The Battle of Corupedium 281BC

[Dave Knight]

An epic clash between Seleucus and Lysimachus perhaps but I am having difficulty getting any info on the battle or the forces invloved at all.

Can anyone help?

[Patrick Waterson]

That, David, is largely because there is hardly any information about.

The sources that even mention the battle are 1) History of Heraclea Pontica, by Memnon of Heraclea (text here: http://www.attalus.org/translate/memnon1.html#5), 2) Syrian Wars, by Appian, 62 (text: http://www.livius.org/ap-ark/appian/appian_syriaca_13.html#%5B%A762%5D) and a couple of allusions in 3) Description of Greece by Pausanias I.10.4, I.16.2 which are hardly worth the trouble of looking up, but just in case:

Pausanias I.10.4: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.10.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160
Pausanias I.16.2: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.16.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160

There is also the 'End of Seleucus Chronicle', a cuneiform tablet described here http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/bchp-end_seleucus/seleucus_01.html.

These, plus a large amount of logic and inspired guesswork, might just begin to give the outline of a possible Order of Battle.

Good luck.

Patrick

[Dave Knight]

Thanks Patrick - I will have a look at the links you suggest

[Mark]

Also (again by allusion, not mentioning the name of the battle):

• Justin's Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus: http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/justin/english/trans17.html
• Orosius' History Against the Pagans: http://sites.google.com/site/demontortoise2000/orosius_book3

M

[Mark]

And (just checked Lund's book on Lysimachus):

An epitaph for a Bithynian officer, Menas, killed in battle at Korou Pedion, by the waters of the River Phrygios, together with Polyaenus' account of resistance at Sardis before the battle, have established its site as the well-used plain to the west of Sardis.

M

[Dave Knight]

Thanks Mark.  I am hoping to stage this on July 1st, so that gives me a little time to sort out an OOB.  We will be using WRG 6th.  If it was fought on a plain that makes the terrain easy

[Duncan Head]

And (just checked Lund's book on Lysimachus):

An epitaph for a Bithynian officer, Menas, killed in battle at Korou Pedion, by the waters of the River Phrygios, together with Polyaenus' account of resistance at Sardis before the battle, have established its site as the well-used plain to the west of Sardis.

M

Bar-Kochva has argued that the Menas stele must refer to a later, 2nd-century, battle in the same region - perhaps Bithynia vs Pergamon ("Menas' Inscription and Curupedion", Scripta Classica Israelica I, 1974).

Both his victims are illustrated with thyreos shields, which is not likely in 281 - indeed the shield M himself is standing on may be a thyreos, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9b1ENhGfVA - from which note that the museum favours a C2 date.

cheers,
Duncan