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Battle of Gabiene
Battle of Gabiene (316 BC) was battle between Antigonus and Eumenes in the Second War of the Diadochi near in the winter of 316 BC.
During the early years of warfare between the Diadochi, Antigonus faced Eumenes, a capable general who had already crushed Craterus. The two Diadochi fought a series of actions across Anatolia and Persia before finally meeting in what was to be the last clash at Gabiene.
Antigonus had been a general for Philip II, king of Macedon, and later for his son Alexander. Eumenes had been Alexander's secretary, but Alexander seemed to have recognised a military talent in Eumenes, and gave him several senior commands in the campaign in India. After Alexander's death, Eumenes quickly showed his skill, allying himself with Perdiccas and winning over much of Anatolia.
The battlefield was so dry that great clouds of dust began rising from the fight. Antigonus saw this, and quickly issued orders to his far left flank of light horse. They were to ride around Eumenes' flank into his rear and take the enemy's camp and baggage. The clouds of dust were so dense that Antigonus' Tarantine and Median horse, under the command of his able subordinate, Peithon, were able to take the inadequately guarded camp completely unnoticed and seize control of the baggage.
On the right flank, using the thick dust to cover his movements, Antigonus and Demetrius rode with their heavy cavalry around the engaged skirmishers and elephants to unexpectedly hit Eumenes' horse on their flank. Taken by surprise a great part of Eumenes' heavy cavalry under Eudemus routed, despite Eumenes' heroic efforts to counterattack.
While Eumenes' camp was being plundered and his left flank dissolving into rout, the Argyraspides, a unit of Alexander's veteran hypaspists who had fought under Philip and then Alexander, advanced on Antigonus' phalangites. Completely smashing them, the Argyraspides routed Antigonus' entire phalanx killing five thousand men without a single loss.
Antigonus then ordered his light horse to attack the Argyraspides in their rear. However, the Argyraspides were not ordinary soldiers, instead of panicking and fleeing, they calmly formed a large square and safely marched off the field.
Although Antigonus was victorious, the battle's result was, like Paraitacene, inconclusive, with Eumenes still possessing a strong force. That evening, he attempted to convince the army to fight Antigonus again the next day for a conclusive result. However, his army was reluctant, as the satraps of this force wanted to retire to protect their satrapies. However, it was the Argyraspides who took matters into their own hands. Learning that Antigonus had ownership of their wives, children and the cumulative plunder of nearly 40 years of continuous warfare, they secretly opened negotiations with Antigonus for their safe return. In return for handing over Eumenes, they would get their baggage and families returned to them. Eager for the return of their baggage, the Argyraspides promptly handed Eumenes and his senior officers to Antigonus.
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