04-14-2009, 03:40 AM
Well we are into another 'off-topic' digression, and it might be better to start a new thread on this subject after the appearance of your Gabiene article in AW magazine.........but for now, some short comments.
The main source for numbers etc is Diodorus XIX.27 on, but there are some difficulties with the text, not least being that Diodorus figures for individual units falls some 2,000 short of the totals he gives for Antigonus' army (c.f. XIX.29), which are "more than"28,000 foot "in all", 8,500 horse and 65 elephants before the earlier battle of Paraitakene.
Eumenes Infantry numbered some 35,000 or so in total, 6,300 cavalry and 125 elephants - and the Phalanx was broken down as 6,000 mercenaries ( who would have been largely peltasts), next 5,000 men of all races equipped in the "macedonian' fashion, then the 'Argyraspides'/silvershields, over 3,000 and finally his Guard, his 'Hypaspists', also over 3,000 strong.These were augmented by 18,000 other infantry ( mostly light and skirmishing native peltast-types) of whom some 10,000 were Persian archers and slingers.....
For the campaign, Eumenes seemingly begins with significantly more Infantry and elephants, but fewer cavalry.
After his losses at Parataikene, Antigonus' Infantry are down to 22,000 Infantry, the same 65 elephants and he has increased his cavalry to 9,000, re-inforcements having been recruited in Media.
Diodorus gives Eumenes 36,700 'foot soldiers', 6,000 horse and 114 elephants.
On the face of it therefore, Diodorus says that Eumenes heavily outnumbered Antigonus in Infantry at Gabiene.
However, ( there is always one of these, isn't there? :wink: ) a closer look at the figure for Parataikene reveals that Antigonus' Infantry are ALL 'line troops' of the Phalanx - viz 9,000 mercenaries/peltasts, then 3,000 Lycians and Pamphylians, then 'more than' 8,000 mixed troops in Macedonian equipment, and finally 'nearly' 8,000 Macedonians ( equals 28,000). In other words, no figure is included for the 'light Infantry' which Antigonus must have had. Again, for Gabiene too, it would appear no figure for Antigonus' light troops is given.
For some reason, Diodorus, or rather his source, has given no figures at all in the campaign for Antigonus' light troops.......
Thus, Paralus is right to say that in 'Line/Heavy' Infantry, Eumenes is outnumbered. Further, if we discount the 'Peltasts' on each side and look at 'Heavy Infantry' proper, then we have something like 11-12,000 for Eumenes and 15,000 for Antigonus ( assuming losses at Parataikene fell fairly evenly), or even fewer if the bulk of the losses at Partaikene were from among those armed in the 'macedonian' manner, as one might expect - so not much in it.
If we were to make a guess at Antigonus' "missing" light troops , we might allow 11,000 plus ( judging by the usual ratio) - which would give a total only slightly fewer overall than Eumenes, and perhaps they were on a par, or Antigonus may just have been superior, depending how many levied light Infantry he had.
It pays to examine these source accounts in detail, and I own that in looking at Diodorus' figures uncritically, I erred and that when it came to the Hoplites and 'Macedonian' armed troops - the ones that really counted - Antigonus had the slight superiority, as Paralus says. :oops: :oops:
The main source for numbers etc is Diodorus XIX.27 on, but there are some difficulties with the text, not least being that Diodorus figures for individual units falls some 2,000 short of the totals he gives for Antigonus' army (c.f. XIX.29), which are "more than"28,000 foot "in all", 8,500 horse and 65 elephants before the earlier battle of Paraitakene.
Eumenes Infantry numbered some 35,000 or so in total, 6,300 cavalry and 125 elephants - and the Phalanx was broken down as 6,000 mercenaries ( who would have been largely peltasts), next 5,000 men of all races equipped in the "macedonian' fashion, then the 'Argyraspides'/silvershields, over 3,000 and finally his Guard, his 'Hypaspists', also over 3,000 strong.These were augmented by 18,000 other infantry ( mostly light and skirmishing native peltast-types) of whom some 10,000 were Persian archers and slingers.....
For the campaign, Eumenes seemingly begins with significantly more Infantry and elephants, but fewer cavalry.
After his losses at Parataikene, Antigonus' Infantry are down to 22,000 Infantry, the same 65 elephants and he has increased his cavalry to 9,000, re-inforcements having been recruited in Media.
Diodorus gives Eumenes 36,700 'foot soldiers', 6,000 horse and 114 elephants.
On the face of it therefore, Diodorus says that Eumenes heavily outnumbered Antigonus in Infantry at Gabiene.
However, ( there is always one of these, isn't there? :wink: ) a closer look at the figure for Parataikene reveals that Antigonus' Infantry are ALL 'line troops' of the Phalanx - viz 9,000 mercenaries/peltasts, then 3,000 Lycians and Pamphylians, then 'more than' 8,000 mixed troops in Macedonian equipment, and finally 'nearly' 8,000 Macedonians ( equals 28,000). In other words, no figure is included for the 'light Infantry' which Antigonus must have had. Again, for Gabiene too, it would appear no figure for Antigonus' light troops is given.
For some reason, Diodorus, or rather his source, has given no figures at all in the campaign for Antigonus' light troops.......
Thus, Paralus is right to say that in 'Line/Heavy' Infantry, Eumenes is outnumbered. Further, if we discount the 'Peltasts' on each side and look at 'Heavy Infantry' proper, then we have something like 11-12,000 for Eumenes and 15,000 for Antigonus ( assuming losses at Parataikene fell fairly evenly), or even fewer if the bulk of the losses at Partaikene were from among those armed in the 'macedonian' manner, as one might expect - so not much in it.
If we were to make a guess at Antigonus' "missing" light troops , we might allow 11,000 plus ( judging by the usual ratio) - which would give a total only slightly fewer overall than Eumenes, and perhaps they were on a par, or Antigonus may just have been superior, depending how many levied light Infantry he had.
It pays to examine these source accounts in detail, and I own that in looking at Diodorus' figures uncritically, I erred and that when it came to the Hoplites and 'Macedonian' armed troops - the ones that really counted - Antigonus had the slight superiority, as Paralus says. :oops: :oops:
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
