Антигон мен Эвмен арасындағы шайқас: Сахарадағы алдау және тактикалық жеңіс

Part of the Second War of the Diadochi (315 BC)

During the winter of 316 315 BC, Antigonus tried to surprise Eumenes in Persia by marching his army across a desert to try and catch his enemy off guard. Unfortunately he was observed by some locals who reported it to his opponents. Eumenes then tricked Antigonus in believing he had his entire army with him. He gathered together a body of troops and, marking out on the hills a large camp, he had each soldier tend a campfire during the night giving the impression that a large army encamped there. Antigonus gave up his plan and awaited the rest of his army. A few days later, the armies drew together and encamped opposite of each other about five miles apart. They were on a broad plain, entirely uncultivated because of the loose and salty soil.

Antigonus, having a superiority in cavalry, resolved to mass his heavy cavalry and most of his elephants and light infantry on his right and strike against Eumenes's left flank, while refusing his center (infantry) and left (light horse). Antigonus and his son Demetrius commanded the heavy cavalry themselves. Eumenes, having seen Antigonus' deployment, placed himself and his best cavalry opposite Antigonus' heavy cavalry along with his own elephants and light infantry. He intended to hold Antigonus's charge while using his elite Argyraspides (the Silver Shields) phalanx to win in the center. The Argyraspides were a unit of veterans who had fought under Philip and then Alexander. Despite the fact that these battle hardened veterans were old enough to be their opponents' grandfathers, they were still highly respected and thought to be invincible in combat. Before the battle opened, Antigenes, the leader of the Argyraspides, sent a horseman over to Antigonus' phalanx heckling them, "Wicked men, are you sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander?". The morale of Antigonus' phalangites sank and the phalanx of Eumenes raised a great cheer in response. Eumenes saw an opportunity and began advancing. The skirmishers and elephants were the first to engage. At once a great cloud of dust was raised from the loose soil, obscuring most of the action. Antigonus observed this and decided to take advantage of it. He selected a body of Median and Tarentine light cavalry and ordered them to ride around Eumenes's left flank and attack his camp; they were to seize his baggage train and carry it back to Antigonus's camp. Because of the dust, this action went entirely unnoticed by Eumenes's army. Finding the enemy camp inadequately guarded, Antigonus's men captured and carried off most of their opponents baggage train, containing the wives, children, servants, and accumulated savings of the army. On the right flank, using the thick dust to cover his movements, Antigonus and Demetrius rode with their heavy cavalry around the engaged skirmishers and elephants to unexpectedly hit Eumenes's horse on their flank. Taken by surprise a great part of Eumenes's heavy cavalry under Peucestas routed. Despite Eumenes's heroic efforts to drive off the Antigonids, he was seriously outnumbered and was driven back. Antigonus and Demetrius used their cavalry to form a screen between Eumenes and the rest of his army. The battle of the elephants and skirmishers was decided when Eumenes' lead elephant was killed and the rest became so unnerved they fled. Antigonus had clearly won the battle on the right flank. Meanwhile, in the center the two phalanxes had engaged. Spearheaded by the nigh invincible Silver Shields, Eumenes's phalanx had won a clear victory. Eumenes now ordered Peucestas to go back into combat with his cavalry and exploit the advantage, but the latter refused, retreating even further instead. Antigonus ordered Pheiton (in command of the right flank) to attack Eumenes's phalanx in the rear. This forced Eumenes's heavy infantry to break off their victorious pursuit, but being battle hardened veterans, they kept their head, formed a square and marched safely off the battlefield. Eumenes was put under heavy guard while Antigonus held a council to decide his fate. Demetrius and Nearchos urged Antigonus to spare Eumenes's life, but most of the council members insisted he execute Eumenes. So it was decided, then, and Eumenes met his end, his body being turned over to his friends for burial. Eudemus, who had come from India as an ally of Eumenes and was responsible for the recruitment of Eumenes' elephants and light infantry was also executed, as was the leader of the Argyraspides, Antigenes.

Alfred Duggan's novel on the life of Demetrius, Elephants and Castles, also covers the battle. The third novel in Christian Cameron's Tyrant series, Funeral Games features the Battle of Gabiene.