692:
ranks. At the same time, Antiochus had led his cavalry to the right, rode past the left wing of the
Ptolemaic elephants charging the enemy horse. The Ptolemaic and Seleucid phalanxes then engaged. However, while Antiochus had the Argyraspides, Ptolemy's Macedonians were bolstered by the Egyptian phalanx. At the same time, the right wing of Ptolemy was retreating and wheeling to protect itself from the panicked elephants. Ptolemy rode to the center encouraging his phalanx to attack,
32:
148:
679:). Much smaller than their Indian or Bush cousins, members of this subspecies were typically around 8-foot (2.4 m) high at the shoulder. Regardless of origin, according to Polybius, Ptolemy's African elephants could not bear the smell, sound, and sight of their Indian counterparts. The Indian's greater size and strength easily routed the Africans.
699:
Antiochus routed the
Ptolemaic horse posed against him and pursued the fleeing enemy en masse, believing to have won the day, but the Ptolemaic phalanxes eventually drove the Seleucid phalanxes back and soon Antiochus realized that his judgment was wrong. Antiochus tried to ride back, but by the time
687:
After five days of skirmishing, the two kings decided to array their troops for battle. Both placed their
Phalangites in the center. Next to them they fielded the lightly armed and the mercenaries in front of which they placed their elephants and even further in the wings their cavalry. They spoke to
750:
The battle of Raphia marked a turning-point in
Ptolemaic history. The native Egyptian element in 2nd-century Ptolemaic administration and culture grew in influence, driven in part by Egyptians having played a major role in the battle and in part by the financial pressures on the state aggravated by
734:
Ptolemy owed his victory in part to having a properly equipped and trained native
Egyptian phalanx, which for the first time formed a large proportion of his phalangitis, thus ending his manpower problems. The self-confidence the Egyptians gained was credited by Polybius as one of the causes of the
595:
under
Socrates the Boeotian, 25,000 Macedonian Phalangites under Andromachus the Aspendian and Ptolemy, the son of Thraseas, and 8,000 Greek mercenaries under Phoxidas the Achaean, and 2,000 Cretan under Cnopias of Allaria and 1,000 Neocretan archers under Philon the Cnossian. He had another 3,000
691:
In the beginning of the battle, the elephant contingents on the wings of both armies moved to charge. Ptolemy's diminutive
African elephants retreated in panic before the impact with the larger Indians and ran through the lines of friendly infantry arrayed behind them, causing disorder in their
703:
After the battle, Antiochus wanted to regroup and make camp outside the city of Raphia but most of his men had already found refuge inside and he was thus forced to enter it himself. Then he marched to Gaza and asked
Ptolemy for the customary truce to bury the dead, which he was granted.
711:, the Seleucids suffered a little under 10,000 infantry dead, about 300 horse, and 5 elephants, and 4,000 men were taken prisoner. The Ptolemaic losses were 1,500 infantry, 700 horse, and 16 elephants. Most of the Ptolemies' elephants were captured by the Seleucids.
667:) – a typical African bush elephant would tower over an Asian one, meaning that the smaller forest elephant would be a better fit with Polybius' descriptions. However recent DNA research has revealed that most likely, Ptolemy's elephants were in fact
458:. Antiochus initially set up his camp at a distance of 10 (about 2 km) and then only 5 stades (about 1 km) from his adversary's. The battle began with a series of small skirmishes around the perimeter of each army. One night,
600:
trained in the
Macedonian way. These Egyptians were trained to fight alongside the Macedonians. Apart from these he also employed 4,000 Thracians and Gauls from Egypt and another 2,000 from Europe under Dionysius the Thracian.
696:
tells us "with alacrity and spirit". The
Ptolemaic and Seleucid phalanxes engaged in a stiff and chaotic fight. On the Ptolemaic far right, Ptolemy's cavalry was routing their opponents.
462:, formerly an officer of Ptolemy, snuck inside the Ptolemaic camp and reached what he presumed to be the King's tent to assassinate him; but he was absent and the plot failed.
774::11, where it says, "Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated."
671:, albeit culled from a population of more diminutive African bush elephants still found in Eritrea today. Another possibility is that Ptolemy utilized the now extinct
883:
Brandt, Adam L.; Hagos, Yohannes; Yacob, Yohannes; David, Victor A.; Georgiadis, Nicholas J.; Shoshani, Jeheskel; Roca, Alfred L. (27 November 2013).
616:. Those from Greece and the mercenaries were led by Echecrates the Thessalian. Ptolemy's force was accompanied by 73 elephants of the African stock.
333:
767:: in it, for the first time, Ptolemy is given full pharaonic honours in the Greek as well as the Egyptian texts; subsequently this became the norm.
