The Battle of Lake Maeotis was a military engagement of the Spartocid civil war that took place in winter of 309 BC near the Maeotic Lake. It was fought between the forces of Prytanis I, who succeeded his late brother Satyros II, and the pretender Eumelos who had recently killed Satyros II at Siracena.[1][2]
| Battle of Lake Maeotis | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Siraces | Bosporan Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Eumelos Aripharnes(?) |
Prytanis  | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Low | High | ||||||
Prelude and Battle
editSatyros II had been killed at Siracena while besieging the town with Aripharnes and Eumelos inside.[3] After his death, the mercenary commander Meniscus, took Satyros' body to Gargaza and gave it to Prytanis, the younger brother of Satyros and Eumelos. He buried his brother after taking the throne. Then Prytanis left a garrison in Gargaza and returned to Panticapaeum to secure his position[4] while Eumelos and Aripharnes quickly took Gargaza.[5] Shortly after, Prytanis took the field against his brother but was quickly cornered and defeated.[6]
References
edit- ^ Polyaenus. Strategems.
Satyrus is killed
- ^ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24.
When Prytanis took the field against him, near the Maeotic Lake
- ^ Polyaenus. Strategems.
Satyrus is killed while attacking Aripharnes
- ^ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24.
he did not heed him but he left a garrison in Gargaza and returned to Panticapaeum in order to secure the royal prerogatives for himself.
- ^ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24.
Eumelus with the co-operation of the barbarians captured Gargaza and several of the other cities and villages.
- ^ Siculus, Diodorus. Book 22.24.
Eumelus defeated his brother in battle and after shutting him up in the isthmus near the Maeotic Lake