Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 11 - Chapter 11

<w lemma="%2A%28o">Ὁ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="%2Amaxani%2Fdas">Μαχανίδας</w> <w lemma="katateqarrhkw%2Fs">κατατεθαρρηκώς</w>, <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="nomi%2Fzwn">νομίζων</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="a%29%5Cn">ἂν</w> <w lemma="ei%29">εἰ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="eu%29xh%5Cn">εὐχὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3D%7C">αὐτῷ</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai">γίνεσθαι</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axaiw%3Dn">Ἀχαιῶν</w> <w lemma="o%28rmh%2Fn">ὁρμήν</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="gnw%3Dnai">γνῶναι</w> <w lemma="dio%2Fti">διότι</w> <w lemma="sunhqroisme%2Fnoi">συνηθροισμένοι</w> <w lemma="tugxa%2Fnousin">τυγχάνουσιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amanti%2Fneian">Μαντίνειαν</w>,

<w lemma="parakale%2Fsas">παρακαλέσας</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="%2Atege%2Fa%7C">Τεγέᾳ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2Alakedaimoni%2Fous">Λακεδαιμονίους</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="pre%2Fponta">πρέποντα</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="kairoi%3Ds">καιροῖς</w>, <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29piou%3Dsan">ἐπιοῦσαν</w>, <w lemma="a%29%2Frti">ἄρτι</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="h%28me%2Fras">ἡμέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29pifainou%2Fshs">ἐπιφαινούσης</w>, <w lemma="proh%3Dgen">προῆγεν</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Amanti%2Fneian">Μαντίνειαν</w>, <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Flaggos">φάλαγγος</w> <w lemma="kaqhgou%2Fmenos">καθηγούμενος</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="deciw%3D%7C">δεξιῷ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Frati">κέρατι</w>,

<w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frous">μισθοφόρους</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="e%28kate%2Frou">ἑκατέρου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="me%2Frous">μέρους</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="prwtoporei%2Fas">πρωτοπορείας</w> <w lemma="parallh%2Flous">παραλλήλους</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fgwn">ἄγων</w>, <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="zeu%2Fgh">ζεύγη</w> <w lemma="plh%3Dqos">πλῆθος</w> <w lemma="o%29rga%2Fnwn">ὀργάνων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="belw%3Dn">βελῶν</w> <w lemma="komi%2Fzonta">κομίζοντα</w> <w lemma="katapeltikw%3Dn">καταπελτικῶν</w>.

<w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cn">αὐτὸν</w> <w lemma="kairo%5Cn">καιρὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Afilopoi%2Fmhn">Φιλοποίμην</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="tri%2Fa">τρία</w> <w lemma="me%2Frh">μέρη</w> <w lemma="dih%7Crhkw%5Cs">διῃρηκὼς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="du%2Fnamin">δύναμιν</w> <w lemma="e%29ch%3Dgen">ἐξῆγεν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2Amantinei%2Fas">Μαντινείας</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Aposeidw%3Dnos">Ποσειδῶνος</w> <w lemma="i%28erou%3D">ἱεροῦ</w> <w lemma="fe%2Frousan">φέρουσαν</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuriou%5Cs">Ἰλλυριοὺς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qwraki%2Ftas">θωρακίτας</w>, <w lemma="a%28%2Fma">ἅμα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ceniko%5Cn">ξενικὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpan">ἅπαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="eu%29zw%2Fnous">εὐζώνους</w>, <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28ch%3Ds">ἑξῆς</w> <w lemma="w%28s">ὡς</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="du%2Fseis">δύσεις</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="falaggi%2Ftas">φαλαγγίτας</w>, <w lemma="e%29%2Fti">ἔτι</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29xome%2Fnhn">ἐχομένην</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="politikou%5Cs">πολιτικοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w>.

<w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="eu%29zw%2Fnois">εὐζώνοις</w> <w lemma="katela%2Fbeto">κατελάβετο</w> <w lemma="prw%2Ftois">πρώτοις</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="lo%2Ffon">λόφον</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="pro%5C">πρὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="po%2Flews">πόλεως</w>, <w lemma="o%28%5Cs">ὃς</w> <w lemma="a%29natei%2Fnwn">ἀνατείνων</w> <w lemma="i%28kano%5Cn">ἱκανὸν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="o%28do%5Cn">ὁδὸν</w> <w lemma="kei%3Dtai">κεῖται</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2Aceni%2Fda">Ξενίδα</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="proeirhme%2Fnon">προειρημένον</w> <w lemma="i%28ero%2Fn:">ἱερόν·</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="qwraki%2Ftas">θωρακίτας</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptwn">συνάπτων</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="meshmbri%2Fan">μεσημβρίαν</w> <w lemma="kate%2Fsthse">κατέστησε</w>. <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="sunexei%3Ds">συνεχεῖς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29illuriou%5Cs">Ἰλλυριοὺς</w> <w lemma="parene%2Fbale">παρενέβαλε</w>.

