Polybius, Histories

Translation

Book 5 - Chapter 86

<w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fa%2Flaggos">φάλαγγος</w> <w lemma="ta%5C">τὰ</w> <w lemma="o%28%2Fla">ὅλα</w> <w lemma="diakri%2Fnas">διακρίνας</w>, <w lemma="dia%5C">διὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="deciou%3D">δεξιοῦ</w> <w lemma="ke%2Fratos">κέρατος</w> <w lemma="i%28ppe%2Fwn">ἱππέων</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="misqofo%2Frwn">μισθοφόρων</w> <w lemma="pollou%5Cs">πολλοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29poktei%2Fnas">ἀποκτείνας</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="di%2Fwgma">δίωγμα</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="u%28penanti%2Fwn">ὑπεναντίων</w>, <w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29naxwrh%2Fsas">ἀναχωρήσας</w> <w lemma="e%29pi%5C">ἐπὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="u%28parxou%2Fshs">ὑπαρχούσης</w> <w lemma="hu%29li%2Fsqh">ηὐλίσθη</w> <w lemma="parembolh%3Ds">παρεμβολῆς</w>.

<w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29pau%2Frion">ἐπαύριον</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="i%29di%2Fous">ἰδίους</w> <w lemma="nekrou%5Cs">νεκροὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29nelo%2Fmenos">ἀνελόμενος</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qa%2Fyas">θάψας</w>, <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="e%29nanti%2Fwn">ἐναντίων</w> <w lemma="skuleu%2Fsas">σκυλεύσας</w>, <w lemma="a%29ne%2Fzeuce">ἀνέζευξε</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="proh%3Dge">προῆγε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rafi%2Fan">Ῥαφίαν</w>.

<w lemma="o%28">ὁ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anti%2Foxos">Ἀντίοχος</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="fugh%3Ds">φυγῆς</w> <w lemma="e%29bou%2Fleto">ἐβούλετο</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="eu%29qe%2Fws">εὐθέως</w> <w lemma="e%29%2Fcw">ἔξω</w> <w lemma="stratopedeu%2Fein">στρατοπεδεύειν</w>, <w lemma="sunaqroi%2Fsas">συναθροίσας</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="e%29n">ἐν</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="susth%2Fmasi">συστήμασι</w> <w lemma="pefeugo%2Ftas">πεφευγότας</w>, <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fstwn">πλείστων</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="po%2Flin">πόλιν</w> <w lemma="pepoihme%2Fnwn">πεποιημένων</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29poxw%2Frhsin">ἀποχώρησιν</w> <w lemma="h%29nagka%2Fsqh">ἠναγκάσθη</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="au%29to%5Cs">αὐτὸς</w> <w lemma="ei%29selqei%3Dn">εἰσελθεῖν</w>.

<w lemma="ou%28%3Dtos">οὗτος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="u%28po%5C">ὑπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="e%28wqinh%5Cn">ἑωθινὴν</w> <w lemma="e%29cagagw%5Cn">ἐξαγαγὼν</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="sw%7Czo%2Fmenon">σῳζόμενον</w> <w lemma="me%2Fros">μέρος</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w> <w lemma="die%2Fteine">διέτεινε</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2Aga%2Fzan">Γάζαν</w>, <w lemma="ka%29kei%3D">κἀκεῖ</w> <w lemma="katastratopedeu%2Fsas">καταστρατοπεδεύσας</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="diapemya%2Fmenos">διαπεμψάμενος</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nekrw%3Dn">νεκρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29naire%2Fsews">ἀναιρέσεως</w>, <w lemma="e%29kh%2Fdeuse">ἐκήδευσε</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="teqnew%3Dtas">τεθνεῶτας</w> <w lemma="u%28pospo%2Fndous">ὑποσπόνδους</w>.

<w lemma="h%29%3Dsan">ἦσαν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="teteleuthko%2Ftes">τετελευτηκότες</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="par%27">παρ᾽</w> <w lemma="%2A%29antio%2Fxou">Ἀντιόχου</w> <w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29">οὐ</w> <w lemma="polu%5C">πολὺ</w> <w lemma="lei%2Fpontes">λείποντες</w> <w lemma="muri%2Fwn">μυρίων</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w> <w lemma="triakosi%2Fwn:">τριακοσίων·</w> <w lemma="zwgri%2Fa%7C">ζωγρίᾳ</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%28a%2Flwsan">ἑάλωσαν</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="tetrakisxili%2Fous">τετρακισχιλίους</w>.

