History of Rome

​Around the same days, with fortune inclining all things at the same time, the Rhodians also, in order to reclaim from Philip the region on the continent—they call it Peraea—which had been possessed by their ancestors, ​sent Pausistratus, their praetor, with eight hundred Achaean infantry and about one thousand eight hundred armed men collected from various kinds of auxiliaries;

​they were Gauls, Pisuetae, Nisuetae, Tamiani, Arei from Africa, and Laudiceni from Asia.

​With these forces Pausistratus occupied Tendeba, a very favorable place in the Stratonicean territory, while the king’s men who were at Thera were unaware of it.

​Opportunely, and as a support summoned for this very purpose, one thousand Achaean infantry with one hundred cavalry arrived;

​Theoxenus was in command of them. Dinocrates, the royal prefect, for the sake of recovering the fort, first moved his camp to Tendeba itself, and from there to another fort, also in the Stratonicean territory—they call it Astragon—; and having summoned all the garrisons ​which were scattered in many places, and also the Thessalian auxiliaries from Stratonicea itself, he proceeded to lead them to Alabanda, where the enemy was.

​Nor did the Rhodians decline battle. Thus, with camps located nearby, they immediately went down into battle array.

​Dinocrates placed five hundred Macedonians on the right wing, the Agrianes on the left; in the center he received those drawn together from the garrisons of the forts—they were mostly Carians—and surrounded the wings with cavalry and Cretan and Thracian auxiliaries.

​The Rhodians had the Achaean soldiers, a select band of infantry, ​in the center the auxiliaries mixed from several nations, and what there was of cavalry and light-armed troops was thrown around the wings.

​On that day both lines only stood on the bank of the torrent, which then flowed with a thin stream of water, and having thrown a few darts, they withdrew into their camps. On the following day, drawn up in the same order, they fought a battle somewhat greater than in proportion to the number of those fighting.

​For there were not more than three thousand infantry on each side, and about one hundred cavalry.

​But they fought not only with equal numbers and kinds of weapons, but also with equal courage and equal hope. The Achaeans first, having crossed the torrent, made an attack upon the Agrianes;

​then almost the whole line crossed the river at a run.

​For a long time the battle stood doubtful. In number, the Achaeans, being themselves one thousand, drove four hundred from their position; then, the left wing being forced back, all converged upon the right.

​The Macedonians, as long as their ranks and the closely packed phalanx, as it were, remained firm, could not be moved;

​after their left side was exposed and they attempted to turn their spears against the enemy coming from the flank, being immediately thrown into confusion, they first made a tumult among themselves, then turned their backs, and finally, throwing down their weapons, poured forth into headlong flight.

​Fleeing, they sought Bargyliae; to the same place Dinocrates fled. The Rhodians, having followed as long as daylight remained, withdrew into their camp. It is sufficiently established that, if the victors had immediately sought Stratonicea, that city could have been recovered without a contest.

​The opportunity for this was lost, while time was wasted in recovering the forts and villages of Peraea.

​Meanwhile, the spirits of those who held Stratonicea with a garrison were strengthened. Soon also Dinocrates entered the walls with those forces which had survived the battle.

​Thereafter, the city was besieged and assaulted in vain, nor could it be recovered until some time later through Antiochus. These things were done in Thessaly, these in Achaea, these in Asia, around almost the same days.