On 22 June 217 BCE, the Battle of Raphia was fought between the Ptolemies under Ptolemy IV against the Seleucids under Antiochus III during the Fourth Syrian War.
Why did it happen?
During the third century BCE, the Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires fought each other for control of Coele-Syria during a series of conflicts called the Syrian Wars. Between 274 and 241 BCE, the Ptolemies emerged victorious during the first three Syrian Wars, with Ptolemaic territory greatly enlarged. However, upon the death of Ptolemy III in 221 BCE, court intrigues meant that Ptolemy IV came under the influence of his ministers, which caused civil unrest within Egypt. Taking advantage of this, Antiochus III, who had become king of the Seleucid Empire in 223 BCE, declared war on Ptolemaic Egypt in 219 BCE, capturing key territories in Phoenicia and Palestine. However, he failed to follow up with a decisive attack on Egypt, which allowed Ptolemy IV to train native Egyptians as phalangists. In the summer of 217 BCE, the Ptolemaic army encountered the Seleucid army at Raphia, southwest of Gaza.
Who was involved?
The Ptolemaic army at Raphia numbered 70,000 infantry, 5,000 cavalry and 73 war elephants. The Ptolemaic left wing was led by Polycrates and consisted of 2,500 cavalry, the Royal Guard, Libyan peltasts and 40 war elephants next to the Egyptian phalanx, which numbered 30,000 phalangists. The Ptolemaic right wing was led by Echecrates, who commanded 2,500 cavalry, Gallic, Thracian, Greek mercenary infantry, and 33 war elephants. The Seleucid army at Raphia numbered 62,000 infantry, 6,000 cavalry, and 102 war elephants. The Seleucid left wing was led by Themison and consisted of 2,000 cavalry, 3,000 Cardacian and Lydian peltasts, contingents from Persia and Arabia and 42 war elephants. The 20,000-strong Seleucid phalanx was positioned in the centre under Antipater, while Antiochus III commanded the right wing with 4,000 cavalry, 2,000 Cretan and Greek mercenaries, and 60 war elephants. Totaling more than 140,000 troops, it was to be the largest battle fought between the Hellenistic kingdoms since the Battle of Ipsus in 301 BCE.
What happened?
The Indian war elephants on the Seleucid right wing began the battle by advancing to engage the Ptolemaic African war elephants on the Ptolemaic left wing. According to Polybius, the war elephants fought by getting their “tusks entangled and jammed, and then push against one another with all their might, trying to make each other yield ground until one of them proving superior in strength has pushed aside the other's trunk; and when once he can get a side blow at his enemy, he pierces him with his tusks as a bull would with his horns” (Polyb. 5.84). After putting the Ptolemaic war elephants to flight and seeing the Ptolemaic left wing in disorder, Antiochus III led a cavalry charge against it and routed it, pursuing it off the battlefield. While Ptolemy IV withdrew to his phalanx, the Ptolemaic right wing attacked the flank of the Seleucid left wing and forced it back. With both sides’ wings either routed or in pursuit of their opposing side, Ptolemy pressed his phalanx forward against the Seleucid phalanx, which quickly collapsed and retreated. While Ptolemy lost only 2,200 men and 16 elephants during the battle, Antiochus returned to Raphia to find 10,300 men and 5 elephants killed, along with 4,000 men captured.
What changed as a result?
The Battle of Raphia was a Ptolemaic victory. In the aftermath of the battle, Antiochus III returned to Antioch and subsequently made peace with Ptolemy, who was too weak to advance further into Seleucid territory. Between 212 and 205 BCE, Antiochus turned east against Parthia and Greco-Bactria, enlarging the Seleucid Empire and earning him the title “the Great.” However, although Ptolemy regained control of Coele-Syria in the aftermath of the Battle of Raphia, his kingdom would weaken over the following decade due to economic problems and an Egyptian rebellion that lasted until 185 BCE. Ptolemy IV died in 204 BCE and was succeeded by his young son, Ptolemy V, but due to him being only six years old, his ministers murdered his mother and fought a civil war against each other that left Egypt in anarchy. Antiochus III took advantage of this and invaded Coele-Syria in 202 BCE, achieving a decisive victory over the Ptolemies at the Battle of Panium in 200 BCE. The Seleucids would maintain control over Coele-Syria until the Jewish Maccabees revolted against Seleucid rule in 167 BCE.
Bibliography
Grant, R.G. Battle: A Visual Journey Through 5,000 Years of Combat. London, Dorling Kindersley, 2005.
Javierfv1212. “Battle Raphia.” Wikimedia Commons. Last revised October 28, 2010. www.commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_raphia.png
Polybius. Histories. Translated by Evelyn S. Shuckburgh. New York, Macmillan, 1889.