The death of Alexander the Great inaugurated the era of the Successors (323-280 BC), which was marked by major conflicts within and outside of the helladic space. The vast empire - which he had created - was maintained as a single, exclusively, due to the personality and the strong leadership of the charismatic Stratelates. But when he died prematurely, substantially was lost any sense of unity and it was next to follow intrigues between the ambitious generals, revolutions in every corner of the territory and of course big battles - some of them even world-historical importance. One of these conflicts took place in Lamia, where the Macedonians were besieged by the allied forces of Greeks of the south.
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| Antipater |
In Athens when
it was learned the death of Alexander, was convened the City Church,
which was very noisy. The
anti-Macedonian side prevailed
and it was decided to undertake the match for freedom of the Greeks and
to be expelled the Macedonian garrisons from
the occupied cities. Also they sent ambassadors to
other cities to strengthen of diplomatic positions, while the Athenians
themselves decided to construct 200 triremes and 40 tetrireis and call to arms
men up to 40 years. As head was defined Leosthenes, an experienced in war
strategist. He, after secretly he
enlisted 8.000 veteran mercenaries of Alexander (Pausanias A 25.5) and secured military assistance 7.000 men from
the Aetolians, he occupied Thermopylae. And then in the Greek coalition were joined all Dorians (residents of
Dorida), the Locrians, the Phocians, Thessalians except Pellinaion, the
Malieis, the Ainianes, the Alyzaioi Akarnanes, the Dolopians, the Athamanes,
the Lefcadians, a portion of Molossians, Carystus from Evia, Argos, Sikyon,
Ilia and Messinia the coastal. On the side of Macedonians
remained only Heraclea, Lamia
and Phthiotic Thebes from the region of Central Greece
(Diod.18, 11).
The allies took care to
further reinforce their positions and forces. Thus, an Athenian army of 5.000
soldiers, 500 horsemen and 2.000 mercenaries was launched to come across
Leosthenes. The Boeotians with the Macedonian garrison of
the Kadmeion (acropolis of Thebes) and a power
of Euboeans were plugging the street near Plataea.
Leosthenes has arrived quickly with a part of his army, defeated his opponents
and having propped up a trophy he returned to Thermopylae.
Now - with a total of 30.000 men - he waited the main force of Macedonians (Diod.18 11. Paus. I, 1.3).
On the other side,
the general Antipater, locus tenens of the Macedonian throne in European soils was found in dire straits. Take long to
react, and had available weak forces and even worse he had to face the renewed
aggressiveness of Illyrians and Thracians. Nevertheless, in
these fronts there have
been no developments and Antipater, after requesting help from the generals Craterus
and Philotas, he
finally arrived in Thessaly
with 13.000 pedestrians, 600
horsemen and with the whole fleet, consisting
of 110 triremes (Diod. 18 , 11). The Thessalians helped with cavalry force and thus
arrived at plain Sperchios, crossed the river and captured Heraclea. But Leosthenes
with frequent skirmishes managed to sets him adrift
in battle, in
which the Macedonians were
defeated, while the Thessalian
cavalry have defected to the
revolutionaries. After
this evolution Antipater
was found trapped. But for
his good luck, he found unguarded the passes of Sperchios
river, which he crossed and he invaded to Lamia, where he was fortified. Thereafter, the whole Thessaly was acceded to the rebellious (I. Vorts.D 3., Diod.18, 11).
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| The fortification of Akrolamia |
Of course, Lamia at that time, not only had the imposing
fortress that we know today. Built on a unique geo-strategic location, had the
ability to control the coastal road and the narrow passage that leads to Thessaly. It was therefore logical to
be the apple of discord, since whoever he was occupying this, substantially was
cutting the Greece
in two. Therefore, it was next to be fortified with a strong wall.
The excavations have
uncovered parts of the wall, but
which now have been lost by
the construction of the modern city. We know that
it was starting from the hill of Kastro (Castle), was undergoing from the
districts just below it, such as that
of St. Theodore, and it
were settling - including of course - on the hill
of St. Luke. In
the lower parts we should assume that the wall was
even stronger. This fact he noted with a bitter way himself
Leosthenes and then.
