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Update #1: The Victor, Ipeiróti, and Conqueror Kings


Map of the Hellenic world in 0 S.E [1]


In 0 S.E., The King of the Selefkidikí Aftokratoría [2], Seleucus I Nicator, or Victor, was at the height of power. Only a few weeks prior did he kill his last true enemy Lysimachus of Thráki [3] in the battle of Corupedium. As he crossed the Hellespont into Thráki, he would tell his son, Antiochus I Kataktitís or Conqueror to not overextend himself and to fight only when necessary. Antiochus would take the request to heart and would see a great many Successes because of it. As he traversed Thráki in to Makedónia [4], Seleucus would reportedly weep, stating “Oh gracious Makedónia, I have come to rule you as a ruler should!” Facing Little to no opposition due to the chaos Makedónia was currently in without a king, The Victor of Asia would easily arrive close to the capital of Pella, in fact within a few days March of the city before he made camp, deciding to rest his army and himself before he became king. During the night, as several guards for Seleucus’ tent decided to take a break, an advisor known as Ptolemy Keraunos, the son of Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt, attempted to sneak in to the King's tent and kill him while he slept. Just as he was about to cut Seleucus open, however, a guard by the name of Proctus had found Ptolemy with his sword raised above the sleeping form of Seleucus. In one quick motion, Proctus brought out his sword and cut off Ptolemy’s raised arm before it could be brought down. The screaming that ensued would wake Seleucus, who would then take his own sword and slash Ptolemy across the neck, ending the threat to his life in a quick fashion. [5]

The day after, Proctus was given the rank of General, a position he would prove to be quite worthy of, and Seleucus would resume his March to Pella. In the end of the Summer month of Loúlios [6], Seleucus would arrive in the city and Declare himself king of Makedónia. Immediately, Seleucus would go about reforming the situation that Macedonia was in by first uniting it with Thráki while also reforming the Political and Martial structure of the Kingdom. He would follow up by declaring Antiochus his successor and heir to the throne and finally he would start a new Calendar titled the Selefkídi Calendar in which every date before him being Declared as king of Macedonia to be in the B.S.E. or Before Selefkídi Era age and everything in the present and future to be in the S.E. or Selefkídi Era. As a final way to show support for his son, he would bring him in with a meeting between himself and several barbarian tribes.

The tribes had been raiding the country side of Makedónia and Thráki for years at this point and thus Antiochus and Seleucus offered them a proposal. Seleucus would give 1500 coins in return for them to leave Thráki and Makedónia alone for good. At the same time, Antiochus offered these people a place to settle in central Mikrá Asía [7] with the only catch being that the Barbarians were to be enlisted in the King’s army whenever he requested for a half century. The Barbarians, surprised at the offer, accepted, if only a bit skeptically. Thus the pact of Pella had been founded and would continue to help the Selefkídi Dynasty well into the next few generations.


Seleucus I Nicator, Megas Basileus of the Selefkidikí Aftokratoría from 31 B.S.E [8]-0 S.E and king of Makedónia from 0 S.E.-?

In 1 S.E [9], The king of the neighboring Ípeiros [10] requested some aid, to which Seleucus gave him 30,000 of his best men. Pyrrós [11] of Ípeiros had been asked by the city of Tarantas [12] for aid against a city known as Rómi [13] and their fellow Italikós [14] and Latiniká [15] allies. In the month of Mártios [16], the young Ipeiróti [17] king would cross the Iónio Pélagos [18] and into the Italikí Chersónisos [19] to aid his allies in Magna Graecia. Pyrrhus’ force of 20,000 infantry, 2,000 archers, 500 slingers, 3,000 cavalry, and 20 elephants as well as an additional 20,000 Infantry, 1,500 slingers, 3,000 archers, 5,500 cavalry, and 30 elephants given to him by Seleucus and Antiochus arrived in Tarantas with ease and nothing disrupting the Journey between Epirus and Italía [20] allowing him to prepare for a long and drawn out Campaign against the Romaíoi [21] [22].