1130:
1135:
940:
954:
583:
Ptolemy had just ended a major recruitment and retraining plan with the help of many mercenary generals. His forces consisted of 3,000
651:, as being larger and stronger than Ptolemy's African elephants, it had once been theorized that Ptolemy's elephants were in fact the
1081:
549:
mercenaries under Hippolochus the Thessalian, 1,500 Cretans under Eurylochus, 1,000 Neocretans under Zelys the Gortynian, and 500
688:
their soldiers, took their places in the lines – Ptolemy in his left and Antiochus in his right wing – and the battle commenced.
96:
326:
68:
419:. It was one of the largest battles of the Hellenistic kingdoms and of the ancient world, and determined the sovereignty of
454:
In 217 BC, both armies were on campaign through Syria. The Seleucid and Ptolemaic armies met near the small Syrian town of
75:
115:
49:
817:
319:
20:
82:
1145:
1017:
53:
64:
1125:
1150:
360:
932:
958:
719:
Ptolemy's victory secured the province of Coele-Syria for Egypt, but it was only a respite; at the
672:
652:
448:
408:
375:
222:
42:
567:
Four thousand horse under Antipater, the nephew of the King and 2,000 under Themison formed the
459:
89:
700:
he rode back, his troops were routed and could no longer be regrouped. The battle had ended.
660:
217:
1140:
791:
498:
8:
989:
861:
724:
613:
514:
510:
400:
443:. The Fourth Syrian War began in 219 BC, during which time Ptolemaic Egypt was ruled by
865:
764:
914:
906:
432:
139:
1009:
896:
857:
720:
370:
1072:
885:"The Elephants of Gash-Barka, Eritrea: Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genetic Patterns"
1120:
1055:
1047:
596:
Libyans under Ammonius the Barcian and 20,000 Egyptians under his chief minister
436:
412:
404:
205:
200:
756:
640:
518:
439:, repeatedly fought for control of Syria in a series of conflicts known as the
1114:
1096:
1083:
1030:
993:
955:"War Elephant Myths Debunked by DNA | the Institute for Genomic Biology"
910:
572:
355:
901:
884:
918:
770:
Some biblical commentators see this battle as being the one referred to in
760:
759:
in November 217, to give thanks for the victory was inscribed in Greek and
624:
489:
639:
were used against each other. Due to Polybius' descriptions of Antiochus'
740:
736:
506:
440:
420:
416:
343:
584:
538:
484:
480:
444:
869:
501:, the man who had betrayed Ptolemy and handed much of Coele Syria and
771:
744:
636:
526:
522:
502:
175:
31:
708:
693:
620:
597:
592:
557:
542:
747:, who created a separate kingdom that lasted nearly twenty years.
848:
Gowers, William (1948). "African Elephants and Ancient Authors".
627:
and Antiochus 62,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 102 elephants.
568:
553:
534:
612:) and Libyan horse, another 2,300 men, had as appointed general
147:
19:
This article is about the 217 BC battle. For other battles, see
1052:
The Handwriting on the Wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel
546:
723:
in 200 BC Antiochus defeated the army of Ptolemy's young son,
311:
752:
728:
648:
588:
550:
530:
455:
396:
171:
431:
The two largest Hellenistic kingdoms in the 3rd century BC,
476:
635:
This is the only known battle in which African and Asian
988:
The Ptolemaic currency had already been debased under
483:, and Cilicians under Byttacus the Macedonian, 10,000
882:
623:, Ptolemy had 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry, and 73
475:
Antiochus' army was composed of 5,000 lightly armed
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1112:
529:under Menedemus (Μενέδημος) of Alabanda, 5,000
327:
755:that recorded the convocation of priests at
395:, was fought on 22 June 217 BC near modern
334:
320:
900:
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
1131:Battles involving the Ptolemaic Kingdom
815:
447:, and the Seleucid Empire was ruled by
1113:
1046:
847:
541:under the Aspasianus the Mede, 10,000
1136:Battles involving the Seleucid Empire
943:from the original on 12 January 2014.
505:over to Antiochus, 20,000 Macedonian
315:
933:"War elephant myths debunked by DNA"
862:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a093647
818:"The Histories of Polybius – Book 5"
587:under Eurylochus the Magnesian (the
54:adding citations to reliable sources
25:
575:marched under Philip and Myischos.
13:
1075:– English translation by E.R.Bevan
608:) numbered 700 men and the local (
16:Battle of the Syrian Wars (217 BC)
14:
1162:
1066:
578:
751:the cost of the war itself. The
630:
525:archers and slingers with 2,000
470:
146:
30:
21:Battle of Rafah (disambiguation)
1040:
1023:
1003:
792:"Battle of Raphia, 22 June 217"
727:and recaptured Coele Syria and
341:
41:needs additional citations for
1018:Decree of Memphis (Ptolemy IV)
982:
973:
947:
925:
876:
841:
832:
809:
784:
677:Loxodonta africana pharaoensis
1:
564:) under Lysimachus the Gaul.
