11-15-2009, 07:11 AM
I'm not certain that we should limit the Aetolian army to only 7,000 "hoplites" for 279. The figure of 7,000 seems almost conventional: Pausanias 10.20.3 (the passage you're referring to I suppose) states that the Aetolians sent 7,000 hoplites amongst their forces and Diodorus, for the Lamian war, states (18.9.5) they supplied Leosthenes with 7,000 soldiers.
Later though, as Perdiccas faces the coalition of Ptolemy, Craterus and Antipater, Aetolia franks its alliance with Perdiccas by invading Thessaly with an army of 12,000 foot. In 315 the Aetolians send 3,000 to lay siege to Agrinium (18.38.1). Seven odd years further down the track Plod-perchon, having been more than usually dilatory in the Peloponnese, prevails upon the Aetolians to join him in his march upon Macedonia. Plod Polyperchon enters Macedonia, the soon to be departed Heracles in tow, with “more than 20,000 foot” (20.20ff). It is a fair bet the number was, for once, larger than the sources allow and better than even odds that the Aetolians provided a goodly amount. Certainly old Plod doesn’t seem to have had access to large forces at this time having only Sicyon and Corinth, the only two cities named in the sources, in his “possession”.
All of which is to say that Aetolia, like the poleis, committed forces it deemed necessary. The 7,000 recorded by Pausanias and Diodorus may well reflect the “full force” of approximately two thirds or so of their complete roll – as was usually the case with armies raised by the poleis (Athens, for example, sent 5,000 to Lamia).
Later though, as Perdiccas faces the coalition of Ptolemy, Craterus and Antipater, Aetolia franks its alliance with Perdiccas by invading Thessaly with an army of 12,000 foot. In 315 the Aetolians send 3,000 to lay siege to Agrinium (18.38.1). Seven odd years further down the track Plod-perchon, having been more than usually dilatory in the Peloponnese, prevails upon the Aetolians to join him in his march upon Macedonia. Plod Polyperchon enters Macedonia, the soon to be departed Heracles in tow, with “more than 20,000 foot” (20.20ff). It is a fair bet the number was, for once, larger than the sources allow and better than even odds that the Aetolians provided a goodly amount. Certainly old Plod doesn’t seem to have had access to large forces at this time having only Sicyon and Corinth, the only two cities named in the sources, in his “possession”.
All of which is to say that Aetolia, like the poleis, committed forces it deemed necessary. The 7,000 recorded by Pausanias and Diodorus may well reflect the “full force” of approximately two thirds or so of their complete roll – as was usually the case with armies raised by the poleis (Athens, for example, sent 5,000 to Lamia).
Paralus|Michael Park
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
Ἐπὶ τοὺς πατέρας, ὦ κακαὶ κεφαλαί, τοὺς μετὰ Φιλίππου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τὰ ὅλα κατειργασμένους
Wicked men, you are sinning against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander!
Academia.edu