He would first have battle with the Romaíoi in the fields of Irákleia [23]. The battle was somewhat tough, but in the end, Pyrrós was victorious with just 3,000 casualties, only a fraction of the rookies he had brought to battle. For the rest of the month of Loúlios to the month of Októvrios [24], Pyrrós would Campaign across Italy, most notably convincing the Samnítes, Bréttioi [25], Lucani, Apouliánes [26], and the Messapians to join his cause to defeat Rómi for good. He promised all of the peoples that they would indeed be free if they join him and would only need to be an annual tribute if they won. Nothing more and nothing less. For the rest of 1 S.E., Pyrrós would be camped in éthnos [27] to continue to build his army as well as have recon survey the land for a good field of battle. In the month of Aprílios [28] in 2 S.E. [29] and would meet a second Romaíoi force in the fields of Áskoli [30]. Another hard-fought battle between both sides but at the end, Despite Romaíoi discipline and courage, as well as the 20 anti-elephant wagons they had brought, they were defeated and lost 7,000 of their men while Pyrrós would lose only half that in the battle.


With this Victory achieved, Pyrrós marched with his force to the city of Rómi itself and besiege it while he sent envoys to the Oúmpria [31], Etrouskánous [32], and the Kéltes [33] that lived under Romaíoi rule and gave them a simple offer: Freedom for just an Annual tribute or continued subjugation under Rómi. The month of Ávgoustos, [34], an envoy from the city of Karchidóna [35] arrived and questioned him if he had any interest in Sikelía [36] as the Kartagíni [37] People did. The young Ipeiróti said that as of now he had no current nor any future interest in the Island of Sikelía. This, of course, was a lie as in private, Pyrrós planned to conquer Sikelía along with Tynídos [38], Livýi [39], and modern day Algería once the Italikós mainland was secured. Satisfied, the Kartagíni envoy left Pyrrós’ camp outside Rome to give the information that the Ipeiróti king would not get involved with Sikelós [40] Politics. For three years, he besieged the stubborn city of Rómi before he finally felt that it was time to attack it head on.
The battle of Rómi was very brutal with both sides suffering many great casualties. After several hours of fighting, the Romaïkí Gerousía [41] asked for peace and admitted defeat. In the peace of Tarantas, which would end the Italikós Campaign, would see the Bréttioi, Lucani, Apouliánes, and the Messapians their own realms, though as one they would be Lesser allies. Next, the Samnites, Oúmpria, Etrouskánous, and the Kéltes would get their own states and it was agreed that all the people that were liberated would be Ipeiróti Allies for the next 50 years and would only have to pay Annual tribute for Ipeiróti protection. Then, he annexed the Elliniká [42] Apoikíes [43] that he could into the Ipeiróti Kingdom itself for better keeping. Finally, the city of Rómi was to be an Ipeiróti city-state that was to pay monthly tribute and always have no more and no less than 10,000 Ipeiróti troops to keep the city loyal at all times. After the peace was Declared, Pyrrós decided to consolidate his gains and secure his position. For 5 years, he stayed in the region and eventually it became stable enough that should he leave, his position would not be in jeopardy for a while. It was just his fortune that at that time, the people of Syrakoúsai were looking for someone to protect them from Kartagíni forces and gave him a request for aid.


Pyrrós would accept the offer and enter Sikelía in 11 S.E. to aid the Syrakousianós [44] against Karchidóna. He did the same to the lazy Syrakousianós as he did to the Taratines and began to forcefully train them as he had left 30,000 men back in Italía to keep his position secure and he needed an additional 10,000 men to be able to do his objective. By Ioúnios [45], he was able to besiege the city of Lilybaeum. For 4 months he sieged the city, as his fleet had done a blockade against any attempt to relieve the city. After 4 months, the city surrendered and then Pyrrós, against the wishes of Syrakoúsai, would invade Afrikí and lay siege to Karchidóna himself. The city however, sued for peace a day before he could start the siege and thus Pyrrós set the terms. First, Sikelía, including Syrakoúsai itself, and the island of Sardinia was to be a part of the Ipeiróti Kingdom while Karchidóna and her long list of colonies were to be one puppet state of Ípeiros, pay Annual tribute to Ípeiros, and finally have 20,000 Ipeiróti troops stationed in the city at all times. For 3 years afterwards, he would stay to continue keeping the region stabilized until he finally left for Ípeiros and his capital of Apollonía to rule his new micro Empire as Pyrrós I Megas or Great.