838:Polybius V. 65 and V. 79–87.
714:
281:Almost 26 elephants captured
7:
659:), a close relative to the
10:
1167:
1016:. See also the trilingual
426:
186:Ptolemaic Egyptian victory
18:
682:
465:
351:
259:
228:
211:
194:
154:
145:
137:
132:
777:
735:secession in 207–186 of
545:under Zabdibelus, 5,000
820:. University of Chicago
673:North African elephants
653:African forest elephant
604:His Household Cavalry (
449:Antiochus III the Great
409:Antiochus III the Great
303:4,000 infantry captured
499:Theodotus the Aetolian
460:Theodotus the Aetolian
403:, king and pharaoh of
399:between the forces of
294:10,000 infantry killed
212:Commanders and leaders
1146:Ptolemy IV Philopator
1097:31.28861°N 34.25194°E
1035:The Hellenistic World
998:The Hellenistic World
902:10.1093/jhered/est078
661:African bush elephant
401:Ptolemy IV Philopator
272:1,500 infantry killed
260:Casualties and losses
796:www.historyofwar.org
391:, also known as the
50:improve this article
1093: /
889:Journal of Heredity
816:Bill Thayer (ed.).
725:Ptolemy V Epiphanes
614:Polycrates of Argos
515:Theodotus Hemiolius
278:16 elephants killed
1102:31.28861; 34.25194
961:on 14 January 2014
669:Loxodonta africana
665:Loxodonta africana
657:Loxodonta cyclotis
300:5 elephants killed
297:300 cavalry killed
275:700 cavalry killed
65:"Battle of Raphia"
1126:210s BC conflicts
1033:. F. W. Walbank,
384:
383:
310:
309:
190:
189:
140:Fourth Syrian War
126:
125:
118:
100:
1158:
1151:History of Rafah
1108:
1107:
1105:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1094:
1091:
1090:
1089:
1086:
1060:
1059:
1048:Jordan, James B.
1044:
1038:
1027:
1021:
1007:
1001:
986:
980:
977:
971:
970:
968:
966:
957:. Archived from
951:
945:
944:
929:
923:
922:
904:
880:
874:
873:
856:(188): 173–180.
845:
839:
836:
830:
829:
827:
825:
813:
807:
806:
804:
802:
788:
765:demotic Egyptian
721:Battle of Panium
647:), brought from
389:Battle of Raphia
346:
336:
329:
322:
313:
312:
251:62,000 infantry,
239:70,000 infantry,
156:
155:
150:
133:Battle of Raphia
130:
129:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
1166:
1165:
1161:
1160:
1159:
1157:
1156:
1155:
1111:
1110:
1101:
1099:
1095:
1092:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1069:
1064:
1063:
1056:American Vision
1045:
1041:
1028:
1024:
1008:
1004:
987:
983:
978:
974:
964:
962:
953:
952:
948:
931:
930:
926:
881:
877:
850:African Affairs
846:
842:
837:
833:
823:
821:
814:
810:
800:
798:
790:
789:
785:
780:
739:under pharaohs
717:
685:
645:Elephas maximus
641:Asian elephants
633:
581:
571:and 102 Indian
473:
468:
437:Seleucid Empire
433:Ptolemaic Egypt
429:
413:Seleucid Empire
405:Ptolemaic Egypt
385:
380:
347:
342:
340:
306:
284:
254:
252:
250:
242:
240:
238:
206:Seleucid Empire
201:Ptolemaic Egypt
178:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1164:
1154:
1153:
1148:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1077:
1076:
1068:
1067:External links
1065:
1062:
1061:
1058:. p. 553.
