So it came to pass, after two days of dispatching runners relaying messages of battle coordination's back and forth between Sparta and Athens, the Siege of Thebes began 3 days after the Massacre at Thespiae. King Vyakles committed 15,000 troops who marched from the southwest across the vast farmlands in the eastern plain of Boeotia, and Athens sent out 10,000 hoplites, from the north west. The battle formation was ordered as followed: 10,000 heavy infantry comprised of the well armed phalanx under the command of four Spartan Generals who took orders from King Vyakles whose division took up the right wing, flanking the southern and eastern gates, 8,000 foot soldiers took position at the northern and eastern gates as 3000 cavalry officers of the Themiscyran Division committed to battle along with 1000 chariots, 1000 charioteers, 2000 archers under the command of General Scotia and General Iona, with 4000 remaining support troops. Their sole mission was to destroy the allied army of Thebes and Macedon and neutralize them, seal off the seven gates of the city, starve out the population then burn the ancient city to the ground. Now this seemed quite possible to the Spartans and Athenians as they had done so many times before in the past, however, this was the dawn of a new day and what King Vyakles and his men, along with their allies in combat, encountered that day sent shock waves through the troops.
For so it was Phillip, a skilled warrior and veteran of many harrowing battles, had developed and successfully implemented new weaponry and a lighter body armor for his troops, who fought in a much different fighting style than the Spartans and Athenians were familiar with and much unaccustomed to. These battle tactics and formations were nothing like the strategy of old. No, this morning ushered in a new style of violence and terror the world, and her brave warriors, had never seen, or ever known. Therefore Athens and Sparta faced this new threat and they faced it together. This difference between the enemy troops left King Vyakles, who fought bravely alongside his men in the front lines, at an extreme disadvantage. For the Macedonian phalanx consisted of orderly rows of 3000 men, one behind the other, all the soldiers, were armed with a new weapon, a 13-14 foot long pole with a long metal spike on the end, this was called a sarissa. The first row of five men presented their sarissa like a hedge row of spiked points aimed forward, extending out about 10 feet ahead, as the deadly points pushed towards enemy shields and skulls with incredible, irresistible force. Whereas the men waiting behind kept their sarissa pointed upwards towards the sky, like a porcupine, waiting for their comrades to fall so they were ready to take their place. This is where the Spartans were at a disadvantage for they were armed with 6-8 foot long spears and heavy bronze armor and shields, and the Macedonians enjoyed the advantage in reach and in destiny of offered weapons, for every formation of the Spartan Phalanx could only present its spears from a depth of 2 or 3 feet. Phillips men also did not have to crush together so tightly as the Spartans did in their 'turtle' formation so the Macedonians were less exhausted in the hours long fighting. However there was one flaw in the newly designed weapon, it must be held with two hands so the Macedonians had smaller shields that were lighter in weight and had to be strapped to the left forearm, Vyakles realized this as he had a clear view from the front lines, where he always fought with his men, to lead them in battle and bloodshed. Though many had tried to persuade the king, in his old age, not to take up the front line fighting position, Vyakles did not heed the calls for safety and prudence, ignoring the hand of Providence. So it was the cries of those thousands, upon thousands, who gathered for war fought hard, or lay dying, that day, the multitude of voices rose up to shake the heavens and the earth. Vyakles was surrounded by his men who pushed him back behind the lines for a greater measure of security and protection from the new threat. Hidden back behind the wall of their heavy sturdy shields the old king moved a little to slow for fate, that terrible winters day, for had he moved just a few moments quicker he would not have felt the sharp stab of the cold metal spike deep into his neck where a major artery was severed as a warm scarlet stream of blood poured forth from his body. Vyakles let out a cry, grabbing his throat, falling to his knees, collapsing at his son's feet. The din of war faded from his ears, along with the pain and any fears he had of death. For his life would soon be over now, and in the chaos of this final moment on earth, his last bloody battle in the land of the living, King Vyakles would, at long last, find Peace and Glory in dying, his life long Service to his Country COMPLETE. Quickly he sent up his prayers to Mercury and Hades to usher his soul up with rapidity across the river Styx to see his beloved Queen Thera so he could find shelter in her Love and Grace to partake in Thera's Royal Divinity. His death was beautiful, and it was fine, and he felt wonderful as he lay dying.Vyakles found his glory and, therefore, this Earthly King became divine. So it came to pass that the famous, and infamous, King Vyakles the 'Destroyer of Nations' fell in a heap of his own warm blood, spilling out his life, along with thousands of his loyal soldiers who lie dying by his side, that bitter cold winters day.
