Later Ptolemaic

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Historical Overview Section

This is the army of Anthony & Cleopatra, but because thats too easy to spell is called Ptolemaic. The Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt began following the Alexandrian Macedonian conquest of Alexander the Great's in 332 BCE and ended with the death of Cleopatra VII and the Late Republican Roman conquest in 30 BCE. After Alexanders death, one of his Early Successors Ptolemy I Soter declared himself Pharaoh of Egypt, creating a powerful Hellenistic state from southern Syria in the east to Cyrene to the west, and extending south to the frontier with Nubia. Alexandria became the capital city and a center of Greek culture and trade.

The name actually came about as in a bid to gain recognition from the native Egyptian populace, with the new rulers naming themselves in a style which would appear as if they were the successors to the Pharaohs. This unfortunately extended to all male rulers taking the name Ptolemy, and all female ones being Cleopatra (pretty much). The later Ptolemies took on Egyptian traditions by marrying their siblings - which is never a great idea if you want strong healthy children - and also had themselves portrayed on public monuments in Egyptian style and dress, and participated in Egyptian religious life. During the reign of Ptolemies II and III thousands of Greek veterans were rewarded with grants of farm lands, and Greeks were planted in colonies and garrisons or settled themselves in the villages throughout the country, helping form a Greek core to the army.

Family conflicts affected the later years of the dynasty when Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II fought his brother Ptolemy VI Philometor and briefly seized the throne. Handily, no-one had to change the names on the coins though. The struggle was continued by his sister and niece (who both became his wives) until they finally issued an Amnesty Decree in 118 BC. The Ptolemies also had to fight native rebellions and were involved in foreign wars that accelerated the decline of the kingdom and led to its annexation by Rome in 30 BC, following the death of Cleopatra VII. The Principate Roman Emperors of this time were all paranoid - following on from Caesars coining of the phrase "Infamy, Infamy, they all got it In For Me!"

The Principate Romans unsubtly took this as an opportunity to declare that Egypt was a province (Aegyptus), and that this list was redundant. The main Roman interest in Egypt was always the reliable delivery of grain to the city of Rome. To this end the Roman administration made no change to the Ptolemaic system of government, although Romans replaced Greeks in the highest offices. But Greeks continued to staff most of the administrative offices and Greek remained the language of government except at the highest levels. Unlike the Greeks, the Romans did not settle in Egypt in large numbers. Culture, education and civic life largely remained Greek throughout the Roman period. The Romans, like the Ptolemies, respected and protected Egyptian religion and customs, although the cult of the Roman state and of the Emperor was gradually introduced.

Useful Links

User-contributed links about this army:

• Wikipedia History of Ptolemaic Egypt
• House of Ptolemy online Ptolemaic resources
• Macedonian Early Successor - Ptolemy, from Fanaticus
• Digital Egypt online history page
• Ptolemaic DBA Figure Gallery for this army - from Fanaticus

Using the army in FoG

• The pukka Superior Roman legionaries (from 55BC) are excellent troops, as are the Thorakitoi, either as heavies or mediums. Taking all 24 should be a baseline for your list
• Arab camelry are a novelty item, but only in the way that an inflatable rubber hammer is a novelty item - fine down the pub, but no good in a real fight. Just forget the Arab camelry, they are useless.
• MF Thorakitoi are the best terrain troops around - better even than the permitted Thracians - although Thracians are good too, but may give you too many RGo troops if used with the Thorskitoi.
• The Poor pikes are very tempting, and can just about get away with being used. But 10's may be the way to go giving you the ability to keep at maximum factors even if you suffer losses. Also wedge them in between other decent stuff - if they get overlapped they will struggle
• Elephants can support the flanks of the phalanx while the Thorikitai work further out on the wings, in reserve, or in terrain, depending upon the situation.
• You don't need an IC - unless relying on a lot of Poor pikemen, in which case his extra + in CTs may be crucial, as could the cheap Poor Cretan foot as support. Otherwise, 4 TCs will be fine with this army.
• Take Superior Legions - they will do all the fighting, make them as good as possible.
• The cavalry force looks like a distraction from spending points on lots of decent foot. 12 isn't quite enough to be decisive, especially when only 4 LH are allowed to support them.

