Chapter 1-The Reign of Eumelos I
This is something I've tried once before, but life got in the way. I've decided to reboot it after finding my old notes on the Project.
I will be using footnotes for things so everyone knows what is going on, much like the last time I tried this.
Without Further Ado, on with the Show!
XXXX
On the windswept Steppes of the Pontic Steppe, a King Surveyed the Carnage he had wrought. Eumelos I, Basileus of the Bosporan Kingdom had taken his armies across the Steppe in a bid to reconquer territories that had broken away during the destructive civil war he and his brothers had engaged in. He had reclaimed Tanais, Theodosia, Chersonesos, Neopolis, and Symbola, all of whom had broken away or supported one of his brothers in the Civil War. He had taken the City of Kerkinitis which had been independent up to that point and pushed on to take Kalos Limin and the Isthmus. He had reinforced the navy and stamped out piracy in the Euxine and generally brought prosperity in the wake of his armies.
Now, on the shores of the Meotis Sea, his veteran armies, swelled with Greeks and fighting in the Manipular Fashion* that had been adopted by his forefathers, stood poised to deliver a crippling blow to the Scythian Tribes that had refused to pay him tribute, and secure the Frontiers of the Kingdom for a Generation. He had picked his site well, and his army was encamped in a fortified position on one of the few hills in the area. The Scythians had charged the camp several times, their mounted archers loosing a volley and retreating and their lancers attempting to contest the fieldworks around the camp. They had been at it for days, but each charge saw more Scythians fall to Arrows, Javelins, or the deadly Iron Bolts of the Skorpios that studded the defenses.
Finally, it seemed the Scythians were poised for a massive coordinated assault. It was make or break for the Legions, for if they were swept away here, the Scythians would surely sweep down into Taurica and ravage the Greek Cities there. Eumelos rallied his troops, spearpoints gleaming in the sunset, armor well cared for and shining bright, ranks of theuros shields locked and ready to receive the charge. Archers behind them tensed as they drew arrows to their bows, skorpio crews waiting for the charge.
Suddenly with a loud cry the Scythians charged, their lancers charging up the hill under cover of arrow fire from the mounted archers. Few Legionaries fell to the Arrows, protected as they were by Chain Armor or Linothorax, with shields and earthworks interposed between them and the shot, but some still did fall. However it paled in comparison to what would happen when the scale armor clad Scythian Lancers crashed into the lines. Many of the Scythians fell to spearpoints, others fell to Skorpio Bolts or well placed arrows, however they were reaping a deadly toll on the Legions of the Bosporan King.
Eumelos himself fought on the front lines, to ensure his troops fought with courage and Discipline, his falcata rising and falling as he hacked and sliced at Scythians. It seemed like hours had passed, but it was perhaps a few score minutes before the charge began to abate, the Scythians retreating back down the hill in disorder. Eumelos was certain that they had more fight left in them, and could not place the reason they had fled, until a messenger arrived that night from the Scythian Camp, bearing offers of truce.
They said they would pay Eumelos Tribute and recognize him as Baselus, like the Scythians further west did, for their king lay dead before the Hill.
Thus with his Kingdom Secure and the fealty of many tribes of Scythians and Cities of Greeks obtained, did Eumelos march home to Panticapeum to make sacrifice to Ares and Athena for granting him victory. Along the way his horse was scared by something moving in the dusk light, but Eumelos was able to reign the beast in and arrived at his capitol in time for the Sacrifice**.
That night he dreamed of his Kingdom rising to Dominate the Euxine, spreading into Asia, and Challenging the might of the Diadochi themselves. He awoke with a new outlook on his Kingdom, supposedly granted to him by the gods. However the Nobility of the various disparate Greek Cities, the Chiefs of the Steppe Nomads who paid him fealty, even his own cousins, might yet threaten the Stability of his newly conquered Kingdom. He needed a way to tie his disparate territories together.
It was a visitor from Magna Graecia, Euripides of Taras, who suggested roads. The great road building project would link all the cities and the Steppe to the Coast. It would take 5 years with the Legions working on it, but by 299 BC the roads linked the disparate cities and tribes of the Kingdom together. They allowed for a greater influx of trade to hit the Kingdom, which satisfied many local elites, and also allowed easier movement of troops.