<w lemma="e%29le%2Ffantes">ἐλέφαντες</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="trei%3Ds">τρεῖς</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="paraxrh%3Dma">παραχρῆμα</w>, <w lemma="du%2Fo">δύο</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="trauma%2Ftwn">τραυμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fqanon">ἀπέθανον</w>. <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="para%5C">παρὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%2Fou">Πτολεμαίου</w> <w lemma="pezoi%5C">πεζοὶ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="xili%2Fous">χιλίους</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pentakosi%2Fous">πεντακοσίους</w> <w lemma="e%29teleu%2Fthsan">ἐτελεύτησαν</w>, <w lemma="i%28ppei%3Ds">ἱππεῖς</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="e%28ptakosi%2Fous:">ἑπτακοσίους·</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29lefa%2Fntwn">ἐλεφάντων</w> <w lemma="e%28kkai%2Fdeka">ἑκκαίδεκα</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fqanon">ἀπέθανον</w>, <w lemma="h%28%7Cre%2Fqhsan">ᾑρέθησαν</w> <w lemma="d%27">δ᾽</w> <w lemma="au%29tw%3Dn">αὐτῶν</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="plei%2Fous">πλείους</w>.

<w lemma=""></w> <w lemma="%2A%28h">Ἡ</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rafi%2Fan">Ῥαφίαν</w> <w lemma="ma%2Fxh">μάχη</w> <w lemma="genome%2Fnh">γενομένη</w> <w lemma="toi%3Ds">τοῖς</w> <w lemma="basileu%3Dsi">βασιλεῦσι</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="%2Akoi%2Flhs">Κοίλης</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fas">Συρίας</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dton">τοῦτον</w> <w lemma="a%29petele%2Fsqh">ἀπετελέσθη</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpon:">τρόπον·</w>

<w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="nekrw%3Dn">νεκρῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nai%2Fresin">ἀναίρεσιν</w> <w lemma="%2A%29anti%2Foxos">Ἀντίοχος</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="e%29poiei%3Dto">ἐποιεῖτο</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29poxw%2Frhsin">ἀποχώρησιν</w> <w lemma="ei%29s">εἰς</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="oi%29kei%2Fan">οἰκείαν</w> <w lemma="meta%5C">μετὰ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="duna%2Fmews">δυνάμεως</w>, <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Dos">Πτολεμαῖος</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="th%2Fn">τήν</w> <w lemma="te">τε</w> <w lemma="%2A%28rafi%2Fan">Ῥαφίαν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="a%29%2Fllas">ἄλλας</w> <w lemma="po%2Fleis">πόλεις</w> <w lemma="e%29c">ἐξ</w> <w lemma="e%29fo%2Fdou">ἐφόδου</w> <w lemma="parela%2Fmbane">παρελάμβανε</w>, <w lemma="pa%2Fntwn">πάντων</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="politeuma%2Ftwn">πολιτευμάτων</w> <w lemma="a%28millwme%2Fnwn">ἁμιλλωμένων</w> <w lemma="u%28pe%5Cr">ὑπὲρ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="fqa%2Fsai">φθάσαι</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="pe%2Flas">πέλας</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29pokata%2Fstasin">ἀποκατάστασιν</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="meta%2Fqesin">μετάθεσιν</w> <w lemma="th%5Cn">τὴν</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="au%29to%2Fn">αὐτόν</w>.