<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftous">τούτους</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="au%29th%5Cn">αὐτὴν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qei%3Dan">εὐθεῖαν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fa%2Flagga">φάλαγγα</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="te%2Flh">τέλη</w> <w lemma="speirhdo%5Cn">σπειρηδὸν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="diasth%2Fmasin">διαστήμασιν</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsthse">ἐπέστησε</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="ta%2Ffron">τάφρον</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="fe%2Frousan">φέρουσαν</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="%2Aposeidi%2Fou">Ποσειδίου</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="me%2Fsou">μέσου</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2Amantine%2Fwn">Μαντινέων</w> <w lemma="pedi%2Fou">πεδίου</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="suna%2Fptousan">συνάπτουσαν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fresi">ὄρεσι</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="suntermonou%3Dsi">συντερμονοῦσι</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29elisfasi%2Fwn">Ἐλισφασίων</w> <w lemma="xw%2Fra%7C">χώρᾳ</w>.

<w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="tou%2Ftois">τούτοις</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="decio%5Cn">δεξιὸν</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fras">κέρας</w> <w lemma="e%29pe%2Fsthse">ἐπέστησε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29axai+kou%5Cs">Ἀχαϊκοὺς</w> <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w>, <w lemma="w%28%3Dn">ὧν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29aristai%2Fnetos">Ἀρισταίνετος</w> <w lemma="h%28gei%3Dto">ἡγεῖτο</w> <w lemma="%2Adumai%3Dos:">Δυμαῖος·</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="laio%5Cn">λαιὸν</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29%3Dxe">εἶχε</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="ceniko%5Cn">ξενικὸν</w> <w lemma="a%28%2Fpan">ἅπαν</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="e%29pallh%2Flois">ἐπαλλήλοις</w> <w lemma="ta%2Fcesin">τάξεσιν</w>.

<head>The Defeat and Death of Machanidas</head>Machanidas, filled with confidence and regarding the attack of the Achaeans almost as a godsend, as soon as he heard that they were concentrated at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>,

addressed the Lacedaemonians at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> in terms suitable to the occasion, and at once on the next day shortly after daybreak began to advance on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>. He himself led the right wing of the phalanx,

and placed the mercenaries in parallel columns on each side of the van with wagons behind them charged with a quantity of engines and missiles for catapults.

At the same time Philopoemen, dividing his army into three parts, led it out of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, taking by the road that starts from the temple of Poseidon the Illyrians and heavy-armed cavalry, together with all his mercenaries and light-armed troops, by the next road to the west the phalanx, and by the next the Achaean cavalry.

He first of all occupied with his light-armed troops the hill in front of the city which rises at a considerable height above the road called Xenis and the above temple, and next to them on the south he placed the heavy-armed cavalry, with the Illyrians adjacent to them.

Next to these on the same straight line he stationed the phalanx in several divisions at a certain distance from each other along the ditch that runs from the temple of Poseidon through the plain of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a> and terminates at a range of hills forming the boundary of the territory of Elisphasia.

Then next the phalanx on his right wing he posted the Achaean cavalry under the command of Aristaenetus of Dyme. On the left wing under his own command was the mercenary cavalry in close order.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

11.7.0 - 11.18.0

The Achaean reforms of Philopoemen: the death of Machanidas This section still forms part of the res Graeciae of Ol. 143, 1 = 208/7 B.C. (in fact 207). 8 deals with the faults of Philopoemen's predecessors in the Achaean <w lang="el-GR">στρατηγία</w>. Philopoemen certainly held his first <w lang="el-GR">στρατηγία</w> in 208/7, for according to 10. 9 the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>, described by P. under Ol. 143, 1, was eight months after Philopoemen began his training of the troops; hence he entered office in autumn 208. This is confirmed by Plut. Philop. 11. 1, which mentions the Nemean games held during his second <w lang="el-GR">στρατηγία</w>, and speaks of him then as <w lang="el-GR">νενικηκότα μὲν οὐ πάλαι τὴν ἐν Μαντινείᾳ μάχην</w>; this must be in 205, as the Nemean games fell in 'odd' years (Julian) (cf. ii. 65–69 n., 70. 4 n., v. 101. 5), and consequently, since re-election was permitted only every other year (Plut. Arat. 24. 5, quoted at ii. 43. 7 n.), the first <w lang="el-GR">στρατηγία</w> must fall in 208/7. See Niese, ii. 498; Nicolini, 286 n. 2; De Sanctis, iii. 2. 443–4; Holleaux, 254 n. 1; CAH, viii. 133 (= tudes, v. 314); Busolt–Swoboda, ii. 1571; Aymard, Assembles, 95.