During this time, Eumelos also reformed the army, loosening restrictions on who could join the army and reforming the Formations based on cohorts rather than maniples. This reorganization allowed for better command and coordination within the Legions, Increased the size of the Legions, and gave the Legions a strong cavalry arm via allowing loyal Scythians into the ranks. This had the effect of Hellenizing many of the Scythians who had pledged fealty. It also had the effect of giving the Legions a good selection of light and heavy cavalry to back their infantry.
Finally, Eumelos opened the treasury for public works. Cities across the Kingdom presented plans for expanded docks, or mines, or watermills, etc and Eumelos would grant subsidies from the treasury if he found a plan sound. These improvements were carried out in various places and brought in even more revenue to the Kingdom. By 296 BC the Bosporan Kingdom could rival Lysimachus in Strength and wealth. What Eumelos did with this is send an expedition to the Roxolani lands to the east in an attempt to make them submit to Bosporan Rule. With the Legions he sent his Son Spartikos. This expedition would impress upon the crown prince the allure of conquest.
By 294 BC, The Road System was complete and the Crown Prince Spartikos had been fighting the Roxolani for 2 years. However the Roxolani refused to commit to stand up battle on favorable or even terms. preferring raids and skirmishes and always slinking away from Spartikos whenever the campaign seemed ready to swing fully his way. This finally ended in late July of 294 BC with the Battle of Red Field. Spartikos, seeing that he would never be allowed battle with the Roxolani unless he was in a poor position, decided to feign weakness by splitting his army up. In order to ensure maximum casualties, Spartikos seeded the tall grass of his chosen camp site with Caltrops. These spiky impediments were functionally invisible to the Roxolani, covered as they were by the tall grass of the Steppe and when the Roxolani attacked Spartacus' Camp that night to take advantage of the lesser number of troops, their mounts ran into the caltrop fields, breaking their legs and stabbing their hooves via the caltrops. It was at that point, with the Roxolani Charge Stalled out by Caltrops that Spartikos sent the signal by way of bonfire to his commander. The rest of his forces had made camp just over the horizon from Spartikos and came marching in quick-time to catch the Roxolani in the flank. By dawn the Roxolani King asked for terms and a great portion of the Roxolani Steppe, from the Meotis Coast to the River Tanais and down to the border with Colchis was ceded to The Bosporan Kingdom. Of the Roxolani themselves, only a few Clans Swore Fealty to the Bosporan Crown, mostly those living in the ceded territories. The rest of the Roxolani moved East towards the Hyrcanian Ocean and would quarrel with the Caspi who lived there for land. Spartikos then marched to the City of Tanais at the mouth of the River of the same Name and secured the Fealty of it's King before marching Home.
3 years later in 291 BC there would come another crisis. Olbia, Borysthenes, and Tyras were a Trio of Independent Greek Cities to the West of the Border of the Bosporan Kingdom. Olbia and Borysthenes were the closest, lying on opposite sides of the Borysthenes River from each other. Tyras was further distant on the eponymous River Tyras and technically under the Sway of the Diadochus Lysimachus, whose armies controlled Thrace, Hellas, Macedonia, And Asia Minor from Bithynia South to Lycia and West to the Aegean. However Lysimachus was embroiled in a War with Alexander, Son of Cassander, former Basileus of Macedonia and Hellas. Alexander was backed by Demetrios I of Epirus and had rallied the Cities of Hellas and a few of the noble Clans of Macedonia to his cause. The War drew Lysimachus' Attention away from the Borders and this emboldened the Dacians. Dacia was a landlocked nation, rich in metals from their mountain Heartland, but poor in agriculture. The Dacian King, Gela, knew that to Strike at Thrace would be folly as it would cause Lysimachus to make peace with Demetrios and provoke a full scale response. However smaller Vassal Territories like Tyras would not be as missed as the Heartland of Lysimachus' Power. Gela assembled a large army of 40,000 Dacian Clansmen, many armed with the Dacian Rhomphaia, and marched this force to assault Tyras. The Other two Independent Greek Cities of Olbia and Borysthenes, fearing a resurgent Barbarian Power coming from the West, begged Eumelos to intervene on behalf of Tyras and pledged fealty to the Bosporan Crown if Eumelos would defeat the new threat. Ironically Tyras did not call for aid themselves, but attempted to gain the protection of their Nominal Overlord Lysimachus instead. However Lysimachus seemed to feel that Epirus was the Richer Prize and paid little heed to the Archon of Tyras' Pleas.