The only choice of the excised Antipater it was to withstand - as
he could - in the upcoming
siege and to await reinforcements from Asia.
Thoughts about flee
certainly there were
not as long as the rival
cavalry was dominated in the open field. Thus, he began to
renovate and to improve the fortifications of Lamia, by manufacturing weapons and machines
and to gather supplies. The poliorketes Leosthenes by moving his army near the
walls, he made intrenched camp with trench and he began the siege. In a first phase, Leosthenes arrayed his men and caused the Macedonians in open battle. As well as they
there was no chance to risk something like that, he attempted to taken over the
city by assault. For days
the allies were unleashed repeated violent attacks
on the walls, but they
were repelled with courage and bravery from the
defenders. The large losses
have forced Leosthenes to changed tactics. So, he decided to conquer the
city with hunger. He constructed an exterior wall and moat around the city, so
that no one can enter or exit from it (Diodorus
18.11., J. Vorts.D 3).
After they were made
these, the Aetolians requested to leave “for some national needs”. The exact causes of this movement they can not be identified safely. Maybe because the time had come to elect a new strategist, perhaps they were tired from
their longstanding bloody but fruitless
wars, or their
lands were threatened by their
eternal enemies the Acarnanians. However, the
fact is that the allied army was deprived a large part of its
initial force, about a quarter of
this. Nevertheless, Leosthenes
had enough army to continue
the siege of the city (I.Vorts. D 3., Diod.18, 11).
In camp
of the besieged Macedonian
the state started to become nightmarish.
Many necessary was missing in and the spectrum of
surrender was already visible. Antipater began negotiations
and he requested peace, but Leosthenes
demanded the unconditional surrender. (I.Vorts. D, 3 Elefth. Encycl. Lexiko:
Leosthenes). There where all seemed lost, a random event it came to change the
flow of developments. The Macedonians targeting to
a battering trench of the Greeks, they made impetuous exit. Leosthenes rushed
to help his soldiers, but he accepted a stone on his head and was transported
unconscious to the camp where he died three days later. His
death was saddened deeply all allies, as well as his doings they had surpassed
their expectations such as characteristics mentioned by Pausanias (A, 25.4),
while their spirits had been crushed and has contributed greatly to the final
defeat. The dead strategist was buried with
values a hero probably in his camp outside of Lamia, such as John Vortselas argues. The captaincy now
was assigned to Antifilos, described by Diodorus “as a man who differed in
prudence, strategy and bravery”.
As long as the Greeks were
grieving Leosthenes, Macedonians destroyed part of the enemy's intrenchment and
were supplied with enough food. But the biggest news was another. Leonattos,
the satrap of Phrygia Hellespont, a childhood friend and bodyguard of Alexander
the Great, after spending in Macedonia
and gathered more than 20.000 pedestrians and 2.500 horsemen was descending
through Thessaly to confront the coalition of
Greeks. If Antipater managed to
unite his force with that of Leonnatos, the balance will be tilted decisively
in favor of the Macedonians. Antifilos ought to deter this, so he solved the siege of Lamia, he burned their luggage and he rushed
to collide with Leonnatos.
The two armies found
themselves a few miles northeast of Lamia,
probably in the location Ramna, on the way to the Thebes of Fthiotis (J. Vorts.
D, 3), was conducted a fierce hippomachia (horseback battle) that lasted a long
time. Eventually the Greeks prevailed thanks to the bravery of the Thessalians
and their leader Menon. Leonattos fought against brave and impetuously, but was
excluded in the marshy area, he accepted enough traumas in which succumbed
later. The Macedonian infantry had not been engaged, seeing the negative
outcome was withdrawn to the nearby hills. The winners, after they set up a
trophy on the battlefield, they departed in their places (J.Vorts.D, 3. - Diod.18, 14).
Antipater taking
advantage of the departure of the
besiegers left Lamia
and the next day of the battle
was joined with the
remnants of the defeated army. He avoided the course at smooth field where the Greek
cavalry was dominated, and following rough terrain he reached closer to Macedonia from
where he could be refilled easily. However contrary to the land operations,
the Macedonians had imposed their
dominance at sea, until the
spring of 322 BC.