1039:
1022:
1002:
981:
979:Polybius, 5.86
972:
946:
924:
875:
840:
831:
808:
782:
781:
779:
776:
716:
713:
684:
681:
632:
629:
580:
579:Ptolemaic Army
577:
495:Silver Shields
472:
469:
467:
464:
428:
425:
393:Battle of Gaza
382:
381:
379:
378:
373:
368:
363:
358:
352:
349:
348:
339:
338:
331:
324:
316:
308:
307:
305:
304:
301:
298:
295:
291:
285:
283:
282:
279:
276:
273:
269:
262:
261:
257:
256:
253:6,000 cavalry,
244:
241:5,000 cavalry,
231:
230:
226:
225:
220:
214:
213:
209:
208:
203:
197:
196:
192:
191:
188:
187:
184:
180:
179:
170:
168:
164:
163:
162:22 June 217 BC
160:
152:
151:
143:
142:
135:
134:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1163:
1152:
1149:
1147:
1144:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1109:
1106:
1074:
1073:Raphia Decree
1071:
1070:
1057:
1053:
1049:
1043:
1036:
1032:
1031:Rosetta stone
1026:
1019:
1015:
1011:
1010:Raphia Decree
1006:
999:
995:
994:F. W. Walbank
991:
985:
976:
960:
956:
950:
942:
938:
934:
928:
920:
916:
912:
908:
903:
898:
894:
890:
886:
879:
871:
867:
863:
859:
855:
851:
844:
835:
819:
812:
797:
793:
787:
783:
775:
773:
768:
766:
762:
758:
754:
748:
746:
742:
738:
732:
730:
726:
722:
712:
710:
707:According to
705:
701:
697:
695:
689:
680:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
658:
654:
650:
646:
642:
638:
631:War elephants
628:
626:
625:war elephants
622:
619:According to
617:
615:
611:
607:
602:
599:
594:
590:
586:
576:
574:
573:war elephants
570:
565:
563:
559:
555:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
520:
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
491:
486:
482:
478:
471:Seleucid Army
463:
461:
457:
452:
450:
446:
442:
438:
434:
424:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
402:
398:
394:
390:
377:
374:
372:
369:
367:
364:
362:
359:
357:
354:
353:
350:
345:
337:
332:
330:
325:
323:
318:
317:
314:
302:
299:
296:
293:
292:
289:
286:
280:
277:
274:
271:
270:
267:
264:
263:
258:
255:102 elephants
248:
245:
236:
233:
232:
227:
224:
223:Antiochus III
221:
219:
216:
215:
210:
207:
204:
202:
199:
198:
193:
185:
182:
181:
177:
173:
169:
166:
165:
161:
158:
157:
153:
149:
144:
141:
136:
131:
128:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
1078:
1051:
1042:
1034:
1025:
1013:
1005:
997:
984:
975:
963:. Retrieved
959:the original
949:
936:
927:
895:(1): 82–90.
892:
888:
878:
853:
849:
843:
834:
822:. Retrieved
811:
799:. Retrieved
795:
786:
769:
761:hieroglyphic
749:
733:
718:
706:
702:
698:
690:
686:
676:
668:
664:
656:
644:
634:
618:
609:
605:
603:
582:
566:
561:
533:, Cissians,
494:
490:Argyraspides
488:
474:
453:
430:
392:
388:
386:
365:
287:
265:
246:
243:73 elephants
234:
195:Belligerents
138:Part of the
127:
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
1141:Syrian Wars
1100: /
1014:attalus.org
937:EurekAlert!
741:Hugronaphor
737:Upper Egypt
554:javelineers
507:Phalangites
485:Phalangites
441:Syrian Wars
421:Coele Syria
417:Syrian Wars
415:during the
344:Syrian Wars
1115:Categories
1085:31°17′19″N
1029:As on the
1020:of ca 218.
965:19 January
801:25 October
585:Hypaspists
556:and 1,000
539:Carmanians
481:Carmanians
445:Ptolemy IV
218:Ptolemy IV
76:newspapers
1088:34°15′7″E
1037:1981:119.
1000:1981:119.
990:Ptolemy V
911:1465-7333
772:Daniel 11
745:Ankhmakis
715:Aftermath
637:elephants
610:egchorioi
606:tis aulis
591:), 2,000
527:Thracians
523:Agrianian
511:Nicarchus
503:Phoenicia
376:Oenoparus
106:June 2011
1050:(2007).
941:Archived
919:24285829
709:Polybius
694:Polybius
621:Polybius
598:Sosibius
593:peltasts
562:Kardakes
558:Cardaces
543:Arabians
517:, 2,000
497:) under
435:and the
229:Strength
167:Location
824:22 June
757:Memphis
569:cavalry
535:Cadusii
519:Persian
427:Prelude
411:of the
174:, near
90:scholar
1121:217 BC
917:
909:
870:718306
868:
683:Battle
551:Lydian
537:, and
509:under
466:Forces
371:Panium
366:Raphia
361:Andros
288:14,300
247:68,000
235:75,000
183:Result
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
866:JSTOR
778:Notes
753:stele
729:Judea
649:India
589:Agema
547:Greek
531:Medes
487:(the
456:Rafah
397:Rafah
266:2,200
172:Rafah
97:JSTOR
83:books
967:2014
915:PMID
907:ISSN
826:2010
803:2020
763:and
743:and
521:and
513:and
477:Daae
407:and
387:The
176:Gaza
159:Date
69:news
1012:at
897:doi
893:105
858:doi
493:or
356:Cos
52:by
1117::
1054:.
996:,
939:.
935:.
913:.
905:.
891:.
887:.
864:.
854:47
852:.
794:.
731:.
479:,
451:.
423:.
992:(
969:.
921:.
899::
872:.
860::
828:.
805:.
675:(
663:(
655:(
643:(
560:(
335:e
328:t
321:v
290::
268::
249::
237::
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