This prompted Eumelos to send 3 Legions West under his Son and Heir, Spartikos, Hammer of the Roxolani, to reinforce Olbia and Borysthenes, gather what troops those two cities might be able to muster, and aid Tyras. Spartacus did so and Rode out at the head of 15,000 Infantry and 1,800 Cavalry to fight the Dacians. At Olbia and Borysthenes, Spartacus was received by the Assemblies of the Two Cities and was able to muster an additional 4,000 Troops, though these were mostly Hoplites and Companion Cavalry in the Hellenic Fashion. Recognizing the Weakness of his allies' Formations, Spartacus would make sure to put their Hoplites in the Center and use his Legions and cavalry for the Wings of his formation. This allowed the More Mobile Legions and cavalry to cover the Flanks of the More Immobile Phalanx in battle, effectively synergizing the two methods of fighting to eliminate the weakness of the Phalanx and allow it to strengthen the Legions.
This formation would prove the key to victory at the Battle of Tyras, in late 291 BC where Gela's forces attempted to exploit the Weakness of the Phalanx only to be stopped dead by the more flexible Legions. The Battle of Tyras would last for most of a day, when just before dusk, as Gela's forces exhausted themselves against the better armored Legions and Phalanx, a sally from the City of Tyras, led by the Archon of Tyras himself, succeeded in breaking out past the siege lines and savaging Gela's Rear. Panicked at being taken from behind and stymied in front, Gela's more undisciplined clansmen began to rout, which was just the Opening Spartikos wanted as his cavalry reserve of Scythian and Roxolani Lancers, was sent in to cut down as many fleeing Dacians as possible. Unfortunately, Gela and his more disciplined Bodyguard were not amongst the Dead by the end of the Battle, having retreated in better order and attempted to get his men back under control. Spartikos was prepared to March into Dacian territory if need be, but ultimately was stopped from doing so. Not because he would need to cross the territory of several Thracian Tribes who themselves had been savaged by the Dacians, nor by Gela's Army, but by the prospect of crossing the Dacian Mountains to get to Gela's Core territories. Ultimately however the Dacian Threat had been broken and the Archon of Tyras pledged fealty to the Bosporan Crown, as Lysimachus was still fighting Demetrios, who now had an extremely capable commander in the form of his Nephew Pyrrhus. This meant that Lysimachus could care less about Tyras. The New Arrangement was sealed and Spartikos returned home successful.
However Roads would need to be built to link the new territories to the heartland, which would take a few years. Borysthenes and Olbia were close enough that they could be connected fairly Easily, but Tyras was another matter entirely. In the Meantime, Eumelos began to build up his navy for conflict with Lysimachus and to provide transport capacity to Taras. Eumelos secured his eastern Flank with Colchis by sending envoys to King Kuji of Colchis and offering a marriage alliance between the Crown Prince Spartikos and Kuji's Daughter Parysatis. King Kuji, knowing Parysatis was older than his Son and Heir, Kartam, hesitated at this match, as it would be possible for Parystatis' Husband to attempt to claim all or part of Colchis as a claimant to the throne upon his death. However he dared not anger the Bosporan King by refusing, else war would surely come and the Colchisan Army was wearied from years fighting the armies of Azo, Eristavi of Kartilli. They would not survive the attempt at conquest. Finally as Summer turned to Autumn in 290 BC, King Kuji of Colchis accepted the match.***
Eumelos could begin his schemes against the Lysimachids in earnest then, for he had designs upon Thrace. Sadly his ambitions would not be fulfilled in his lifetime. Eumelos I, conqueror king of the Bosporan Kingdom, died from a chill in winter of 288 BC. It would be up to the newly crowned King Spartikos to fulfill the late King's dreams. First however, Spartikos had to see about Colchis. . .
*Tacitus notes that the Bosporans Fought in Roman Fashion, which makes them the earliest adopters of Thorakitai and Manipular Formations in the Greek World
**The POD: While Eumelos managed to carve out a "Kingdom the Size of Lysimachus'" who ruled over Thrace, Macedon, Epirus, and Greece, it did not survive him being thrown from his horse on his way to make sacrifice after the campaign and dying, and several of the more recently conquered portions slipped away. Here he manages to reign in his horse and survives to solidify his rule.
***Not much is known about the Colchisian Royal House at this time, but what is known is that Kuji was king in 290 BC, and that he had a daughter and a son by the sister of Pharnavaz I of Iberia and that the Son's name was Kartam.