<w lemma="i%29%2Fsws">ἴσως</w> <w lemma="me%5Cn">μὲν</w> <w lemma="ou%29%3Dn">οὖν</w> <w lemma="ei%29w%2Fqasi">εἰώθασι</w> <w lemma="pa%2Fntes">πάντες</w> <w lemma="peri%5C">περὶ</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftous">τοιούτους</w> <w lemma="kairou%5Cs">καιροὺς</w> <w lemma="a%28rmo%2Fzesqai%2F">ἁρμόζεσθαί</w> <w lemma="pws">πως</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%5C">ἀεὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="paro%2Fn:">παρόν·</w> <w lemma="ma%2Flista">μάλιστα</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="to%5C">τὸ</w> <w lemma="kat%27">κατ᾽</w> <w lemma="e%29kei%2Fnous">ἐκείνους</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="to%2Fpous">τόπους</w> <w lemma="ge%2Fnos">γένος</w> <w lemma="tw%3Dn">τῶν</w> <w lemma="a%29nqrw%2Fpwn">ἀνθρώπων</w> <w lemma="eu%29fue%5Cs">εὐφυὲς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="pro%2Fxeiron">πρόχειρον</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="ta%5Cs">τὰς</w> <w lemma="e%29k">ἐκ</w> <w lemma="tou%3D">τοῦ</w> <w lemma="kairou%3D">καιροῦ</w> <w lemma="xa%2Fritas">χάριτας</w>.

<w lemma="to%2Fte">τότε</w> <w lemma="de%5C">δὲ</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="eu%29noi%2Fas">εὐνοίας</w> <w lemma="prokaqhgoume%2Fnhs">προκαθηγουμένης</w> <w lemma="pro%5Cs">πρὸς</w> <w lemma="tou%5Cs">τοὺς</w> <w lemma="a%29po%5C">ἀπὸ</w> <w lemma="th%3Ds">τῆς</w> <w lemma="%2A%29alecandrei%2Fas">Ἀλεξανδρείας</w> <w lemma="basilei%3Ds">βασιλεῖς</w> <w lemma="ei%29ko%2Ftws">εἰκότως</w> <w lemma="tou%3Dto">τοῦτο</w> <w lemma="sune%2Fbaine">συνέβαινε</w> <w lemma="gi%2Fnesqai:">γίνεσθαι·</w> <w lemma="th%3D%7C">τῇ</w> <w lemma="ga%5Cr">γὰρ</w> <w lemma="oi%29ki%2Fa%7C">οἰκίᾳ</w> <w lemma="tau%2Fth%7C">ταύτῃ</w> <w lemma="ma%3Dllon">μᾶλλον</w> <w lemma="a%29ei%2F">ἀεί</w> <w lemma="pws">πως</w> <w lemma="oi%28">οἱ</w> <w lemma="kata%5C">κατὰ</w> <w lemma="%2Akoi%2Flhn">Κοίλην</w> <w lemma="%2Asuri%2Fan">Συρίαν</w> <w lemma="o%29%2Fxloi">ὄχλοι</w> <w lemma="proskli%2Fnousi">προσκλίνουσι</w>.

<w lemma="dio%2Fper">διόπερ</w> <w lemma="ou%29k">οὐκ</w> <w lemma="a%29pe%2Fleipon">ἀπέλειπον</w> <w lemma="u%28perbolh%5Cn">ὑπερβολὴν</w> <w lemma="a%29reskei%2Fas">ἀρεσκείας</w>, <w lemma="stefa%2Fnois">στεφάνοις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="qusi%2Fais">θυσίαις</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="bwmoi%3Ds">βωμοῖς</w> <w lemma="kai%5C">καὶ</w> <w lemma="panti%5C">παντὶ</w> <w lemma="tw%3D%7C">τῷ</w> <w lemma="toiou%2Ftw%7C">τοιούτῳ</w> <w lemma="tro%2Fpw%7C">τρόπῳ</w> <w lemma="timw%3Dntes">τιμῶντες</w> <w lemma="to%5Cn">τὸν</w> <w lemma="%2Aptolemai%3Don">Πτολεμαῖον</w>.

Ptolemy having thus obtained a decisive victory by his phalanx, and having killed many of the enemy in the pursuit by the hands of the cavalry and mercenaries of his right wing, retired and spent the night in his former camp.

Next day, after picking up and burying his own dead and despoiling those of the enemy, he broke up his camp and advanced on <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>.

Antiochus after his flight had wished to take up at once a position outside the town collecting the scattered groups of fugitives; but as most of them had taken refuge in the city, he was compelled to enter it himself also.