Ípeiros was able to become a major player in the central Mesogeiakós [46] for the next century.

As Pyrrós Campaigned in Italía in 7 S.E. [47], Antióchos would Campaign in Mikrá Asía to re-establish Selefkídi supremacy in the region. He would first Campaign against the kingdoms of Póntos [48], Vithynía [49], and Armenia to either conquer them or establish them as a satrap. Vithynía fell with great ease to his large army and Póntos agreed to being a satrap if they were allowed to continue to have the locals rule their kingdom. The only challenge was the mountainous Kingdom of Armenia, which would fall in Septémvrios [50] after rough resistance. Antióchos decided to allow them to keep their local rulers rule over them and have them give Annual tribute rather than monthly tribute with the only catch being that for the next Century, Armenia would have to give soldiers to the royal army. In 9 S.E. [51], Seleucus I Nicator died from old age and Antióchos would be crowned as king of Makedónia and Thráki and thus was given the troops under his father's command including the clever general Proctus.

The same year, a month later, Antióchos would go to war with Ródos [52] and Pergámo [53] to end the biggest threats to his territory in Mikrá Asía. His first target would be Ródos and used his moderate sized fleet to blockade and cripple the Ródian [54] fleet before his army of 49,460 would March on the island and after a year long siege, would capture the city with 5,000 casualties. After capturing the city, he would leave a Garrison of 12,000 while he would Campaign against Pergámo and kill the traitorous lieutenant of Lysimachus, Philetaerus, in battle. Fighting was fierce but because of Proctus being with Antióchos in battle, they soon surrounded the Pergámous [55] army and destroyed it in the battle of Magnisía [56] in where Philetaerus himself would be killed in Endéchetai [57] of 12 S.E. [58]. Antiochus would then turn his full attention to the city itself and within a year, it would surrender. Thus, in 13 S.E [59], Antiochus would have all of Mikrá Asía except the territory that his rival, Ptolemaïkí Aígypto [60], had. Until he was ready for that, however, he would focus on consolidating his gains and wait for an appropriate time to strike.



Mikrá Asía in 13 S.E. with Keltikí Gi [61] in Green and Kappadokía [62] in Orange. This would allow the Selefkidikí Aftokratoría to remain the most powerful of the Ta Diadochiká Kráti Tou Alexándrou [63]



[1] - 281 BC



[2] - Seleucid Empire


[3] - Thrace


[4] - Macedonia


[5] - This is the main POD. In OTL, Ptolemy Keraunos killed Seleucus and became king himself.


[6] - July


[7] - Asia Minor


[8] - 312 BC


[9] - 280 BC


[10] - Epirus


[11] - Pyrrhus


[12] - Tarentum


[13] - Rome


[14] - Italian


[15] - Latin


[16] - March


[17] - Epirote


[18] - Ionian Sea


[19] - Italian Peninsula


[20] - Italy


[21] - Romans


[22] - Another POD. In OTL, a storm took away a portion of his force and brought him off course. ITTL, said storm doesn't happen.


[23] - Heraclea


[24] - October


[25] - Brutii


[26] - Apulians


[27] - Samnium


[28] - April


[29] - 279 BC


[30] - Asculum


[31] - Umbrians


[32] - Etruscans


[33] - Celts


[34] - August


[35] - Carthage


[36] - Sicily


[37] - Carthaginian


[38] - Tunis


[39] - Libya


[40] - Sicilian


[41] - Roman Senate


[42] - Greek


[43] - Colonies


[44] - Syracusians


[45] - June


[46] - Mediterranean


[47] - 274 BC


[48] - Pontus


[49] - Bithnya


[50] - September


[51] - 272 BC


[52] - Rhodes


[53] - Pergamon


[54] - Rhodian


[55] - Pergamese


[56] - Magnesia


[57] - May


[58] - 269 BC


[59] - 268 BC


[60] - Ptolemaic Egypt


[61] - Celtic Land. Where the Barbarians settled in the Pact of Pella


[62] - Cappadocia


[63] - Alexander's Successor States

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