"Father!" Amid the shock and horror, the fog of war crept in as Therakles screamed out in dismay "The King has fallen!" here his words were all carried away, heard by the Macedonians and Spartans, here the tide of war shifted, for hearing this blessed news the blood lust of the Macedons was multiplied and the ensuing battle to take the body of King Vyakles as a trophy of war began in pools of blood and bodies. The Spartans locked shields in protection of their crowned rulers corpse, four times the Spartans repulsed the horde, then lost control, then regained their dead king's body, but it was not until the word reached the cavalry that more help came.
For so it was Phillip, a skilled warrior and veteran of many harrowing battles, had developed and successfully implemented new weaponry and a lighter body armor for his troops, who fought in a much different fighting style than the Spartans and Athenians were familiar with and much unaccustomed to. These battle tactics and formations were nothing like the strategy of old. No, this morning ushered in a new style of violence and terror the world, and her brave warriors, had never seen, or ever known. Therefore Athens and Sparta faced this new threat and they faced it together. This difference between the enemy troops left King Vyakles, who fought bravely alongside his men in the front lines, at an extreme disadvantage. For the Macedonian phalanx consisted of orderly rows of 3000 men, one behind the other, all the soldiers, were armed with a new weapon, a 13-14 foot long pole with a long metal spike on the end, this was called a sarissa. The first row of five men presented their sarissa like a hedge row of spiked points aimed forward, extending out about 10 feet ahead, as the deadly points pushed towards enemy shields and skulls with incredible, irresistible force. Whereas the men waiting behind kept their sarissa pointed upwards towards the sky, like a porcupine, waiting for their comrades to fall so they were ready to take their place. This is where the Spartans were at a disadvantage for they were armed with 6-8 foot long spears and heavy bronze armor and shields, and the Macedonians enjoyed the advantage in reach and in destiny of offered weapons, for every formation of the Spartan Phalanx could only present its spears from a depth of 2 or 3 feet. Phillips men also did not have to crush together so tightly as the Spartans did in their 'turtle' formation so the Macedonians were less exhausted in the hours long fighting. However there was one flaw in the newly designed weapon, it must be held with two hands so the Macedonians had smaller shields that were lighter in weight and had to be strapped to the left forearm, Vyakles realized this as he had a clear view from the front lines, where he always fought with his men, to lead them in battle and bloodshed. Though many had tried to persuade the king, in his old age, not to take up the front line fighting position, Vyakles did not heed the calls for safety and prudence, ignoring the hand of Providence. So it was the cries of those thousands, upon thousands, who gathered for war fought hard, or lay dying, that day, the multitude of voices rose up to shake the heavens and the earth. Vyakles was surrounded by his men who pushed him back behind the lines for a greater measure of security and protection from the new threat. Hidden back behind the wall of their heavy sturdy shields the old king moved a little to slow for fate, that terrible winters day, for had he moved just a few moments quicker he would not have felt the sharp stab of the cold metal spike deep into his neck where a major artery was severed as a warm scarlet stream of blood poured forth from his body. Vyakles let out a cry, grabbing his throat, falling to his knees, collapsing at his son's feet. The din of war faded from his ears, along with the pain and any fears he had of death. For his life would soon be over now, and in the chaos of this final moment on earth, his last bloody battle in the land of the living, King Vyakles would, at long last, find Peace and Glory in dying, his life long Service to his Country COMPLETE. Quickly he sent up his prayers to Mercury and Hades to usher his soul up with rapidity across the river Styx to see his beloved Queen Thera so he could find shelter in her Love and Grace to partake in Thera's Royal Divinity. His death was beautiful, and it was fine, and he felt wonderful as he lay dying.Vyakles found his glory and, therefore, this Earthly King became divine. So it came to pass that the famous, and infamous, King Vyakles the 'Destroyer of Nations' fell in a heap of his own warm blood, spilling out his life, along with thousands of his loyal soldiers who lie dying by his side, that bitter cold winters day.
"Father!" Amid the shock and horror, the fog of war crept in as Therakles screamed out in dismay "The King has fallen!" here his words were all carried away, heard by the Macedonians and Spartans, here the tide of war shifted, for hearing this blessed news the blood lust of the Macedons was multiplied and the ensuing battle to take the body of King Vyakles as a trophy of war began in pools of blood and bodies. The Spartans locked shields in protection of their crowned rulers corpse, four times the Spartans repulsed the horde, then lost control, then regained their dead king's body, but it was not until the word reached the cavalry that more help came.
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