217 B.C.
The battle started out horrible for Ptolemy. After five days of skirmishes, the two great leaders had finally decided to start the battle again. Once confronted with the enemy army, Ptolemy’s elephants returned and started rampaging in panic through his own troops. Ptolemy kept encouraging his Phalanx attack whilst his right his cavalry was to route the opponents. Instead, they ended up routing.
P.O.D!!
Even though Antiochus was eager to pursue the routing cavalry, he decided to keep his head at the war and returned to the main army to see the two phalanx armies attack each other. Taking no time to hesitate, he ordered his cavalry to smash into the phalanx from the flanks. Surprised by the sudden return and overwhelmed, Ptolemy’s phalanx dropped their weapons and routed. The rest ended quickly with an astonishing victory for Antiochus.
217 – 205 B.C.
Antiochus spent the next twelve years on his Anabasis, securing rebellious vassals such as Greco-Bactria and Parthia. In TTL, the immediate victory at Raphia ensured their loyalty even more than in OTL. He also went to India where he encountered the king Sophagasenus. With the newly acquired land and money he secured an alliance between the two great empires.
Native Egyptian survivors from the battle of Raphia, not only displeased with the loss of the battle, but also the leader, developed a nationalistic sentiment. In 216 BC the Native Egyptians revolted against Ptolemaic rule and established their own kingdom in Upper Egypt.
Antiochus, seeing a possible exploit, sent emissaries to the new Native Egyptian Kingdom to try and establish an alliance. The Seleucids promised that they would return the lands to the Native Egyptians and they would work together against enemies. The Native Egyptians, despite having resentments towards the Seleucids, agree to the terms.
Whilst working out the new alliance, Antiochus set out to Jerusalem. He proposed an offer stating that Judea would still be part of the Seleucid Empire, but the Hellenistic influences, buildings, temples and other structures would be removed to assure the Jewish culture surviving. They would gain the rights to create their own laws and have an army of a maximum of 10,000 soldiers.
Antiochus also decided that in time of need, he’d help the Judeans solve any problems, if they desired so.
They would still have to pay taxes of course to ensure the Seleucid economy. Surprised at this turn of events, the Judeans agreed. Antiochus worked out a deal with the higher classes of the Judeans to select a Jewish governor who was loved by the people and for a time there was peace in Judea.
Though this was seen by many as an act of weakness, it did work effectively. Having secured all the problems the Empire was facing and some that might have arisen eventually, Antiochus can finally set his eyes on Ptolemaic Egypt as it had been a thorn in his eye for too long. He summoned 100,000 Infantry, 8000 cavalry and 100 Elephants. The Native Egyptians gathered 45,000 Infantry, 3000 Cavalry and 45 Elephants.
204 B.C.
With the death of Ptolemy IV, a lot of problems started brewing as Ptolemy V, a mere child, took over. In truth however it were others that ran the country.
Before the invasion, Antiochus had sent out emissaries to Rome in order to prevent them from interfering in the war and possibly even an alliance later. They promised Rome that the grain supplies would continue and would even be improved in number. Rome however was not easily persuaded. They’d gain more grain for the city, but they’d receive a possible enemy later as well.
After heavy debating however most Senators agreed that it would be most profitable for Rome to accept this offer now. Their own full faith in that their legions would be able to conquer every opponent would give them some troubles later. The moment Antiochus received confirmation of Rome’s neutrality he send out word to the Upper Egyptian Kingdom to start the invasion.
In TTL Macedonia would not join them in the conquest. Instead, it would start focusing on the new power in the West, Rome. Because Coele Syria was already in Seleucid hands, the armies started from there and quickly took over Gaza. He took no time and went on to his next destination, the Sinai peninsula.
Despite Ptolemaic Egypt’s best attempts to forge an army and resist, it would prove to be a futile effort. As the Seleucids came closer to Lower Egypt, the nationalistic Egyptian sentiment kept rising as well. Many Native Egyptians would abandon the Ptolemaic Dynasty to join the Native Egyptian Kingdom.
The Native Egyptian Kingdom managed to win several battles, the most important being the one at Ptolemais. They followed the Nile and in a couple of months the two allies shared information about their newest conquests.
Ptolemaic Egypt, desperate as it was, tried to contact Rome and secure an alliance, but Rome refused because of the earlier offer that they accepted by the Seleucid Empire.
203 B.C.
The Seleucids were busy constructing several fortresses and securing the newly acquired regions. A request was send to Jerusalem to gather 10,000 soldiers to invade Cyprus. The Judeans accepted the request and started training troops.
202 B.C.
The Native Egyptian Kingdom (From now on the NEK) advanced all the way to Hermoupolis Megale. Despite meeting fierce resistance from the loyal followers of the Ptolemaic Egyptians, the NEK army only kept growing as more citizens left their homes to fight for an Egypt ruled by native Egyptians.
The Seleucids, after conquering and securing Klysma and Pelousion, started staring at Alexandria. Ptolemy could feel the defeat approaching him from every where and started sending out alliance proposals to Macedon and even Carthago. Macedon, much to the surprise of Antiochus, accepted the proposal and started assembling an army to invade Anatolia, landing in Ptolemaic lands and going north.
Macedon was eager to attack Seleucid as they considered them to be traitors to the Hellenistic world after securing friendly relations with Rome.
201 B.C.
The NEK conquered Oxyrhynchos. The conquest was easy as the city mostly revolted to the NEK’s cause. The soldiers that fought against the Native Egyptians and survived were sold as slaves to the Nubian Kingdom and the Seleucid Empire later. In the meanwhile the Seleucid Empire had been blocking the trade and communications between the several parts of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
Despite the stronger Ptolemaic navy, the Seleucids manage to win, mainly because the main navy was too spread out to be too much of a threat. It was not long before Alexandria found it’s dock blocked off and the Seleucid army marching towards it.
200 B.C.
Ptolemy proposed a final offer to the Seleucid king. He’d marry his daughter and give him the lands up to Sinai Peninsula. The island of Cyprus would be given as well, but the lands in Anatolia would remain his. The offer however was refused as Antiochus decided to end this as quickly as possible.
On the 22th of August, the Seleucids laid siege to the city of Alexandria. Not a couple of days later, the NEK laid siege to the heavily fortified city of Memphis, one of the bloodiest sieges in the early years of the NEK.