11.11.1 - 11.18.10

The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>. (a) Sources. P. can be supplemented from Plut. Philop. 10, which is based on P.'s Life of Philopoemen (cf. x. 21. 5–8); as Nissen, KU, 283, points out, Plutarch's real interest was in the duel with Machanidas, which is treated in greater detail than in P.'s Histories, and his account of previous events is rather careless. Paus. viii. 50. 1–2 is derived from Plutarch. Where P. got his account from is unknown. (b) Numbers. The 4,000 Lacedaemonian casualties (17. 10) are our only figure, but an estimate is possible. In 168 the Achaean League could raise 30,000–40,000 men from the whole <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Peloponnese&groupId=861&placeId=1552">Peloponnese</a> (xxix. 24. 8); in 207 it can hardly have raised above 15,000–20,000, and perhaps 12,000–14,000 citizen troops fought at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>. Thus with perhaps c. 8,000 mercenaries (cf. v. 91. 6) the whole force will not have exceeded c. 20,000. Under Cleomenes the Spartan army was less than 20,000 (cf. ii. 65. 10 n.), and under Nabis 18,000 (Livy, <milestone unit="page" n="282">[282]</milestone> xxxiv. 27. 1, 29. 14). Since Machanidas had more mercenaries than the Achaeans (13. 3 n.), his army was probably much the same, and one can assume that the two forces were roughly equal in size. See Kromayer, AS, i. 289–91; De Sanctis, iii. 2. 428 n. 79. (c) General. The fullest treatment is in Kromayer, AS, i. 281–314; see also the criticisms of Roloff, 116–39; H. Delbrck, Geschichte der Kriegskunst, i <emph rend="superscript">3</emph> (Berlin, 1920), 252–6; Griffith, 104; earlier bibliography in CAH, viii. 746. For Kromayer's reply to Roloff see BPW, 1904, 994–6; cf. 1310–12 (Roloff's answer). P.'s account does not justify as definite a reconstruction of the battle as Kromayer claims; in many respects it seeks to give a more favourable picture of Philopoemen's tactics than they deserve; see the notes. The site of the battle can be identified with certainty; but see 11. 5–7 n. See Pritchett, Battlefields, 37–72, for recent autopsy of the site and discussion of the battles of 418, 362, and 207.

11.11.5 - 11.11.7

Achaean dispositions. P. does not indicate clearly how far the phalanx stretched to the east, and so where the mercenaries and other troops stood on the left wing. Kromayer (AS, i. 295–7 and map) assumes that the ditch running across the valley stopped short well to the west of the temple of Poseidon, and that this marks the eastern limit of the phalanx; he places the bulk of the mercenaries, etc., in the plain between that point and the temple of Poseidon, only the light-armed <w lang="el-GR">(εὔζωνοι)</w> being stationed on the lower slopes of Alesion somewhat behind the main line. Roloff, 119, would put the <w lang="el-GR">εὔζωνοι</w> further up the slope, reaching to the summit of Alesion, and the rest of the lightarmed to the east of the temple of Poseidon. Concerning the eastern end of the ditch P. is ambiguous. <w lang="el-GR">τὴν τάφρον τὴν φέρουσαν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ποσειδίου</w> means literally 'the ditch which extends towards the temple of Poseidon'; but it can have reached the temple, just as <w lang="el-GR">ἡ ἐφ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">Ἡραίας καὶ Τελφούσης</w> (sc. <w lang="el-GR">ὁδός)</w> (ii. 54. 12) actually reached those places. Kromayer argues that the lie of the land is such that a drainage ditch need not come as far east as the temple; but if the ditch was to serve military ends (and this may easily have been intended), there would be good reason to carry it so far. P.'s statement (§ 6) that the phalanx lay <w lang="el-GR">ἐπὶ τὴν εὐθεῖ?αν</w> with the <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> and the <milestone unit="page" n="285">[285]</milestone> Illyrians does not imply that the latter were necessarily on the same level as the phalanx (cf. Kromayer, AS, i. 294 n. 3, 'auf gleicher Höhe'), and so does not exclude Roloff's view that they were stationed on the lower, gentle slopes of Alesion; and that this was the case seems indicated by 15. 3, where Philopoemen, having transferred part of his phalanx to the position vacated by the mercenaries, who have fled, <w lang="el-GR">ὑπερδέξιος ἐγεγόνει τοῦ τῶν πολεμίων κέρατος</w> (see note ad loc.). On the whole the evidence seems slightly to favour Roloff's interpretation.

