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Ptolemaic-Merotic Army, Nile River Valley
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The combined army of Ptolemaic and Meroitic forces advanced first north, then west, then south along the curved stretch of the Nile between the fifth and fourth cataracts. The entire way they remained vigilant, fearing attack from Nubians loyal to the Napata regime or nomads hired by the Egyptians as mercenary raiders. It was a grueling journey, especially considering the relatively poor state of Meroe’s Nile flotilla. The Ptolemaic Macedonians especially suffered from the hot, dry climate of Kush; they were accustomed to gentler Mediterranean breezes. But as disciplined soldiers, they plodded on in the footsteps of their leader.

The Nile River was essential for logistical support. While mounted or even light units could cut across the desert without difficulty, the heavy Seleucid infantry would have trouble with such a move. More importantly, the Nubians lacked any means to cart supplies for long distances overland. And so the army was bound to the waterway.

Traianos Aetos knew that his situation was far from ideal. The Nubians under the command of his ally, King Teritnide, were not very reliable, and he doubted their fighting ability. Of course, he was blessed to lead thirteen thousand of the mightiest soldiers in the world. The superiority of Ptolemaic arms was not challenged by a single soul in all of Kush. “Ares will grant us victory,” Traianos said and, with a grimace, thought of “Mars”… the Latin manifestation of the god of war. Although he considered himself a thoroughly Hellenized nobleman, the Ptolemaic commander would never be truly free of his Roman roots.

Days earlier, Traianos had heard that the Egyptians were withdrawing from Nubia and leaving ‘their’ King to fend for himself. This news seemed almost too good to be true. And now, with his army deep in hostile territory, scouts confirmed what he had suspected all along—the Egyptians were back in Napata along with their Roman auxiliary units.

But this time, the Ptolemaic leader was not about to turn around. The valuable gold mines of Nubia lay in the north, currently under the control of the upstart Basileus Diadotos. Traianos was certain that total victory was obtainable, thanks to the superiority of his elite troops. It was only a matter of time.

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Napata, Nubia
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Isponis, brother of Pharaoh Diadotos, listened carefully to the reports from his military officers. It seemed that the Ptolemaic force was pushing toward the fourth cataract; they were due to arrive within two days. The Grand Vizier turned to his principal officer, Michaeos Apollodoros. “Strategos, do we have the manpower to face them in the field of battle? Shall we utilize our Nile plan?”

Apollodoros quickly nodded. “Yes, My Lord. The Ptolemies are great soldiers, but all other factors favor us. And Traianos… he is certainly a good tactician. But he is overconfident. We can use this to our advantage.”

“They say that this ‘Traianos Aetos’ is a Roman prisoner of war who agreed to join the Ptolemaic cause. Is that true?”

“Yes, sir. He was captured during the great Battle of Alexandria. I remember that horrid day. Although it was a great victory for us… we ruined my city, and my father died in the carnage.” The Greco-Egyptian Strategos was a tough man, but the memories of the past still haunted him. As a member of a wealthy merchant family, he had been assigned to a prestigious position as an aide in the Ptolemaic army at age sixteen. He was with the combined Ptolemaic-Seleucid army that annihilated two Roman legions in the city. Remaining in Egypt after the treaty between Rome and Seleucia, Apollodoros had risen to the highest ranks within the army of the new regime.

Isponis sighed. “Yes, those were terrible days. And Alexandria… remains in the hands of the Romans. Fortunately, though, they allow our Kingdom to exercise a fair deal of authority within the city. It is, in a sense, still ours.”

“Yes, My Lord. Now I will have a chance to command an army against the old Roman, under your auspices.”

The Vizier smiled. “The gods will grant us victory.”

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Two Days Later, Three Miles Downriver from the Fourth Cataract
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Traianos Aetos gazed out at the forces arrayed before him. “Finally… I have a chance to prove the valor of my men on the field of battle.” He turned to his subordinates and issued orders.