I will be using footnotes for things so everyone knows what is going on, much like the last time I tried this.
Without Further Ado, on with the Show!
XXXX
On the windswept Steppes of the Pontic Steppe, a King Surveyed the Carnage he had wrought. Eumelos I, Basileus of the Bosporan Kingdom had taken his armies across the Steppe in a bid to reconquer territories that had broken away during the destructive civil war he and his brothers had engaged in. He had reclaimed Tanais, Theodosia, Chersonesos, Neopolis, and Symbola, all of whom had broken away or supported one of his brothers in the Civil War. He had taken the City of Kerkinitis which had been independent up to that point and pushed on to take Kalos Limin and the Isthmus. He had reinforced the navy and stamped out piracy in the Euxine and generally brought prosperity in the wake of his armies.
Now, on the shores of the Meotis Sea, his veteran armies, swelled with Greeks and fighting in the Manipular Fashion* that had been adopted by his forefathers, stood poised to deliver a crippling blow to the Scythian Tribes that had refused to pay him tribute, and secure the Frontiers of the Kingdom for a Generation. He had picked his site well, and his army was encamped in a fortified position on one of the few hills in the area. The Scythians had charged the camp several times, their mounted archers loosing a volley and retreating and their lancers attempting to contest the fieldworks around the camp. They had been at it for days, but each charge saw more Scythians fall to Arrows, Javelins, or the deadly Iron Bolts of the Skorpios that studded the defenses.
Finally, it seemed the Scythians were poised for a massive coordinated assault. It was make or break for the Legions, for if they were swept away here, the Scythians would surely sweep down into Taurica and ravage the Greek Cities there. Eumelos rallied his troops, spearpoints gleaming in the sunset, armor well cared for and shining bright, ranks of theuros shields locked and ready to receive the charge. Archers behind them tensed as they drew arrows to their bows, skorpio crews waiting for the charge.
Suddenly with a loud cry the Scythians charged, their lancers charging up the hill under cover of arrow fire from the mounted archers. Few Legionaries fell to the Arrows, protected as they were by Chain Armor or Linothorax, with shields and earthworks interposed between them and the shot, but some still did fall. However it paled in comparison to what would happen when the scale armor clad Scythian Lancers crashed into the lines. Many of the Scythians fell to spearpoints, others fell to Skorpio Bolts or well placed arrows, however they were reaping a deadly toll on the Legions of the Bosporan King.
Eumelos himself fought on the front lines, to ensure his troops fought with courage and Discipline, his falcata rising and falling as he hacked and sliced at Scythians. It seemed like hours had passed, but it was perhaps a few score minutes before the charge began to abate, the Scythians retreating back down the hill in disorder. Eumelos was certain that they had more fight left in them, and could not place the reason they had fled, until a messenger arrived that night from the Scythian Camp, bearing offers of truce.
They said they would pay Eumelos Tribute and recognize him as Baselus, like the Scythians further west did, for their king lay dead before the Hill.
Thus with his Kingdom Secure and the fealty of many tribes of Scythians and Cities of Greeks obtained, did Eumelos march home to Panticapeum to make sacrifice to Ares and Athena for granting him victory. Along the way his horse was scared by something moving in the dusk light, but Eumelos was able to reign the beast in and arrived at his capitol in time for the Sacrifice**.
That night he dreamed of his Kingdom rising to Dominate the Euxine, spreading into Asia, and Challenging the might of the Diadochi themselves. He awoke with a new outlook on his Kingdom, supposedly granted to him by the gods. However the Nobility of the various disparate Greek Cities, the Chiefs of the Steppe Nomads who paid him fealty, even his own cousins, might yet threaten the Stability of his newly conquered Kingdom. He needed a way to tie his disparate territories together.
It was a visitor from Magna Graecia, Euripides of Taras, who suggested roads. The great road building project would link all the cities and the Steppe to the Coast. It would take 5 years with the Legions working on it, but by 299 BC the roads linked the disparate cities and tribes of the Kingdom together. They allowed for a greater influx of trade to hit the Kingdom, which satisfied many local elites, and also allowed easier movement of troops.