Specifics

11.11.1 - 11.11.1

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Μαχανίδας</w>:</emph> cf. x. 41. 2 n. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συνηθροισμένοι . . . εἰς τὴν Μαντίνειαν</w>:</emph> the presence of catapults in Machanidas' army shows that he intended besieging <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>; and Philopoemen's position (§§ 5–7 n.) indicates that he wanted to prevent this (Kromayer, AS, i. 292). But the fact that Machanidas left <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> only when he heard that the confederate army was assembled at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a> shows that he was seeking a battle first. His plan was clearly to defeat the Achaean levy and then march on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a> with his artillery, prepared for a siege if the town did not capitulate.

11.11.2 - 11.11.2

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν Τεγέᾳ</w>:</emph> the status of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> between the resumption of the <w lang="el-GR">πάτριος πολιτεία</w> in 222 (ii. 70. 4 n.) and 207 is not recorded; but if the coins inscribed <w lang="el-GR">Ἀχαιῶν Τεγεατᾶν</w> (Head, 418) and the decrees IG, v. 2. 16–17, date to this period, she was a member of the Achaean confederation (cf. v. 17. 1 n.). Hiller von Gaertringen (RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a>', col. 116) dates Machanidas' acquisition of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> to 210, but this is unlikely. Since Philip never tried to help the Achaeans recover it, they will hardly have lost it before summer 208; cf. Kromayer, AS, i. 291 n. 4; De Sanctis, iii. 2. 427 n. 75.

11.11.3 - 11.11.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐξ ἑκατέρου τοῦ μέρους</w>:</emph> thus protecting the citizen troops. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">πλῆθος ὀργάνων καὶ βελῶν . . . καταπελτικῶν</w>:</emph> 'a large number of siege engines and ammunition for catapults'; <w lang="el-GR">ὄργανα</w> is a general term and may include ballistae as well as catapults.

