Battle began on the left flank, where both commanders had their elephants charge their opponent's lines, hoping for a decisive breakthrough. The beasts were of relatively equal numbers, as Sosibius had reinforced his contingent here at the expense of his right flank, but they were not of equal quality, for the Seleucids boasted Indian elephants, much larger and more powerful then their African cousins. Consequently, Sosibius' elephants became terrified of the smell and size of the beasts opposing them and were thrown back in confusion. They smashed through their own lines, trampling men and horse to death, badly disrupting Sosibius's left flank.
Antiochus meanwhile, wishing to capitalize on the unfolding situation, ordered the troops on his right flank to charge. His Greek mercenaries, located just right of the center phalanx, tore through the Libyan peltasts arrayed against them. His cavalry however soon found itself outmaneuvered by Echecrates, who rode his men hard to the left before swinging back and hitting the Seleucid cavalry in the flank. This turned what should have been a walkthrough into a bloody brawl, in which the heavily armored and numerically superior Seleucid cataprachts eventually came out on top. With Echecrates busy regrouping his horsemen some distance away, Antiochus ordered his men to swing left and hit the enemy Greek mercenaries still holding out, despite the onslaught of his elephants and of his own mercenaries to their right (not to mention their own elephants who had rampaged through their lines earlier). Being close to breaking point as it was, Sosibius' Greek mercenaries turned tail and ran as the Seleucid cataphracts smashed into their flank.
On the opposite end of the field battle was joined as well, as both flanks charged each other; here Sosibius barely had any elephants at all, and it showed. Lacking the skill of Echecrates and being more used to commanding a phalanx, Andromachus ordered a headlong charge into the enemy ranks only to see his horsemen and Gallic mercenaries scream in horror as the Seleucid elephants trampled through their lines. It was not long before Sosibius found the extreme of his right wing fleeing, with their enemies in hot pursuit. Desperate to regain the initiative, he ordered his phalanx to advance, and soon found that fate had finally smiled upon him - Antiochus' lightly armed Arabian and Persian levies quickly gave way as the Royal Guard and the native Egyptian phalangites attacked them headlong.
Battle now hung in the balance - Antiochus had both of his flanks victorious, yet his center was in danger of collapsing, whilst Sosibius faced the exact opposite situation. Fearing the worst, both commanders ordered their men to regroup, as they tried to get some semblance of control over their large and diverse armies.
Antiochus meanwhile, wishing to capitalize on the unfolding situation, ordered the troops on his right flank to charge. His Greek mercenaries, located just right of the center phalanx, tore through the Libyan peltasts arrayed against them. His cavalry however soon found itself outmaneuvered by Echecrates, who rode his men hard to the left before swinging back and hitting the Seleucid cavalry in the flank. This turned what should have been a walkthrough into a bloody brawl, in which the heavily armored and numerically superior Seleucid cataprachts eventually came out on top. With Echecrates busy regrouping his horsemen some distance away, Antiochus ordered his men to swing left and hit the enemy Greek mercenaries still holding out, despite the onslaught of his elephants and of his own mercenaries to their right (not to mention their own elephants who had rampaged through their lines earlier). Being close to breaking point as it was, Sosibius' Greek mercenaries turned tail and ran as the Seleucid cataphracts smashed into their flank.
On the opposite end of the field battle was joined as well, as both flanks charged each other; here Sosibius barely had any elephants at all, and it showed. Lacking the skill of Echecrates and being more used to commanding a phalanx, Andromachus ordered a headlong charge into the enemy ranks only to see his horsemen and Gallic mercenaries scream in horror as the Seleucid elephants trampled through their lines. It was not long before Sosibius found the extreme of his right wing fleeing, with their enemies in hot pursuit. Desperate to regain the initiative, he ordered his phalanx to advance, and soon found that fate had finally smiled upon him - Antiochus' lightly armed Arabian and Persian levies quickly gave way as the Royal Guard and the native Egyptian phalangites attacked them headlong.
Battle now hung in the balance - Antiochus had both of his flanks victorious, yet his center was in danger of collapsing, whilst Sosibius faced the exact opposite situation. Fearing the worst, both commanders ordered their men to regroup, as they tried to get some semblance of control over their large and diverse armies.

