Campaign Events: 133 BC or BCE if you prefer

Major battles are like buses - nothing for years and then three come along at once. After the recent slave war in Sicily and the Indian attack on Bactria, we almost immediately have the Romans arriving for their first campaign encounter in Asia Minor.  This does not bode for the freedom to fight one another that is traditionally associated with that area.  Events are as follows:

Spring 133

• Rome sends reinforcements to Sicily, while guerrilla warfare rages there.
• The Ptolemies raise a new army in Alexandria, somewhat concerned about the problems their only field army has been having against the Parthians.  This second one is for capital defence, honest.
• The Parthians, as predicted, mount a huge raid into Bactria.
• The Pergamene bequest: Mysia, Lydia and Phrygia now belong to Rome by the terms of the will of the last Attalid king.

Summer 133

• A Roman army arrives in Mysia from Propontis to take possession.
• The Parthians return to Aria, laden with loot.
• The Pergamene nobleman Aristonicus becomes the focus of resentment against the Romans and leads an army against them.

So that will be the next battle. This is a very late Pergamene army, and will be composed of some good quality heavy cavalry, a large medium phalanx, thureophoroi and peltasts, together with a supporting cast of light horse and skirmishers.  We shall see if they manage to give the legions a hard time.