“I will lead a column of five thousand men against the Romans,” declared King Teritnide of Meroe.

Traianos glanced over at the young monarch. “You want to prove yourself a glorious leader in the field of battle, I suppose. But I ask that you remain with me. Command is a function of the mind, not the body.” The Ptolemaic leader didn’t want to risk sending the inexperienced King out to lead on his own.

Teritnide frowned. “I thank you for the advice, friend, but I am the King of all Kush. I will only gain the loyalty of my northern subjects when they see that I am their true Lord. They must tremble before my sword and atone for their transgressions!” He turned to his own lieutenants. “Form the infantry! Form the horse! I shall lead the men of Meroe against the treacherous upstart.”

“Stay with me!” Traianos gritted his teeth.

Teritnide snapped, now angry, “No! I am the King of all Kush, and you are here as my ally! I grant you the right to command your own men, but I will not stay behind and allow others to conquer in the name of the gods!” He stood tall in his chariot, dressed in ceremonial armor. “He-yah! To the front!” The charioteer urged the horses forward, and the young Nubian potentate sped forth.

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The Napata-Egyptian-Roman lines
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Scipio Lupidius stood on the banks of the Nile, behind him were some six thousand Roman Auxila. The Legate began to pace back and forth, his gladius hanging from his side. He'd been in Kush for over a year. And more importantly with these men for over three years. He'd developed a bond with these Provincials. He considered them his men, and wondered what it would be like to return to his legion. Pushing this thoughts out his mind Scipio turned to address the Auxila.

"Men,

This is not a battle that will gain you fame throughout the world. This is not a battle that will send shock waves throughout the Empire. Yes, we will be hailed as heroes. But only by those who matter...Remember Rome may not hear of our victory, but the Emperor will. He is the one who matters, not a merchant in Ostia. Not a Quaestor in Rome. But the Emperor! Fight for him, and the glory that will come from his favor!

We are what stands between the Ptolemies and Thebais, Roman soil. Stand strong in the face of the Enemy. Remember those who died fighting at Alexandria or at the Nile battle. Bring courage from them, and use it against those who dare oppose the might of Rome!

Good Luck."

Scipio turned and mounted his horse, drawing his gladius. "Vizier Isponis, my men are at your command." Legate Lupidius shouted in Greek as his forces formed the battle line, joining in with their Egyptian allies.

Isponis surveyed the enemy lines carefully. They were still a considerable distance away. Both armies were assembled on the western bank of the river. Glancing to his right, the Vizier saw that his riverboat flotilla was in good shape. Egyptian light infantry and archers occupied no fewer than twenty vessels. He smiled, pleased with Apollodoros’ plan. The river forces would allow for a possible flanking maneuver after the main armies clashed.

The Egyptian and Napata Nubian forces carefully clung to the river bank. Apollodoros stacked his left flank with his elite infantry, the so-called “Memphis Taxis” of two thousand heavy infantrymen. These Hellenistic troops, unlike most of their Egyptian companions, were armed and trained to fight in the Macedonian phalanx style. The Taxis protected its flanks with four hundred medium swordsmen train in the Roman tradition. Only the rear was exposed.

Egypt’s mass of light infantry spread along the Nile in a think column. A second light infantry detachment was position farther to the left, supporting the Memphis Battalion. The Roman auxiliaries were held in reserve, although Apollodoros deployed the appropriately named thousand-man Cohors I Nubia in the gap between the left and center divisions. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the Pharaoh’s superior cavalry contingent, greatly enhanced by mercenary tribal nomads and the Roman auxiliary alae, positioned itself on the far left. The Egyptian light cavalrymen were primarily armed with bows and light spears, designed for hit-and-run combat. Isponis was satisfied. His army was far more flexible, with command of the Nile River itself and a superior mounted force. Now, he only hoped that his foot soldiers could hold against the formidable Ptolemaic opponents.