During this time, Eumelos also reformed the army, loosening restrictions on who could join the army and reforming the Formations based on cohorts rather than maniples. This reorganization allowed for better command and coordination within the Legions, Increased the size of the Legions, and gave the Legions a strong cavalry arm via allowing loyal Scythians into the ranks. This had the effect of Hellenizing many of the Scythians who had pledged fealty. It also had the effect of giving the Legions a good selection of light and heavy cavalry to back their infantry.
Finally, Eumelos opened the treasury for public works. Cities across the Kingdom presented plans for expanded docks, or mines, or watermills, etc and Eumelos would grant subsidies from the treasury if he found a plan sound. These improvements were carried out in various places and brought in even more revenue to the Kingdom. By 296 BC the Bosporan Kingdom could rival Lysimachus in Strength and wealth. What Eumelos did with this is send an expedition to the Roxolani lands to the east in an attempt to make them submit to Bosporan Rule. With the Legions he sent his Son Spartikos. This expedition would impress upon the crown prince the allure of conquest.
By 294 BC, The Road System was complete and the Crown Prince Spartikos had been fighting the Roxolani for 2 years. However the Roxolani refused to commit to stand up battle on favorable or even terms. preferring raids and skirmishes and always slinking away from Spartikos whenever the campaign seemed ready to swing fully his way. This finally ended in late July of 294 BC with the Battle of Red Field. Spartikos, seeing that he would never be allowed battle with the Roxolani unless he was in a poor position, decided to feign weakness by splitting his army up. In order to ensure maximum casualties, Spartikos seeded the tall grass of his chosen camp site with Caltrops. These spiky impediments were functionally invisible to the Roxolani, covered as they were by the tall grass of the Steppe and when the Roxolani attacked Spartacus' Camp that night to take advantage of the lesser number of troops, their mounts ran into the caltrop fields, breaking their legs and stabbing their hooves via the caltrops. It was at that point, with the Roxolani Charge Stalled out by Caltrops that Spartikos sent the signal by way of bonfire to his commander. The rest of his forces had made camp just over the horizon from Spartikos and came marching in quick-time to catch the Roxolani in the flank. By dawn the Roxolani King asked for terms and a great portion of the Roxolani Steppe, from the Meotis Coast to the River Tanais and down to the border with Colchis was ceded to The Bosporan Kingdom. Of the Roxolani themselves, only a few Clans Swore Fealty to the Bosporan Crown, mostly those living in the ceded territories. The rest of the Roxolani moved East towards the Hyrcanian Ocean and would quarrel with the Caspi who lived there for land. Spartikos then marched to the City of Tanais at the mouth of the River of the same Name and secured the Fealty of it's King before marching Home.
3 years later in 291 BC there would come another crisis. Olbia, Borysthenes, and Tyras were a Trio of Independent Greek Cities to the West of the Border of the Bosporan Kingdom. Olbia and Borysthenes were the closest, lying on opposite sides of the Borysthenes River from each other. Tyras was further distant on the eponymous River Tyras and technically under the Sway of the Diadochus Lysimachus, whose armies controlled Thrace, Hellas, Macedonia, And Asia Minor from Bithynia South to Lycia and West to the Aegean. However Lysimachus was embroiled in a War with Alexander, Son of Cassander, former Basileus of Macedonia and Hellas. Alexander was backed by Demetrios I of Epirus and had rallied the Cities of Hellas and a few of the noble Clans of Macedonia to his cause. The War drew Lysimachus' Attention away from the Borders and this emboldened the Dacians. Dacia was a landlocked nation, rich in metals from their mountain Heartland, but poor in agriculture. The Dacian King, Gela, knew that to Strike at Thrace would be folly as it would cause Lysimachus to make peace with Demetrios and provoke a full scale response. However smaller Vassal Territories like Tyras would not be as missed as the Heartland of Lysimachus' Power. Gela assembled a large army of 40,000 Dacian Clansmen, many armed with the Dacian Rhomphaia, and marched this force to assault Tyras. The Other two Independent Greek Cities of Olbia and Borysthenes, fearing a resurgent Barbarian Power coming from the West, begged Eumelos to intervene on behalf of Tyras and pledged fealty to the Bosporan Crown if Eumelos would defeat the new threat. Ironically Tyras did not call for aid themselves, but attempted to gain the protection of their Nominal Overlord Lysimachus instead. However Lysimachus seemed to feel that Epirus was the Richer Prize and paid little heed to the Archon of Tyras' Pleas.
