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The Battle of Cretopolis (Kretopolis) was a
battle in the wars of the successors of Alexander the Great (see Diadochi)
between general Antigonus Monopthalmus and the remnants of the Perdiccan
faction. It was fought near Cretopolis in Pisidia (a region of Asia Minor) in
319 and resulted in another stunning Antigonid victory (the second one that
year)
Opponents: Antipater and Antigonus versu so Remnant Perdiccan Faction
Commanders and leaders:
Antigonus Monophthalmus
Alketas (Perdiccas's brother) Attalos (Perdiccas's brother-in-law) Dokimos
Polemon (Attalos's brother)
Strength:
Antipater - 40,000 infantry 7,000 cavalry 30 elephants
Perdicans c. 20,000
Casualties and losses: both sides very low
Background:
After the death of Alexander the Great in 323, his generals immediately began
squabbling over his huge empire. Soon the squabbling degenerated into open
warfare, with each general attempting to claim a portion of Alexander's vast
Empire. One of the most talented successor generals (Diadochi) was Antigonus
Monophthalmus, so called because of an eye he lost in a siege. After the second
partition of the Empire, the Partition of Triparadisus in 321, Antipater, the
new regent of the Empire, made Antigonus strategos of Asia and charged him with
hunting down and defeating the remnants of the Perdiccan faction. Antigonus
took command of the Royal Army and after being reinforced with more reliable
troops from Antipater's European army he marched against their enemies in
Asia-Minor. He first marched into Cappadocia against Eumenes whom he defeated
at the battle of Orkynia.
Eumenes escaped to the fortress of Nora where Antigonus invested him.
Prelude:
Leaving the siege of Nora to a subordinate Antigonus then marched against the
remaining Perdiccans who had gathered their forces in Pisidia near town called
Cretopolis. Alketas (a brother of Perdiccas), Attalos (Perdiccas
brother-in-law), Polemon (Attalos's brother) and Dokimos had gathered their
forces in a pass near Cretopolis. Antigonos decided to use the element of
surprise, and forcemarched his army to Cretopolis in seven days (a march of
close to 300 miles). In this way Antigonus took his enemies by complete
surprise: the first warning they had that Antigonus was nearby was the
trumpeting of his elephants. Antigonus occupied a couple of hills overlooking
Alketas's position.
Battle:
The Perdiccans were caught totally unprepared, they faced an assault in front
and along the pass, and in the flank from the hills overlooking the pass.
Leaving Attalos and Dokimos to draw up the phalanx, Alketas took the cavalry
and the peltasts and attacked Antigonus's troops on the ridge, trying
desperately to dislodge them. During the fight for the ridge Antigonus charged
with 6,000 cavalry into the pass and caught Alketas in the flank; at this
Alketas was forced back from the ridge and just barely made it back to the
phalanx, with the loss of most of his men. Unfortunately for the Perdiccans
they did not have enough time to get their phalanx drawn up, and facing
Antigonus's cavalry charge their men simply surrendered.
Aftermath:
Alketas managed to escape with a guard of Pisidians, who were particularly
loyal to him, and made his way to almost impregnable city of Termessos (here he
would commit suicide when he heard the people of the city planned to hand him
over to Antigonus); His colleagues Attalos, Polemon and Dokimos were captured
by Antigonus, along with the rest of the army, close to 16,000 foot and 900
horse. Antigonus could now claim to have destroyed the Perdiccan faction, but
unfortunately for him Eumenes was not done causing trouble (see: Second War of
the Diadochi).
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