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Minutes Later…
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“Onward brave warriors!” shouted King Teritnide of Meroe. He remembered the stories of Menes, the Monarch of Upper Egypt who had successfully conquered the Lower Kingdom, thereby uniting the entire land under the rule of the Double Crown. Teritnide was ready to become the Menes of Nubia, uniting his land under one rule. The Ptolemies were allies, perhaps, but they would not be allowed to challenge his dominion.

The Nubians soldiers pressed forward, primarily on foot, following the chariot of their leader. The best among them were drawn from the Royal Guard of the late Queen Amanikhatashan, and they were certainly not a barbarian rabble. The Kingdom of Kush had a formidable military tradition. Over one hundred years earlier, Kushite King Akinidad launched a surprise attack on his northern neighbor, defeated a Ptolemaic army, and sacked Aswan. The Ptolemies had responded with a massive campaign directed against the Nubia which only ended with many deaths on both sides and the partial destruction of Napata. The “Nubian Wars”, fought under the reign of Pharaoh Ptolemy XIII Neos Epiphanes weakened both regimes.

Despite the professional quality of the Royal Guard, the majority of the Merotic Nubian warriors were inexperienced conscripts. The regular army of Kush, once a mighty force, had never fully recovered from the Nubian Wars against the Ptolemies. The Kingdom existed as a semi-feudal state, with powerful noblemen ruling almost independent of the government in Meroe. And unfortunately for Teritnide and the Ptolemies, a large number of those aristocrats chose to side with the Egyptians.

“Hades take that cursed boy,” Traianos Aetos muttered to himself as he watched his ally charge forward. “He is more a liability these days.” The Ptolemaic commander knew that he had no choice but to deploy his men immediately. Otherwise, the Egyptian-Roman army would annihilate the Meroe force first and then turn full strength against his elite infantrymen.

In the center, the first of the Merotic Nubians clashed with the Napatan Nubians and Egyptian infantry. Neither side was particularly experienced, so the fight instantly degraded into a chaotic slugfest. King Teritnide remained in the midst of the fray, encouraging his men with great shouts. He made a conspicuous target.

Rallied by the presence of their vigorous young monarch, the Merotic Nubians began to drive back their northern countrymen. Traianos, mounted alongside his rapidly advancing men, was oblivious to this fact. A great cloud of dust obscured his view… a fact which maximized the value of pre-battle planning and limited innovation. Again, the Ptolemaic leader cursed the spontaneity of his ally. Traianos preferred to keep his men together as a single invincible unit, he quickly realized the dangers of flanking. The Egyptians controlled the river flank through their naval flotilla, and they also dominated the other side with superior cavalry. “Extend the lines! Julios, hold the riverfront with your thousand. Don’t let them take us from behind! Andrikonos, keep our mounted forces behind the lines and only engage if they try to flank us on our right!” Traianos barked orders to his subordinates, confident in their capabilities. It was going to be a difficult battle.

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The Battle of Gebel Barkal
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Despite the unorganized nature of King Teritnide’s offensive, his troops fought well. They viciously cut through Egyptian light infantrymen and Nubians loyal to the Napata regime. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and the lack of heavy armor provided ample opportunities for fatal blows. But Apollodoros, safe behind his lines, was not concerned. Although the dust severely limited his vision, a steady stream of reports indicated that his dense center was not about to collapse. He still had time. The Egyptian river flotilla, powered by oars, advanced upstream. Archers onboard the vessels unleashed light showers of arrows on the Merotic lines. Although they lacked the power to inflict significant casualties, the presence of a harassing and untouchable force damaged the morale of the Merotic Nubians on shore. Meanwhile, on the right flank, Roman auxiliary, Egyptian, and nomadic horsemen charged out in a wide arc. They could not attack Ptolemaic or Merotic infantry formations directly, but they posed a bothersome threat.