At daybreak he left for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Gaza&groupId=599&placeId=390">Gaza</a> at the head of the surviving portion of his army, and encamping there sent a message asking for leave to collect his dead whom he buried under cover of this truce.

His losses in killed alone had amounted to nearly ten thousand footmen and more than three hundred horsemen, while more than four thousand had been taken prisoners.

Three of his elephants perished in the battle and two died of their wounds. Ptolemy had lost about fifteen hundred foot and seven hundred horse, killed; sixteen of his elephants were killed and most of them captured.

Such was the result of the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> fought by the kings for the possession of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a>.

After paying the last honours to the dead Antiochus returned to his own kingdom with his army, and Ptolemy took without resistance <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> and the other towns, each community endeavouring to anticipate its neighbours in going over to him and resuming its allegiance.

Possibly all men at such times are more or less disposed to adapt themselves to the needs of the hour, and the natives of these parts are naturally more prone than others to bestow their affections at the bidding of circumstances.

But at this juncture it was only to be expected that they should act so, as their affection for the Egyptian kings was of no recent growth; for the peoples of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> have always been more attached to that house than to the Seleucidae.

So now there was no extravagance of adulation to which they did not proceed, honouring Ptolemy with crowns, sacrifices, altars dedicated to him and every distinction of the kind.

Walbank Commentary

Overview

5.57.0 - 5.87.0

The Fourth Syrian War (219–217):Contemporary Events in Asia Minor

5.78.0 - 5.87.0

Antiochus' campaign of 217: the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>.

