Battle of Anthedon, 228 BC (Med Campaign 2)

In the 19th year of his reign, Ptolemy III, also called Euergetes, took a great army into Phoenicia, and fought a battle with Seleucus II, Callinicus, near Anthedon, in Gaza. 

At the urging of his advisors Ptolemy brought many elephants in order to counter those which he knew Seleucus possessed from the herd brought back from India by Alexander.

Seleucus drew up his army on the plain, with half of the cavalry on each wing and the infantry of the phalanx in the centre. The Silver Shields were on the left of the line. The settlers and mercenaries were next to them on their right, and spear-armed infantry from Asia made up the rest of the centre. He placed a third of his elephants in front of the Silver Shields, a third behind them, and a third with the Asiatic infantry on the right. Near the Silver Shields and the cavalry of the left wing stood Seleucus and his guard cavalry.

They say that Seleucus had 100 elephants, 5000 cavalry, and 65,000 infantry of all types, some of whom were placed amongst the elephants to support them.

Ptolemy for his part placed himself opposite Seleucus. The guard infantry took the rightmost place on the line and the phalanx stretched from them out to the left, matching the Seleucid line in extent, but greater in depth. To the right of the infantry were placed half of the cavalry, and the other half were put on the left wing. The elephants he moved in front of the infantry on the right and in the centre. These elephants from Africa were of smaller stature than the Indian elephants but they were exceedingly warlike and Ptolemy had accustomed them to the noise of battle so that they were not frightened by the cries of soldiers or the clashing of arms.  

Ptolemy's army was said to number 63 elephants, 5000 cavalry, and 70,000 infantry.

The lines pressed forward into contact but Seleucus, seeing that the cavalry of his left wing were outmatched, directed that the elephants behind the infantry move to the left and support the cavalry. These elephants prevented the cavalry from being overwhelmed and the fighting there was serious.

 

The battle in the centre was long and vicious. 

Both sides felt the tides of war ebb and flow.

But at the last Seleucus's infantry gave way, and Ptolemy was victorious. 

Ptolemy on the left; Seleucus on the right.

Seleucus lost two thirds of his elephants and half of his phalanx in the battle. Ptolemy's army was too exhausted by the fight to pursue, and the bulk of the Seleucids escaped, apart from the dead on the field. 

Ptolemy has now extended his rule into Phoenicia.

Campaign history.