11.11.4 - 11.11.4

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐξῆγεν ἐκ τῆς Μαντινείας</w>:</emph> Philopoemen's three columns left by three separate gates. These have been identified; see Fougres, 130–61 and pl. viii, where they are designated G, <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> Gate <w lang="el-GR">(τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Ποσειῶνος ἱεροῦ φέρουσαν)</w>; H, 'Manthyrea' Gate <w lang="el-GR">(τὴν ἐξῆς ὡς πρὸς τὰς δύσεις)</w>; I, Pallantium Gate <w lang="el-GR">(κατὰ τὴν ἐχομένην)</w>. From the first of these a road led south to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Sparta&groupId=660&placeId=1208">Sparta</a>; it is the <w lang="el-GR">λεωφόρος</w> of Paus. viii. 10. 1, and after passing the temple of Poseidon it must have hugged the Kapnistra Hills to avoid the marsh (cf. Kromayer, AS, i, maps 2 and 6; Bölte, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>', cols. 1300–1). From the <milestone unit="page" n="283">[283]</milestone> third a road led south-west to Pallantium and <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, corresponding to the modern highway to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tripolis&groupId=1047&placeId=1841">Tripolis</a>; cf. Paus. viii. 11. 5 ff.; Kromayer, AS, i, map 2; Bölte, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>', cols. 1302–3. The second Fougres calls the Manthyrea gate, and assumes that it was <figure> <graphic url="11001.gif" scale="100%" /> </figure> 10. THE BATTLE OF MANTINEA, 207 B.C. the beginning of a road lying between the other two, and of only local significance. Both Leake (Morea, iii. 98) and Kromayer (AS, i. 54. n. 1) take the same view; but, if it went far, such a road would lead straight into a swamp, and as it is never mentioned in Pausanias or elsewhere it is likely that the middle gate (H) and road leading through it were built to serve military purposes, such as that for which they were used now (cf. Bölte, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>', cols. 1306, 1314). <milestone unit="page" n="284">[284]</milestone> <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος ἱεροῦ</w>:</emph> cf. ix. 8. 11 n. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ θωρακίτας</w>:</emph> De Sanctis (iii. 2. 428 n. 79) and Holleaux (254 n. 2) regard these Illyrians as auxiliaries provided by Philip (cf. Aymard, Rapports, 52 n. 24); Griffith (104, 252 n. 2) assumes them to be mercenaries; Launey (i. 415) is undecided. Since P. distinguishes them, like the other categories, from <w lang="el-GR">τὸ ξενικὸν ἅπαν</w>, the first view seems the more likely. For <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> cf. x. 29. 6 n. Judging by iv. 12. 3, they were neither normal light-armed nor phalangites; and they evidently kept their distinctive name even after the <w lang="el-GR">θώραξ</w> had become part of the normal Achaean equipment (9. 5 n.). P. regards them as distinct from the mercenaries (cf. 14. 1), and Griffith suggests that <w lang="el-GR">τοὺς Ἰλλυρίους καὶ θωρακίτας</w> may mean 'the cuirassed Illyrians' (cf. v. 36. 3, 53. 3); the two occur together at 14. 1 and 15. 5, but § 5 is against this interpretation. Paton translates <w lang="el-GR">θωρακίτας</w> as 'heavy armed cavalry' here and in § 5; this is impossible. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ ξενικὸν ἅπαν καὶ τοὺς εὐξώνους</w>:</emph> Griffith, 104, suggests that 'possibly his original phrase . . . is loose writing for "the mercenary light infantry" ' (cf. the last note). Plut. Philop. 10. 2 speaks of <w lang="el-GR">ἀκοντισταί</w>. But there seems no reason why some country districts of Arcadia should not have furnished <w lang="el-GR">εὔξωνοι</w> as part of the levy. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἀνατείνων ἱκανόν</w>:</emph> 'rising to a considerable height' (cf. xviii. 22. 9, of Cynoscephalae). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὴν Ξενίδα</w>:</emph> perhaps so called because it was the main route leading to non-Mantinean territory; there is a similar <w lang="el-GR">ξενίς</w> at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Delphi&groupId=534&placeId=363">Delphi</a> (Syll. 636 1. 24).

11.11.5 - 11.11.5

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸν λόφον τὸν πρὸ τῆς πόλεως</w>:</emph> the hill Alesion (mod. Alogvrachos), which rises to its first peak at 750 m. to the south-east of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>. The <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Tegea&groupId=1011&placeId=1780">Tegea</a> road (Xenis) runs along its base, and the temple of Poseidon lies beside this (cf. § 4 n., ix. 8. 11 n.). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν</w>:</emph> the <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> are in contact with the <w lang="el-GR">εὔζωνοι (συνάπτων)</w>, but face south; this implies that the <w lang="el-GR">εὔζωνοι</w> were not facing south, and if they were extended up the hill towards the summit, they would in fact be facing south-east.

