|
The Battle of Sellasia ((ギリシア語:Μάχη της Σελλασίας)) took place during the summer of 222 BC between the armies of Macedon and the Achaean League, led by Antigonus III Doson, and Sparta under the command of King Cleomenes III. The battle was fought at Sellasia on the northern frontier of Laconia and ended in a Macedonian-Achaean victory. In 229 BC, Cleomenes initiated hostilities against the Achaean League, the dominant power of the Peloponnese. In a series of campaigns, Cleomenes was successful in defeating the Achaeans, making Sparta the main regional power. This prompted the chief figure of the Achaean League, Aratus, to approach the King of Macedon, Antigonus III Doson, for military assistance. The Macedonians acquiesced on the terms that the Achaean surrender the formidable fortress of Acrocorinth to them. The Macedonians invaded the Peloponnese in 224 BC at the head of a Greek alliance and by 222 BC managed to hem Cleomenes in Laconia. In the summer of 222 BC, the Macedonian and Achaean army advanced to Sellasia on the northern border of Laconia, where they encountered the awaiting army of Cleomenes. After a brief impasse, Antigonus launched an offensive against the Spartan positions on the fortified mountains of Olympus and Evas. While the Macedonian right flank routed the Spartan left wing on Evas, the battle on the other flank was heavily contested. After initially pushing back the Macedonian phalanx, the Spartans were driven from the field by the superior numbers of the Macedonians. Cleomenes was compelled to leave for exile in Alexandria and Antigonus became the first general to occupy Sparta. ==Background== The seizure of numerous important Arcadian cities by the King of Sparta, Cleomenes III, prompted the dominant state of the Peloponnese, the Achaean League to declare war on Sparta.〔Polybius. ''The Rise of the Roman Empire'', 2.46; Plutarch. ''Cleomenes'', 4; .〕 The Achaean attempts to recaptured these cities ended led by the strategos, Aratus, largely failed as Sparta consolidated its position.〔Polybius. ''The Rise of the Roman Empire'', 2.46; Plutarch. ''Life of Cleomenes'', 4; .〕 Subsequent Achaean offensives in 226 BC were crushingly defeated at the Battle of Mount Lycaeum〔Plutarch. ''Life of Cleomenes'', 5; .〕 and the Battle of Ladoceia.〔Plutarch. ''Life of Cleomenes'', 6; : "(Cleomenes III )".〕 The Achaean position was additionally weakened when their erstwhile ally, Ptolemy III of Egypt, shifted this financial backing to Sparta. Ptolemy had been subsidising the campaign of the Achaeans against Macedon and now determined that Sparta would be a more effective ally to offset Macedonian power.〔.〕 This was compounded by the resounding Spartan victory over the Achaean army at the Battle of Dyme, leading the League to seek peace with Cleomenes.〔Plutarch. ''Life of Cleomenes'', 14; ; .〕 When the peace talks failed, Aratus sent envoys to the Macedonian King, Antigonus III Doson, seeking military assistance. Antigonus pledged to give aid on the term that the formidable citadel, Acrocorinth was ceded to Macedon.〔Plutarch. ''Life of Cleomenes'', 16.〕 This conditions elicited a furious response from many Achaeans〔.〕 and Cleomenes used this to his advantaged by occupying the major cities of Corinth and Argos and many smaller settlements. Aratus accepted the terms proposed by the Macedonians and additionally surrendered the cities of Orchomenus and Heraia to Macedon.〔; .〕 Subsequently, Antigonus mustered his army for the invasion of the Peloponnese.〔.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Battle of Sellasia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|