5.83.0 - 5.86.6

The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>. A trilingual stele, found at Tell elMashkoutah (Pithom) in 1924, records a decree of the synod of priests gathered at <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Memphis&groupId=752&placeId=1371">Memphis</a> and is dated 15 November 217. This decree, in honour of Philopator, gives valuable additional information on the <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> campaign, and defines its chronology. Philopator set out for <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> on 13 June, fought <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> on 22 June (cf. 80. 3, <w lang="el-GR">πεμπταῖος</w>; 82. 1, <w lang="el-GR">πένθ</w>f <w lang="el-GR">ἡμέρας)</w>, and subsequently visited various temples in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> and occupied a fortified place beyond its boundaries, in Seleucid territory proper. From here he was drawn out by some movement of the enemy, which he put down in twentyone days after plundering various cities. Finally, after making an <milestone unit="page" n="611">[611]</milestone> 'agreement' with Antiochus, two years and two months after the desertion of the generals (cf. 61. 3, 62. 2), he returned to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> on 12 October, four months after he set out. P.'s omission of any reference to these events (occupation of a fort in Seleucid territory, suppression of adversaries) has evoked much discussion. Momigliano has argued that the 'agreement' of the stele is to be identified with the <w lang="el-GR">σπονδαὶ ἐνιαύσιοι</w> of 87. 4, that it was granted only after long negotiations, and that the penetration of Seleucid territory preceded its conclusion. The movement of the enemy he takes to be a revolt in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a>, which compelled Ptolemy's withdrawal from his strong place in Seleucid territory, and P.'s omission of all this he attributes to his use of Zeno of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Rhodes&groupId=931&placeId=1665">Rhodes</a> (cf. xvi. 14 ff.), his source also for the Fifth Syrian War, and a pro-Egyptian writer who, after Antiochus' recovery of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> after <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Panium&groupId=836&placeId=1512">Panium</a>, deliberately suppressed any reference to a revolt against <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> in this area, lest it should weaken the Egyptian claim in the case of an eventual revanche. This ingenious theory seems to me to fail on its identity of the <w lang="el-GR">σπονδαί</w> with the 'agreement' of the stele. From P. it is clear that two instruments must be distinguished, (a) the year's truce granted by Ptolemy (87. 4), and (b) the final peace treaty, mentioned in xv. 25. 13, which had as its concomitant the establishment of <w lang="el-GR">φιλία</w> between the two kings. P. mentions the following events in order: (i) The sending of Antipater and Theodotus <w lang="el-GR">εὐθέως</w> from Antioch <w lang="el-GR">ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης καὶ διαλύσεως</w>, i.e. to negotiate peace (87. 1). (ii) After a little expostulation Ptolemy grants <w lang="el-GR">σπονδὰς ἐνιαυσίους</w> (87. 4). (iii) Ptolemy sends Sosibius back to Antioch with the Syrian ambassadors <w lang="el-GR">ἐπικυρώσοντα τὰς διαλύσεις</w>, i.e. to ratify the peaceterms (87. 5); for <w lang="el-GR">αἱ διαλύσεις</w> = condiciones pacis see Schweighaeuser, Lex. Polyb., s.v. <w lang="el-GR">διάλυσις</w>. (iv) Antiochus, <w lang="el-GR">τὰ περὶ τὰς σπονδὰς ἀσφαλισάμενος πρὸς τὸν Σωσίβιον</w>, turns his attention to the war with Achaeus (87. 8). Since the truce had already been granted, this must refer to the peace, and will mean 'having given assurances to Sosibius on the points laid down in the truce'. In granting the truce Ptolemy will have made certain points essential to the conclusion of peace. These Antiochus now concedes; but there may well have been delays at this stage which P., compressing his source, omits. He also omits the formal swearing of the treaty, perhaps as being unimportant. Since the stele mentions the 'agreement' as the conclusion of the war, insists on its date (two years and two months after the desertion of the generals), and places it after the later operations and immediately before Ptolemy's return to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>, it seems clear that it cannot be identified with a truce granted by Ptolemy almost at <milestone unit="page" n="612">[612]</milestone> once <w lang="el-GR">(εὐθέως)</w> after <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>; and Momigliano suggests no reason why P.'s source should have represented such a truce as being made <w lang="el-GR">εὐθέως</w>, if in fact it was delayed for several months. The stele mentions one agreement only, the final peaceand naturally, since the truce and negotiations can have had no interest for the synod. We must therefore accept Otto's argument that Philopator advanced into Syrian territory despite the <w lang="el-GR">σπονςαί</w>. Why he did so is not known; there may have been some demonstration in the frontier area, and Ptolemy may have seized the opportunity to exercise pressure on the peace negotiations at Antioch. The stele may have exaggerated what was perhaps a minor incident. There is no reason to assume (with Momigliano) that its vague phrases conceal a revolt in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a> proper (which would be hard to reconcile with 86. 7–8). P. omitted these operations, perhaps because they were not in his source (which Otto seems right in regarding as pro-Syrian: cf. 81. 1, 81. 7, 86. 9–10, 87. 3, 87. 7, and the frequent criticism of Ptolemy), or perhaps because they were insignificant, and he was compressing his source. In concluding peace, Antiochus may have disowned the rising; and indeed, once <w lang="el-GR">φιλία</w> was established, it was in the interest of both sides to say nothing of such an incident, for it may well, as Otto argues, have led Ptolemy to make a somewhat pusillanimous peace, yet it was militarily in no way to Antiochus' credit. For bibliography on the stele of Pithom see: H. Gauthier, CRAI, 1923, 376 ff.; H. Gauthier and H. Sottas, Un dcret trilingue en l'honneur de Ptolme IV (Cairo, 1925); Spiegelberg, S.-B. Mnchen, 1925, Abh. 2. 30; H. Sottas, Rev. gypt. anc., 1927, 230–42; Spiegelberg–Otto, S.-B. Mnchen, 1926, Abh. 2. 40; Otto, Abh. Bay. Akad., 1928, 1. 80–87; Spiegelberg, S.-B. Mnchen, 1928, Abh. 2. 6–12; Momigliano, Aegyptus, 1929, 180–9; Roussel, REA, 1941, 153–7. See in general P. Chantraine, Rev. phil. 1951, 293 (with sketch-map of the battle), and on the topography F. M. Abel, Rev. bibl. 1939, 226–30. See also W. Peremans, Aegyptus, 1951, 214–22. Peremans defends P.'s account of an Egyptian phalanx of 45,000 (see 65. 1–10 n.) against Mahaffy. His argument that Ptolemy's phalanx of 45,000 was faced by Antiochus' phalanx of 20,000 + 10,000 <w lang="el-GR">ἐπίλεκτοι</w> (op. cit. 220)see v. 82. 2is, however, false. For it is clear from v. 82. 10 that the 10,000 were placed between the Greek mercenaries and Byttacus' 5,000. In a letter E. Galili, whose detailed study of the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> will shortly be published in Hebrew, makes a persuasive case for accepting P.'s figures (cf. v. 65. 1–10), so that the Ptolemaic phalanx consisted of 25,000 + 20,000 Egyptians (together with 3,000 Libyans, armed in the Macedonian fashion, 65. 8), and the Seleucid phalanx 20,000+10,000 (82. 2). The same view was taken by W. Peremans; see Vol. II, p. 645, addendum to this passage, where I was wrong to reject it. In 82. 10 <w lang="el-GR">μετὰ δὲ τούτων</w> will mean 'together with these'; it does not exclude placing the 10,000 <w lang="el-GR">ἐπίλεκτοι</w> next to the phalanx, and Byttacus' light-armed between the phalanx and the mercenaries. For an Egyptian phalanx of 45,000 see also Will, ii. 29; Marsden, Entretiens sur Polybe, 290 n. 1; P. Chantraine, Rev. phil. 1951, 292–4; Huss, Untersuchungen, 58 ff.; Bar-Kochva, Seleucid Army, 253 n. 11.