11.11.6 - 11.11.6

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν εὐθεῖ?αν</w>:</emph> 'in the same straight line'; see 5–7 n. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">κατὰ τέλη σπειρηδὸν ἐν διαστήμασιν ἐπέστησε</w>:</emph> 'he stationed them in battalions with intervals between the companies'; according to the tactical writers a <w lang="el-GR">τέλος</w> consists of 2,048 men (cf. Asclep. 2. 10; Arr. Tact. 10. 5; Ael. 9. 7). The <w lang="el-GR">σπεῖρα</w> of 256 men was the tactical unit in Macedonian armies and had been adopted by Philopoemen (cf. v. 4. 9 n.; Walbank, Philip, 293). In making his phalanx a more flexible unit, and not the usual Hellenistic monolithic block (cf. Kromayer–Veith, Heerwesen, 136), Philopoemen was perhaps learning from the Romans, as Pyrrhus had done when he alternated phalangites and Italians in <w lang="el-GR">σπεῖραι</w> (cf. xviii. 28. 10 n.; Kromayer– Veith, Heerwesen, 136). <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">συνάπτουσαν τοῖς ὄρεσι</w>:</emph> the mountains to the west of the plain, the edge of Maenalus, a range about 900 m. high. The ditch may have connected with the katavothra of Milia, which lies at the foot of these hills about due west of the temple of Poseidon (cf. Fougres, 106; Kromayer, AS, i. 293 n. 3). Shuckburgh's translation here suggests that the mountains are in the direction of the temple. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῇ τῶν Ἐλισφασίων χώρᾳ</w>:</emph> a bronze coin with the legend <w lang="el-GR">[ΕΛΙ</w>§]-<w lang="el-GR">ΣφΑΣΙ</w>§<w lang="el-GR">ΩΝ ΑΧ [ΑΙ</w>§<w lang="el-GR">ΩΝ]</w>(Gardner, BMC Peloponnesus, p. 14) confirms the name. P.'s reference to <w lang="el-GR">τὸ τῶν Μαντινέων πέδιον</w> suggests that the territory of the Elisphasii stretched to the west of the mountains here mentioned. Though Bölte (RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>', col. 1312) conjectures that the Elisphasii were one of the five original demes out of which <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a> was synoecized (Strabo, viii. 337), there is no evidence for this, nor that they formed part of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a> at all. Fougres, 128, suggested that they were perhaps a community in Maenalus (located, he thinks, on the site of Capsia), who were incorporated in <milestone unit="page" n="286">[286]</milestone> <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a> in 371 and then established by Philopoemen as an autonomous member of the Achaean League. For the setting-up of such independent communities see Plut. Philop. 13. 5; though the date referred to is c. 190 (cf. Hiller von Gaertringen, RE, '<a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Arkadia&groupId=355&placeId=679">Arkadia</a>', col. 1135; W. Hoffmann, RE, 'Philopoemen', col. 88; R. Weil, ZN, 1882, 222 ff.; Dittenberger ad Syll. 623), this does not rule out such an explanation of P.'s reference to Elisphasian territory here, for he may be referring to the conditions of his own time. Plutarch (loc. cit.) records a tradition that Philopoemen acted from hostility towards <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, but he may have sought to strengthen Arcadian representation in the Achaean confederation (cf. Freeman, HFG, 489; Niese, iii. 37).

11.11.7 - 11.11.7

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">Ἀρισταίνετος . . . Δυμαῖος</w>:</emph> since the MSS. read <w lang="el-GR">Ἀρισταίνετος</w> where Aristaenus is meant at xviii. 1. 4, 13. 8 and xxiv. 11. 4 (Suidas) (a confusion also to be found in Plut. Philop. 13. 4, 17. 3), Aristaenus is probably indicated here (cf. Niccolini, Studi storichi per l'antichit classica, 6,1913, 194 f.). Plut. Philop. 17. 4 and Paus. viii. 51. 4 attribute Aristaenus to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Megalopolis&groupId=745&placeId=1360">Megalopolis</a>, but Dyme is confirmed by the dedication to Aristaenus quoted in the note to Syll. 702 (cf. Aymard, PR, 68 n. 93). See, however, J. Deininger, Historia, 1966, 376–80. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τὸ ξενικὸν ἅπαν</w>:</emph> cf. § 4. Whether Philopoemen commanded the Illyrians and <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> too is not clear. The apparent repetition arises because having mentioned the commander on the right P. reverts to the left wing to add that the mercenaries there were under Philopoemen's personal command. Paton translates 'the mercenary cavalry'; but <w lang="el-GR">ἅπαν</w> rules this out. <emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">ἐν ἐπαλλήλοις? τάξεσι</w>:</emph> 'in ranks close one behind another'. From 14. 1 it appears that the Illyrians and <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> were stationed behind some other troops <w lang="el-GR">(ἐφεδρεύοντες τοῖς ξένοις)</w>, who may be the Tarentines of 12. 6 or may merely include these. Kromayer (AS, i. 295–6) assumes two lines, with mercenary infantry and the Tarentines in front, and the Illyrians and <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w> behind; this is probably right, but the phrase <w lang="el-GR">ἐν ἐπαλλήλοις τάξεσι</w> is irrelevant to it, since it refers only to the mercenaries and not to the Illyrians and <w lang="el-GR">θωρακῖται</w>.

Addenda & corrigenda

11.11.1 - 11.18.10

The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Mantinea&groupId=731&placeId=1339">Mantinea</a>: see Pritchett, Battlefields, 37–72, for recent autopsy of the site and discussion of the battles of 418, 362, and 207.

11.11.2 - 11.11.2

1. 5 of the note, for 'Gaestrigen' read 'Gaertringen'.

11.11.6 - 11.11.6

p. 287 l. 4, for 'Gaetringen' read 'Gaertringen'.

Polybius, Histories

Bibliography

Archaeology

Places

Walbank Commentary

Commentary