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The Northern Campaigns

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The Northern Campaigns THE NORTHERN CAMPAIGNS WWW.CIANHOGAN.COM 1 • In the spring of 335, Alexander marched with his army towards Thrace, where the Triballi and Illyrians, whose two peoples bordered Macedonia, were attempting to take advantage of what they saw as political instability in the wake of Philip’s death. • Alexander was advised to pay them off and to consolidate his power base in Macedonia rather than risk an engagement at this early stage in his career. Alexandra chose to ignore this advice and move his army north. • He marched to mount Haemus in just 10 days with the intention of securing his northern borders before embarking on a campaign in Persia. • On arrival in Thrace he was met by a large group of the opposing forces. • The Thracians had position themselves at the top of a mountain pass where they intended to use carts as a type of defensive palisade. • When the Macedonians arrived, the Thracians sent the carts crashing down on top of them. • Realising that his army was in peril, Alexander ordered his men to break formation and move to either side of the mountain pass. • The remaining men were ordered to lie on the ground and lock shields. • As a result, the carts passed over them causing no harm. • The success of this manoeuvre was evidence of Alexander's strategic thinking and of the discipline of his men. • Consequently, the Thracians took fright, threw down their weapons and fled. • According to Arrian, 1500 Thracians were killed at this stage. • The surviving Thracians fled to an island on the Danube called the Pine Tree. • Next, Alexander learned that a number of Triballians and had managed to escape and he decided to engage them. • He retraced his steps and found the Triballians encamped. • They were caught completely unawares by the onslaught of Macedonian archers and slingers. • While the Thracians did put up a stiff resistance, they were unable to hold off the Macedonian infantry and cavalry which proceeded to ride them down in a series of fierce assaults all over the battlefield. • According to Arrian, 3000 Thracians died in this phase of the campaign. • Three days later, Alexander reached the Danube where reinforcements had joined him from Byzantium. 2 • Alexander then set sail to the island where the Thracians had taken refuge. • He was however unable to put ashore. • Realising this, he decided to abandon his assault and cross the river to engage the Getea who lived on the other side. • The Getea had assembled a large force of 4000 calvary and 10,000 infantrymen. • Although Alexander was heavily outnumbered and possessed a mere 1500 Calvary and 4000 infantrymen he decided to engage the Getea. • By crossing the Danube at night, Alexander had managed to conceal the fact that he had reached the other side. • The Getea were taken unawares and were forced to flee to a nearby town. • Alexander surrounded the town and then attacked it ridding it of all valuables and inhabitants. • Following his meetings with local Celtic tribes, Alexander received news that the Illyrians and their chieftain Cleitus had retreated to a fortified town. • Owing to the position of the town, Cleitus' troops could have attacked the Macedonians on all sides. • However on seeing the Macedonians approach, the Illyrians abandoned the towns outer defences. • Alexander planned to take the town the following day, but the arrival of the Glaucias with a large contingent of troops forced him to abandon this project. • Although Glaucias initially retreated, Alexander was still in a precarious position because the combined Thracian forces occupied the high ground. • Alexander decided to withdraw and this decision emboldened the troops within the town and Glaucias' contingent on the hills. • For Alexander retreat was not practical because to his rear lay very difficult terrain. • Consequently, he decided to put on a display of Macedonian discipline. • The infantry and the cavalry carried out a series of intricate manoeuvres. • These actions frightened Thracians and many of them abandoned their positions on the slopes. • Realising that he had the initiative, Alexander ordered his men to clash their spears against their shields and issue a loud war cry. • Alexander order the Agrianes and archers together with the Royal guards to cross the river. 3 • Seeing them cross, a contingent of Thracians moved down the hill with the intention of attacking the Macedonians however, Alexander's force proved too strong and the Thracians were quickly routed. • Three days later Alexander received news that Cleitus and Glaucias’ troops were insecurely encamped. • Under the cover of darkness he took a contingent of Guards, Agrianes and the troops of Perdiccas and Coenus and attacked Glaucias. Very few Thracians were captured and most were killed. 4.
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