Battle of Raphia
The Battle of Raphia, fought in 217 BCE, was a significant conflict between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires, taking place near Raphia in present-day Gaza. The Ptolemaic forces, led by Ptolemy IV Philopator, included approximately 20,000 Egyptian soldiers who had strategically crossed the Sinai desert and positioned themselves to utilize the terrain's advantages. The battle unfolded with Ptolemy's army managing to shield their flanks from the superior cavalry of the Seleucid forces, which were led by Antiochus III and also employed Indian elephants in combat.
Despite similarities in the cavalry's performance, Ptolemy's forces excelled in heavy infantry, which played a crucial role in the battle's outcome. The dynamics of the battle saw Ptolemy maneuvering effectively, ultimately contributing to a decisive Ptolemaic victory. This triumph not only solidified Ptolemy IV's rule but also reflected the growing significance of Egyptian troops within the Ptolemaic army. The victory at Raphia sparked a surge of nationalism among Egyptians, which may have contributed to subsequent political developments within the region, including the secession of Upper Egypt during Ptolemy IV's reign.
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Subject Terms
Battle of Raphia
Type of action: Climactic ground battle in the Fourth Syrian-Egyptian War
Date: 217 b.c.e.
Location: Mouth of the Jiradj Pass, six miles southwest of Raphia
Combatants: 75,000 Ptolemies (Egyptians) vs. 62,000 Seleucids
Principal commanders:Egyptian/Ptolemaic, King Ptolemy IV Philopator (244?-203 b.c.e.); Seleucid, King Antiochus III (242-187 b.c.e.)
Result: Ptolemaic recovery of Syrian possessions annexed by Antiochus III
In 217 b.c.e., covering twenty-two miles a day for five days, the Ptolemaic army, including 20,000 Egyptians, crossed north Sinai and passed through the narrow Jiradj pass. Ptolemy IV Philopator gave battle about five miles southwest of Raphia, where dunes protected his flanks from superior Seleucid cavalry and drifting sand offered an impediment to Seleucid mounted forces.
Antiochus III’s Indian elephants were more suited to war than Ptolemy’s seventy-three African elephants. The opposing cavalries proved equal, and Ptolemy had the advantage in heavy and semiheavy infantry. The cavalry of the right wing of each army routed the left wing of the other. Ptolemy slipped from his left wing to his center, and Antiochus and the Seleucid right wing continued to pursue the Egyptian left, apparently hoping to encounter Ptolemy. The Ptolemaic right may have returned from pursuit of the Seleucid left and contributed to the victory of the Ptolemaic center.
Significance
The importance of Egyptian troops in the Ptolemaic army at Raphia corresponds to the increasing Egyptian character of Ptolemaic rule under Ptolemy IV. The success of native Egyptian troops at Raphia may have contributed to growing nationalism and the secession of Upper Egypt later in Ptolemy IV’s reign, although Ptolemy Soter had already employed Egyptian troops at the Battle of Gaza (312 b.c.e.).
Bibliography
Bar-Kochva, Bezalel. The Seleucid Army: Organization and Tactics in the Great Campaigns. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1976.
Bevan, E. A History of Egypt Under the Ptolemaic Dynasty. London: Methuen, 1927.
Holbl, Gunther. History of the Ptolemaic Empire. New York: Routledge, 2000.
Scullard, H. H. The Elephant in the Greek and Roman World. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1974.