Chaeronea exhibition

[Imperial Dave]

And there's nothing wrong with that at all 

[Jon Freitag]

It's just an excuse for a holiday 

And a GREAT excuse for a holiday it is!  I have a gaming buddy who picked up a book on Greek battles and battlefields recently.  I suggested a group of us ought to plan a group trip to Greece to assess whether or not the book was any use.  A multinational group of old middle-age wargamers let loose in Greece, what could possibly go wrong?  

[Duncan Head]

Well, we came back from Athens yesterday, and I recovered my laptop (which had died on me just before I left!) today.

More details and a few pictures to follow, but in short, a very interesting little exhibition well put together if oddly located - it was divided between two different sections of the museum, with no clear indication of which bit to do first. The Playmobil diorama was very well put together, showing the key moment of Alexander's cavalry charge. And it was very satisfying to see some good 4th-century armour up close.

[Duncan Head]

The Playmobil diorama was clever and thoughtfully put together, clearly designed by someone who had a good idea of the battle.

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Here we see Alexander on the  Macedonian left leading the cavalry charge, in wedge with himself at the front, against a gap that has opened in the Theban line, isolating the Sacred Band by the river. Of course the sources for thee battle are so scanty that there is room for debate as to whether Alexander charged mounted or on foot, and the idea that there must have been a gap is challenged by those who think the Companions could charge frontally through hoplites. But this is probably the closest there is to a consensus interpretation.

Note also the slingers skirmishing away in front of the Macedonian line, and the archers behind the Thebans.

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On the other side of the battle, the Athenians attack the picked troops of Philip's right wing - which he was withdrawing, according to one of Polyainos' anecdotes. The Athenians are uniformed - there is no source for blue cloaks and black shields, of course, but looking along the allied Greek line each contingent is distinguished by colour. Among the Athenians - as the museum attendant pointed out - one figure represents the orator Demosthenes throwing away his shield and fleeing.

[Duncan Head]

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Here is the view from behind the Macedonian left, resting on the bank of the Kephissos river.  Note the light infantry javelinmen behind the heavy infantry line - and trying, it seems, to work round the flank along the river.

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This one is the view from behind Philip's position as his unit received the Athenian charge. It gives a good view of the way the different allied units are differentiated.

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Archers behind the Macedonian lines - cute little quivers, and I love that over-sized petasos hat!

[Jon Freitag]

Very cool, presentation! 

[Justin Swanton]

The petasos hat does do it.

Of course the sources for thee battle are so scanty that there is room for debate as to whether Alexander charged mounted or on foot, and the idea that there must have been a gap is challenged by those who think the Companions could charge frontally through hoplites. But this is probably the closest there is to a consensus interpretation.

We could reopen the debate ("No!"). But just to wonder if there is such a thing as a consensus interpretation. On anything.

Re Philip my take is that the Macedonian right flank were Hypaspists, hence equipped as hoplites. The pike phalanx was essentially a development of the hoplite phalanx and turning the enemy's left flank was a crucial part of the hoplite phalanx's function. The Spartans refined that outflanking tendency into a manoeuvre, with a mora wheeling around the enemy left into its rear. The Hypaspists were evidently meant to do this and so were hoplite-equipped to execute the outflanking manoeuvre - phalangites with pikes lowered could not wheel in battle. Which is why later on the Hypaspists ended up equipped with pikes since they no longer fought hoplites.

Hence the clash on the Macedonian right was a hoplite-vs-hoplite othismos push, and since the Athenians were uphill they won the push. The Hypaspists however were drilled professionals, able to fall back in order, which they did to a small hill a few hundred yards behind them (you can see it in Google maps). Once uphill they renewed the othismos struggle and this time won it. The Athenian citizen hoplites, not drilled like the Hypaspists, interpreted giving way as defeat and broke in panic. Neat trick of Philip's.

[Duncan Head]

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This is the plan of the battle posted on the exhibition wall. The layout mostly corresponds to other scholars' ideas about the battle, but the way the Athenian contingent starts angled back, and the corresponding angle in the Macedonian line, are new to me.

This map's included in the exhibition catalogue; I haven't read the catalogue in full yet but I haven't noticed the arguments for this particular deployment being set out in any detail.

[Justin Swanton]

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This is the plan of the battle posted on the exhibition wall. The layout mostly corresponds to other scholars' ideas about the battle, but the way the Athenian contingent starts angled back, and the corresponding angle in the Macedonian line, are new to me.

This map's included in the exhibition catalogue; I haven't read the catalogue in full yet but I haven't noticed the arguments for this particular deployment being set out in any detail.

That does look rather odd. I've never heard of battle lines angled vis-a-vis each other like that, and what was the Sacred Band doing up ahead all on its own? Also this doesn't seem to match the dispositions of the two armies in the display itself.

[Duncan Head]

If I find any more detail when I get round to the catalogue itself, I'll let you all know.

[Duncan Head]

A few of the bits of equipment from the exhibition.

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Fragments of a Macedonian shield from Vegora Florina. Reconstructed diameter 73.6 cm (along the curve), or 65.6 cm (along the chord). Inscribed with an incomplete king's name.

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Bronze facing of a Macedonian shield, findspot uncertain (it's a "confiscated item", presumably from an illicit dig). Inscribed "King Alexander", probably Alexander IV (317-309). Diameter 69.2 cm, though it doesn't say which diameter.

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A Boiotian helmet, from Larisa Museum so presumably Thessalian. Very much of the "classic" shape, like the better-known example from the River Tigris in the Ashmolean. Apologies for the poor focus.

[Dave Knight]

Thanks for posting, really interesting

[Duncan Head]

Exhibition extended until April 23, if anyone wants to set up a last-minute city break:

https://cycladic.gr/en/

[Imperial Dave]

Superb stuff

[Duncan Head]

If I find any more detail when I get round to the catalogue itself, I'll let you all know.

And now I've read that section of the catalogue, and it really doesn't help. The account of the battle suggests that it was Philip's feigned retreat on the Macedonian left that opened a gap between the Greek centre and the Sacred Band, which is not impossible but doesn't explain why the bulk of the Greek line would be angled back as shown. If anything I'd expect the allied line to have advanced past the Sacred Band in order to keep up with the Athenians.