5.86.5 - 5.86.6

Casualties. The only difficulty concerns the elephants. As Sir William Gowers has pointed out to me in a letter, it seems absurd to suppose that the greater number of Ptolemy's beasts were captured by the routed Syrian army, especially as the thirty-three on his right appear never to have come into action (85. 1), and the tendency of the African elephants to flee must have taken them in the direction of home; the difficulty was already perceived by Mahaffy (Hermath. 10, 1899, 145). But any emendation of <w lang="el-GR">ᾑρέθησαν</w> is arbitrary and unsatisfactory; nor is a transposition of the clauses <w lang="el-GR">ἐλέφαντες ςὲ τρεῖς . . . ἀπέθανον</w> and <w lang="el-GR">τῶν ς᾽ ἐλεφάντων . . . οἱ πλείους</w> (so Scullard and Gowers, NC, 1950, 277 n. 2) easily explicable. Certainly the statement on the Pithom stele that 'the King (i.e. Ptolemy) took as a prey much people and all the elephants' (a completely plausible claim) indicates an error in P.; but the most probable explanation is that he has misunderstood his source, and attributed these losses to the wrong sideas could easily happen if his source used <w lang="el-GR">οἱ μὲν . . . οἱ δὲ</w> . . .. In that case it is P. and not his text which requires correction. E. Galili has suggested to me that the statement on the Pithom stele that Ptolemy took all the elephants can be dismissed as standard priestly and literary convention (cf. H. J. Thissen, Studien zum Raphiadekret (Meisenheim, 1966), 56; H. Sottas, Rev. de l' gypte ancienne, 1, 1927, 232 and 233 n. 1; Spiegelberg, S.-B. Mnchen, 1925, 4, 19); the presence on Antiochus' side of light missile units and cavalry supporting his elephants, and capable of capturing Ptolemy's, must (he thinks) rule out the possibility that the stele is right. Accordingly he accepts P.'s text without change. I am not convinced that Antiochus' beaten army was in a position to score such a success.

5.86.7 - 5.86.8

Ptolemy in <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Coele-Syria&groupId=484&placeId=908">Coele-Syria</a>: truce between the kings. P.'s account can be supplemented from 3 Macc. i. 1 f. (unreliable in detail, but perhaps to be followed in the statement that Ptolemy visited <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Jerusalem&groupId=51&placeId=242">Jerusalem</a>) and the Pithom stele (83–86. 6 n.).

Specifics

5.86.3 - 5.86.3

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τοὺς ἐν τοῖς συστήμασι πεφευγότας</w>:</emph> 'those who had fled in groups'.