On the center-left front, the Ptolemaic swordsmen finally entered the fray. Three thousand elite infantrymen unleashed their pila against Cohors I Nubia, causing serious damage. The auxiliaries responded with a similar volley, and then began to fall back. The bristling spears of the Memphis taxis challenged the Ptolemies to the side. The Ptolemaic officers refused to fall for the trap. Instead, the wheeled in toward the center, rapidly advancing on the Egyptian light infantry.

Isponis rode on horseback to the left flank. Although he was technically the Supreme Leader, he was now in the curious position of taking orders from Apollodoros. And the Strategos had instructed him to hold the line. It was a curious decision… why would the experienced General delegate command of the most ‘challenging’ front to a politician? But Apollodoros had his ways… and he was apparently not worried about the far end of his army.

Sondriclese, Commander of the Memphis Taxis, ordered his men to attack. With a great roar, the formidable phalanx wheeled about to crush the exposed flank of the Ptolemaic infantry. Isponis arrived just in time to urge them forward. “To victory, in the name of Diadotos, the Kingdom, the Gods!” he shouted.

Through the dust, Traianos could barely make out the movement of the Greco-Egyptian hoplites. The lack of sight was compensated by the sound of their voices as they chanted a battle cry. “Cursed traitors… you should be fighting for the true Pharaoh,” he shouted, knowing that they could not hear him. The Ptolemaic leader conceded that it was a gutsy move on the part of Diadotos’ men. But he was ready. “All reserve cohorts, to the right flank!” he yelled at a courier, who galloped away with the message.

The Ptolemaic legionaries had already hurled their pila, and so they faced the charging phalanx with gladii drawn. The clash was terrifying. Dozens of Traianos’ men faced instant death by impalement. But they did not break. After a five minute period that seemed like eternity, Traianos’ reserves arrived. One thousand five hundred fresh infantrymen moved to threaten the sides of the Memphis taxis. But Isponis and his officers on the flank had sensed this danger, and Roman Cohors I Libya and Cohors II Libya were already moving to counter the Ptolemaic reserves. The Roman provincial soldiers clashed with Traianos’ legionaries, and brutal fighting ensued.

Back in the center, the lighter and less experienced footmen on both sides continued to kill and maim each other. Apollodoros carefully monitored the situation. Finally, when the moment was right, he thrust his remaining Roman auxiliaries into the fray. The Strategos issued a terse ‘order’ to their Legate Arcadius Scipio Lupidius… “Kill their King.”

Scipio conveyed the instructions to his officers before leading his men against the Merotic forces. Apollodoros also dispatched three hundred bowmen in quick step with the Romans. They would come in handy.

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Front of the Merotic Nubian Lines
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King Teritnide remained on his chariot dressed in glorious regalia. His presence was surely an inspiration to his men, who fought bravely despite their inexperience. The monarch was a charismatic figure, even if he was not a great tactician or organizer.

Unfortunately, Teritnide was really the only individual who could be easily spotted through the dust… from enemy lines. The fresh Roman auxiliaries thrust sliced through their light Nubian opponents, forming a wedge. The advance of the soldiers through allied lines caused some chaos, but Scipio Lupidius was not concerned. He had a mission, and he was determined to accomplish it. The Legate took a position on foot in the center of his troops, surrounded by his private bodyguard.

“Sire, the enemy draws near,” shouted the charioteer to his Master. But it was too late. Already the auxiliaries and Egyptians were pressing in against the chariot. It would be impossible to spin around at this point. Only flight on foot could save the King. And this, of course, was well beneath the dignity of Teritnide.

The Egyptian archers peppered the ground around the King with arrows as the Royal bodyguards struggled to fend off Scipio’s troops. But the auxiliaries faced ferocious opposition from the Merotic Nubians, who attacked from all sides in an effort to keep their leader safe. Alas for the Ptolemaic allies, their efforts did not pay off. One arrow, then a second pierced the relatively light armor of Teritnide. Time seemed to stop as the young monarch slipped from his chariot and fell to the ground, fatally wounded.