Allied Contingents

None permitted

Tournament Results

4 / 12 Later Ptolemaic Attack 2008 doubles (RoR, IF)
6 / 17 Later Ptolemaic Warfare 2008 25mm (RoR, LT, IF)
11 / 12 Later Ptolemaic Attack 2008 doubles (RoR, IF)
24 / 41 Later Ptolemaic BHGS Challenge 2008 (open)
41 / 41 Later Ptolemaic BHGS Challenge 2008 (open)
30 / 62 Later Ptolomaic Britcon 2008 15mm (open)
14 / 20 Ptolomeic Warfare 2008 15mm (RoR, IF, LT)

15mm Manufacturers supplying figures for this army

You can see some of the figures in the Ancients Photo Gallery also on this site. Also look at the Late Republican Roman listings for suitable figures for later Ptolemaic armies

• Essex Miniatures - large Macedonian & Selucid ranges with over 30 figure codes, plus other allied/mercenary troops
• Donnington 60+ Hellenistics, includes specific codes for different successsor armies
• Xyston Some of their macedonians are creeping up the scale, but generaly OK to mix with others
• Museum Miniatures around 30 codes listed for various Hellenistic armies, but some codes are duplicated
• Gladiator Miniatures by Fighting 15's (Previously Black Hat) 54 codes in a range also including Greek hoplite armies
• Old Glory 15's, 9 Macedonians, 27 Successors,
• Magister Militum 19 Selucid and 9 Alexandrian codes, plus assorted allies/mercenaries
• Lancashire Games 14 Macedonian range figure codes
• Irregular Miniatures 26 figures codes for Hellenistics and Successors
• QRF Models 35 codes in their Feudal Castings range, including some excellent personality figures. Galatians from the Gallic / German range.
• Tin Soldier 32 suitable codes in a Hellenistic range also covering Indians & Persians
• Minifigs 45 codes in their Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
• East Riding Miniatures (sell some Thracians that would fit, but no hellenistics as such
• Outpost Wargame Services 13 Macedonians
• Viking Forge 17 figure codes in Hellenistic & Alexandrian ranges
• Battle Line Miniatures 43 codes in their Hellenistic range, which also covers hoplite armies
• Isarus/15mm.co.uk 26 Selucid figures
• Warmodelling/Fantassin Have announced an Alexandrian range

Army Lists

Sample army lists for this army

800 AP Pike-free Ptolemaic

• 2x4 Cv arm sup drill lance/swd
• 1x4 Cv arm sup undrilled lt sp/swd
• 1x8 MF arm avg drill OS
• 1x4 HF arm avg drill if/swd "romanized"
• 1x6 MF pro avg undrill HW Thracian
• 1x8 LF unp sup drill bow Cretan
• 1x8 LF unp avg undrill bow
• 1x6 LF unp avg undrill bow
• 1x4 LH unp avg drilled jav/lt spr
• 2x4 HF arm avg drilled IF/swd
• 1x4 HF arm sup drilled IF/swd
• IC Marc Anthony
• 2x TC

800 AP Pike version

• 4 x TC
• 2 BGs of Xystophorai - 4 Cv, Arm, Sup, Drilled, Lancers, Swordsmen
• 1 BG of Light Cavalry - 4 LH, Unp, Ave, Drilled, Javelins, L.Spear
• 1 BG of Ptolemaic Phalangite - 12 HF, Prot, Ave, Drilled, Pikemen
• 2 BG of Thorakatoi - 6 HF, Arm, Ave, Drilled, Off Spear
• 1 BG of Ptolemaic Archers - 6 LF, Unp, Ave, Drilled, Bow
• 1 BG of Cretan Archers - 6 LF, Unp, Superior, Drilled, Bow
• 2 BG of Anthony's legionaries - 6 HF, Arm, Sup, Drilled, Imp Ft, Skilled Swordsmen
• 1 BG of Thracians - 6 MF, Prot, Ave, Undrilled, Heavy Weapon
• 1 BG of Ptolemaic javelinmen - 6 LF, Unprot, Ave, Undrilled, Javelins, Light Spear

800 AP "Nearly All The Pike" version

• 6 LF Unp/Avg/Dr/J-LS
• 6 LF Unp/Avg/Dr/Sling
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Avg/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Poor/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Poor/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Poor/Dr/Pike
• 8 HF Pr/Poor/Dr/Pike
• 6 MF Arm/Avg/Dr/OffSp
• 6 MF Arm/Avg/Dr/OffSp
• 6 MF Pr/Poor/Dr/LS
• 4 Cv Arm/Avg/Dr/L-Sw
• CinC TC and 3 Sub TC

800 AP, 16 BG, no bonus to PBI
The poor quality MF unit and the lancers typically act in support of pikemen. There will be some terrain, thus the LF and Thorakitai. This much pike can't be avoided by your opponent. Think about operating pike 3 stands wide and nearly 3 deep against shooty cav armies in order to increase frontage by 50%.

Remember to leave a line before you copy the above section as a template for your own list

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