Anything they lacked in physical strength was made up in discipline, skill and the unmatched confidence of never losing an engagement. Early maneuverings had positioned our army far away from our precious baggage train, which contributed to the tense atmosphere within our ranks.

  Vettias enforced his order after Orcynia and forbade me from participating in the phalanx despite securing agreement from Stephanos to occupy one of the rear positions of his lochos. I was to remain with Vettias on horseback with the rest of the joint command battle staff, and view the encounter from afar. He explained it would be good for me to step back and observe how a battle is fought and won at the strategic level as opposed to being in the thick of the fight where one could not see ten feet in front of themselves. I begrudgingly capitulated and took my position alongside my mentor on the right flank of the army.

  My mount stood close to General Eumenes and I watched as he utilized dozens of runners, flags and horns to orchestrate the mass confusion an army of forty-thousand men created. Antigonus opened by sending Peithon and his light infantry against our right flank, attacking our elephants and goading them into a fury. Eumenes sent his light cavalry against this c
ontingent and was successful in expelling them from the field. During this time, the phalanxes marched toward each other. As they clashed, their momentum halted and an intense fight ensued. At first, neither side gained the upper hand until, suddenly, a moving blob of men could be seen from our lines advancing forward, deep into Antigonus’ center phalanx. I watched in awe as the small Silver Shields contingent cut through the green, untested recruits of Antigonus’ phalanx like a hot knife through wax. Their unbelievable procession of murder trickled over to the rest of the phalanx and, almost at once, the majority of Antigonus’ phalanx collapsed before my eyes while our center gave chase.

  Our initial victory metastasized into a catastrophic success, however, as our center and left flanks over-pursued their opponents, creating a gap that Antigonus now exploited with his right flank heavy cavalry. General Eumenes hastily recalled his army to defend against this daring strike and the battleground became a stalemate for the remainder of daylight. As darkness fell, a lull came over both sides as exhaustion and dehydration set in. A truce of necessity was reached and both sides retired to their respective camps. Our battle staff was convened to determine what ground we would occupy that evening.

  “Gentlemen, there is no doubt we have won the day,” Eumenes proclaimed. “Our enemy’s phalanx is smashed and the morale of his men defeated. As the winning force, we will occupy the field tonight and conduct funeral rights for the dead, which is the privilege of the victors.” Despite no one contesting our apparent victory, there was great hesitation from all sides of our alliance to camp so far from our baggage train since Antigonus was still in control of a potent force.