5.86.10 - 5.86.10

<emph rend="bold"><w lang="el-GR">τῆς εὐνοίας προκαθηγουμένης πρὸς τοὺς . . . βασιλεῖς</w>:</emph> 'since they were already inspired with good-will towards the kings . . .'. There seems no reason to question P.'s statement, which does not, however, imply a pro-Egyptian source (so Momigliano, Aegyptus, 1929, 185–6); nor does it exclude pro-Syrian feeling in many parts, as for example among the Jews. The reference to <w lang="el-GR">ὄχλοι</w> suggests a distinction between the masses and the aristocracy, and Tarn (HC, 212 f.) argues that the latter were pro-Syrian, quoting, as one example of upper-class opposition to the Ptolemies about 200, Ecclesiastes, the expression of a hellenizing group around the High Priest who had turned away from <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a>. Rostovtzeff, however (SEHHW, i. 350, iii. 1403 n. 147), supposes that the rural population was opposed to <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Egypt&groupId=556&placeId=368">Egypt</a> and the privileged city-dwellers (who would be P.'s <w lang="el-GR">ὄχλοι)</w> <milestone unit="page" n="615">[615]</milestone> pro-Ptolemaic; the author of Ecclesiastes he regards as echoing the feelings of the people (i.e. the rural inhabitants) 'though himself an aristocrat' (or alternatively reflecting a 'temporary rift' between Philopator and one group of the Jewish hellenized aristocracy). Probably the alinement was less clear-cut than either Tarn or Rostovtzeff makes it. But the 'crowns, sacrifices, and altars' mentioned here certainly suggest the acts of city authorities.

Addenda & corrigenda

5.83.0 - 5.86.6

<emph rend="bold">83–86. 6.</emph> The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>. See in general P. Chantraine, Rev. phil. 1951, 293 (with sketch-map of the battle), and on the topography F. M. Abel, Rev. bibl. 1939, 226–30. See also W. Peremans, Aegyptus, 1951, 214–22. Peremans defends P.'s account of an Egyptian phalanx of 45,000 (see 65. 1–10 n.) against Mahaffy. His argument that Ptolemy's phalanx of 45,000 was faced by Antiochus' phalanx of 20,000 + 10,000 <w lang="el-GR">ἐπίλεκτοι</w> (op. cit. 220)see v. 82. 2is, however, false. For it is clear from v. 82. 10 that the 10,000 were placed between the Greek mercenaries and Byttacus' 5,000.

5.83.0 - 5.86.6

<emph rend="bold">83–86. 6.</emph> The battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a>: in a letter E. Galili, whose detailed study of the battle of <a class="linkToPlace" target="_blank" href="/place?placename=Raphia&groupId=925&placeId=1656">Raphia</a> will shortly be published in Hebrew, makes a persuasive case for accepting P.'s figures (cf. v. 65. 1–10), so that the Ptolemaic phalanx consisted of 25,000 + 20,000 Egyptians (together with 3,000 Libyans, armed in the Macedonian fashion, 65. 8), and the Seleucid phalanx 20,000+10,000 (82. 2). The same view was taken by W. Peremans; see Vol. II, p. 645, addendum to this passage, where I was wrong to reject it. In 82. 10 <w lang="el-GR">μετὰ δὲ τούτων</w> will mean 'together with these'; it does not exclude placing the 10,000 <w lang="el-GR">ἐπίλεκτοι</w> next to the phalanx, and Byttacus' light-armed between the phalanx and the mercenaries. For an Egyptian phalanx of 45,000 see also Will, ii. 29; Marsden, Entretiens sur Polybe, 290 n. 1; P. Chantraine, Rev. phil. 1951, 292–4; Huss, Untersuchungen, 58 ff.; Bar-Kochva, Seleucid Army, 253 n. 11.

5.86.5 - 5.86.6

E. Galili has suggested to me that the statement on the Pithom stele that Ptolemy took all the elephants can be dismissed as standard priestly and literary convention (cf. H. J. Thissen, Studien zum Raphiadekret (Meisenheim, 1966), 56; H. Sottas, Rev. de l' gypte ancienne, 1, 1927, 232 and 233 n. 1; Spiegelberg, S.-B. <milestone unit="page" n="773">[773]</milestone> Mnchen, 1925, 4, 19); the presence on Antiochus' side of light missile units and cavalry supporting his elephants, and capable of capturing Ptolemy's, must (he thinks) rule out the possibility that the stele is right. Accordingly he accepts P.'s text without change. I am not convinced that Antiochus' beaten army was in a position to score such a success.

Polybius, Histories

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