The Athenians, whose admiral was Haetion, had
manufactured and other ships, whom the total number reached 170. The
Macedonians, led by Cleitos had numerical superiority with 240 ships[1]. The
two fleets were fight a battle twice at Abydos
of the Hellespont and in Amorgos, while the Macedonian destroyed many enemy
ships at the Echinades
Islands[2] (J.Vorts.D 3., Hellenic History, III.
Diod.18, 16).
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| Sculptural representation of ippomachia |
The war had
now entered the final phase.
Craterus known strategist and friend of
Alexander has arrived from
Cilicia with
10.000 pedestrians, of which 6.000
were veterans of
Alexander, 1.000 Persian archers and men with
slingshots and 1.500 horsemen.
Descended to Thessaly, was
united with Antipater in which ceded the leadership and he encamped near
Peneus. Their total forces were amounting to 40.000 heavily armed pedestrians,
3.000 archers and men with slingshots and 5.000 horsemen.
On
the other side, many Greeks had departed to visit their families,
underestimating their opponents due to the previous successes. Their forces
consisted of 25.000 pedestrians and 3.500 experienced horsemen, on which were
pinning their hopes. The
armies met at Krannona of Thessaly. The Macedonians they tried to blackmail the battle. Were lined up and initially attacked with their cavalry. When,
in the hippomachia
(cavalcade battle) that followed seemed to dominate the Greeks,
the Macedonian infantry entered the battle,
collided with the rival infantry and caused him heavy casualties. The
Greeks, being unable to withstand the pressure and the numerical superiority of
the Macedonians retreated with class into more tough terrain. Their cavalry,
who until that moment was defeating, just became aware to the retreat of the
rest of array, it also exited.
The next day, the heads
Antifilos and Menon discussed on whether to expect aids or they will seek
peace. Finally they decided the second and they sent emissaries to Antipater.
He replied that it will accept the embassies of each city individually, and not
as a “Common”. The confederated Greeks were not accepted and the Macedonians
were proceeded to the siege of Thessalian cities, without the coalition be able to provide assistance. The result was that
the Thessalians were detached from the coalition, the Greek army was withdrawed
and the Athenians and Aetolians they stayed without allies (J. Vorts. D 3. Diod.18, 17).
For the story, to mention that ultimately Antipater marched unhidered until Boeotia, where he accepted an Athenian embassy. The
Athenians, helpless now, they accepted the harsh terms of Antipater, who he
took power of the city, abolished the republic and he installed a Macedonian
garrison (Pausanias, 25, 5-6. Diod.18, 18). This war was
just a first taste of the chaos
and the sweeping realignments, which were occurred across the Hellenistic
world during the turbulent period
of the Successors.
In conclusion, as regards the city, Lamia saw to pass
countless armies and again in front of her and to quarrel for her possession. But
in the geostrategic map of antiquity (and not only ...) there was unique for
her position and the strong walls.
George K. Balomenos
SOURCES
1.
J. Vortselas: “FTHIOTIS”, editions KASTALIA, 1973, Athens.
2.
Diodorus Sikelian: “Historical Library”.
3.
Pausanias: “Periegesis of Greece”, Ekdotiki Athinon, 1974.
4.
Greek History, Volume III,
Ekdotiki Athinon, 2007.
5.
Eleftheroudaki Encyclopedic Dictionary.
6.
Alex. Paradisi: “Forts and
castles of Greece”, P.
Efstathiades, 1976.
7.
http://www.yppo.gr/
8.
el.wikipedia.org/
FOOTNOTES
[1] The numbers who Diodorus gives in the beginning are
contradictory with them and then. Maybe in that way it attributed the evolution
of business at sea until this point, but a fact for which we can not be sure.
[2] The Echinades
islands are located close to the Aetolian coast. It is unlikely the two fleets
they met there, i.e. so far from the centers of combat operations. John Vortselas and many researchers
speculate that the islands, which Diodorus says are actually what they are
located opposite of Echinos (the present village Achinos), i.e. to be
Lihadonisia.
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