This prompted Eumelos to send 3 Legions West under his Son and Heir, Spartikos, Hammer of the Roxolani, to reinforce Olbia and Borysthenes, gather what troops those two cities might be able to muster, and aid Tyras. Spartacus did so and Rode out at the head of 15,000 Infantry and 1,800 Cavalry to fight the Dacians. At Olbia and Borysthenes, Spartacus was received by the Assemblies of the Two Cities and was able to muster an additional 4,000 Troops, though these were mostly Hoplites and Companion Cavalry in the Hellenic Fashion. Recognizing the Weakness of his allies' Formations, Spartacus would make sure to put their Hoplites in the Center and use his Legions and cavalry for the Wings of his formation. This allowed the More Mobile Legions and cavalry to cover the Flanks of the More Immobile Phalanx in battle, effectively synergizing the two methods of fighting to eliminate the weakness of the Phalanx and allow it to strengthen the Legions.
This formation would prove the key to victory at the Battle of Tyras, in late 291 BC where Gela's forces attempted to exploit the Weakness of the Phalanx only to be stopped dead by the more flexible Legions. The Battle of Tyras would last for most of a day, when just before dusk, as Gela's forces exhausted themselves against the better armored Legions and Phalanx, a sally from the City of Tyras, led by the Archon of Tyras himself, succeeded in breaking out past the siege lines and savaging Gela's Rear. Panicked at being taken from behind and stymied in front, Gela's more undisciplined clansmen began to rout, which was just the Opening Spartikos wanted as his cavalry reserve of Scythian and Roxolani Lancers, was sent in to cut down as many fleeing Dacians as possible. Unfortunately, Gela and his more disciplined Bodyguard were not amongst the Dead by the end of the Battle, having retreated in better order and attempted to get his men back under control. Spartikos was prepared to March into Dacian territory if need be, but ultimately was stopped from doing so. Not because he would need to cross the territory of several Thracian Tribes who themselves had been savaged by the Dacians, nor by Gela's Army, but by the prospect of crossing the Dacian Mountains to get to Gela's Core territories. Ultimately however the Dacian Threat had been broken and the Archon of Tyras pledged fealty to the Bosporan Crown, as Lysimachus was still fighting Demetrios, who now had an extremely capable commander in the form of his Nephew Pyrrhus. This meant that Lysimachus could care less about Tyras. The New Arrangement was sealed and Spartikos returned home successful.
However Roads would need to be built to link the new territories to the heartland, which would take a few years. Borysthenes and Olbia were close enough that they could be connected fairly Easily, but Tyras was another matter entirely. In the Meantime, Eumelos began to build up his navy for conflict with Lysimachus and to provide transport capacity to Taras. Eumelos secured his eastern Flank with Colchis by sending envoys to King Kuji of Colchis and offering a marriage alliance between the Crown Prince Spartikos and Kuji's Daughter Parysatis. King Kuji, knowing Parysatis was older than his Son and Heir, Kartam, hesitated at this match, as it would be possible for Parystatis' Husband to attempt to claim all or part of Colchis as a claimant to the throne upon his death. However he dared not anger the Bosporan King by refusing, else war would surely come and the Colchisan Army was wearied from years fighting the armies of Azo, Eristavi of Kartilli. They would not survive the attempt at conquest. Finally as Summer turned to Autumn in 290 BC, King Kuji of Colchis accepted the match.***
Eumelos could begin his schemes against the Lysimachids in earnest then, for he had designs upon Thrace. Sadly his ambitions would not be fulfilled in his lifetime. Eumelos I, conqueror king of the Bosporan Kingdom, died from a chill in winter of 288 BC. It would be up to the newly crowned King Spartikos to fulfill the late King's dreams. First however, Spartikos had to see about Colchis. . .
*Tacitus notes that the Bosporans Fought in Roman Fashion, which makes them the earliest adopters of Thorakitai and Manipular Formations in the Greek World
**The POD: While Eumelos managed to carve out a "Kingdom the Size of Lysimachus'" who ruled over Thrace, Macedon, Epirus, and Greece, it did not survive him being thrown from his horse on his way to make sacrifice after the campaign and dying, and several of the more recently conquered portions slipped away. Here he manages to reign in his horse and survives to solidify his rule.
***Not much is known about the Colchisian Royal House at this time, but what is known is that Kuji was king in 290 BC, and that he had a daughter and a son by the sister of Pharnavaz I of Iberia and that the Son's name was Kartam.