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End of a Battle
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Word of Teritnide’s death spread like wildfire through the Merotic Nubian ranks. It struck against their morale, and encouraged the Egyptians and their own Kushite allies. Apollodoros received the news enthusiastically. “Excellent. Now unleash the river forces!”

The Egyptian Nile flotilla launched a fresh volley of arrows against the Ptolemaic unit under Julios, Traianos’ trusted officer. Julios’ men used their large shields for protection. Moving one step further, the Egyptians began to conduct an amphibious assault. The Ptolemaic legionaries rushed in to hold the shore, but the move proved to be a feint. Withdrawing back to their shallow-draft boats, the Egyptians continued to harass their opponents, now adding javelins to the mix of arrows.

Julios ordered his men to strike back by releasing pila. They did so with considerable success, inflicting the first losses of the battle on the river force. But the fleet served its objective well. Apollodoros noted with satisfaction that his enemy Traianos was not able to consolidate the elite Ptolemaic forces.

On the left flank, the Roman auxiliaries had suffered heavy casualties. But the Traianos’ men were also suffering. They managed to halt the momentum of the phalanx, but only after experiencing considerable losses.

At this point, Isponis, as flank commander, received a dispatch from Apollodoros—“unleash the cavalry.” He observed the battle and realized that almost all the enemy infantry were engaged. As such, they were not in a position to challenge a mounted sweep around the flank. Isponis turned to an officer. “Instruct the horse units to charge!”

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Behind Ptolemaic Lines
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Traianos Aetos cursed his poor fortunes. The battle had been winnable… but it was not anymore. His men performed admirably, but his Nubian allies had largely lost heart. The death of King Teritnide did not bring any sorrow to the heart of the rough Ptolemaic Strategos, but he knew that it would cause ample problems in the near future. Despite his intense anger, Traianos could recognize a lost cause without difficulty. “Pull in the men and try to salvage what you can of the Nubian units.” He barked specific orders to several subordinates and messengers. “A great commander knows how to withdraw while keeping his army intact,” he reminded himself. But another voice nagged at his conscious… “the greatest commanders don’t ever have to withdraw.”

The Ptolemaic infantry managed to execute a surprisingly effective disengagement. Of course, this could be attributed to the tactical skill of the officers as well as the exhaustion of the Egyptian forces. The footmen of Traianos, working in close coordination with his cavalry contingent, even managed to prevent the larger Romano-Egyptian horse battalion from wrecking havoc among the retreating soldiers.

Several thousand men from the Merotic Nubian center were not able to escape, however. They readily surrendered, hoping that their northern countrymen would show mercy. Ironically, their surrender slowed the advance of the Romano-Natapa-Egyptian lines. Unwilling to leave a large body of prisoners unsecured, the Roman auxiliaries and Egyptian light infantry assisted in detaining the men.

Isponis called off the cavalry pursuit and returned to the river, where he met with Apollodoros. The Strategos saluted the Vizier. “A great victory for the Double Crown today, thank the gods!”

The Pharaoh’s brother nodded. It may not have been such a great tactical victory, for both sides suffered heavy losses. But the enemy King was dead. For once in his life, Isponis was truly grateful to the Powers Above.


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Results of the Battle:

Merotic Nubian and Ptolemaic forces repulsed.

Heavy casualties on the Merotic side among the regular infantry, but the Ptolemaic elite troops withdraw with only light to moderate losses.

King Teritnide killed.

Thousands of Merotic Nubians taken prisoner.

Moderate to heavy losses among Napata Nubian and Egyptian infantry.

Very heavy casualties suffered by Cohors I Libya and Cohors II Libya (who were forced to fight Ptolemaic legionaries), moderate losses among other auxiliary cohorts.

Cavalry forces of both sides almost entirely untouched.

Precise figures will be released after the bodies have been counted.

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By: GMs (JOM with input from ND), small part by Arcadius Scipio Lupidius

AD 102