siege siege took place battle fought led alliance consisting command king heir battle fought ended victory following defeat italy forced retreat return declared war managing control approached prince throne overlooked saw invitation opportunity extend wars conquest invaded despite majority army campaigning crete remaining able mount defence led crown prince able withstand assaults arrival main army led king reinforcements prompting abandon siege failure ravaged whilst counter attacks victorious invitation ally attempted seize assault culminated attacked opponents pursuing army army commanded killed ensuing battle streets ending hopes establishing greece background request greek city king greek state went army men elephants italy help fight romans romans succeeded conquering italy moving greek cities arriving italy defeated roman army battle near repeated success romans defeating army battle victories proved costly diverted attention sicily greek states island appealing help despite defeating occupying island behaviour alienated greek allies forced abandon sicily return italian mainland attacked rebuilt roman army inconclusive returned leaving garrison war italy drained financial military resources increase resources bolster standing declared war king ravaged country managing defeat battle defeat compelled flee protected strong navy following flight able gain control declaring king prelude seizure throne approached serving officer army persuaded assist plot capture motives wanting attack firstly bore overlooked favour nephew determining successor throne greek historian attributed non selection king violent disposition new wife son perceived insults spurred leave scheme throne receptive appeals install throne agreed assist achieve king assembled army numbering men consisted infantry cavalry supplemented war elephants size expedition indicates viewed aiding opportunity extend securing ally alternate theory undertook invasion means cutting support receiving southern greek force marched south central greece speculates army marched gulf crossed suggests invasion facilitated power confederate hostile arrival welcomed continuing march met ambassadors athens appears received support invasion neighbours cities profit reduced power response inquiries intentions king managed asserted aim invading liberate cities held send sons educated withdrawal ambassadors army advanced followed south started territory prompted outrage ambassador dispatched battle day time invading army entry lightly defended majority army accompanied campaign crete supporting like easy target arriving outside evening advised attack immediately advantage defenders decided launching immediate offensive feared destruction wrought soldiers enter city night anticipating resistance order army camp prepared enter morning appearance army city caught unprepared despite favour sending women crete protection opposed queen grandmother ensured women remain assist protection city arrangements women reached began settlement defences defenders aware brought elephants counteract older men women dug trench parallel camp wagons sunken ground flanks hinder enemy advance trench formidable obstacle spanning feet length depth feet width feet recounts garrison assisted siege allies arrived additionally sent seeking assistance despite fact historically enemies approached army preparing attack assumed defensive positions trench encouraged women remained sight placing neck declared commit suicide return captured city led person attempted storm defences repulsed unable secure firm face attacks rendering trench impassable seeking obstacle sent force picked commander son trench troops found path blocked wagons sunken soil wagons planted deeply hindered assault efforts repel foray eventually managed remove wagons giving opportunity burst city seeing danger exploited series depressions terrain lead force men rear manoeuvre evoked panic compelled abandon attempt enter city turn confront attack rear hard fought battle flanking group pushed trench heavy casualties inflicted leadership told withdraw battle return children like second day failed breach defences night fell withdrew camp according received night slept set coming hand interpreted dream indicating seize storm friend warned places struck usually avoided destined enter dismissed interpretation deemed sign prepared men assault face renewed offensive held defences lack manpower women active offering missiles defenders taking away wounded providing food drink required advantage position began filling trench materials bringing line bodies slain comrades efforts hindered aware importance maintaining defensive obstacles response counter attack filling trench decided personally lead charge lines mounted horse king able force away trench wagons city group companions sudden onslaught sparked panic defenders section point horse wounded pierced belly causing throw king ground fall king threw companions state confusion enabled rally launched barrage missiles king comrades despite deaths guards successfully taken safety main lines fighting retreat following unsuccessful foray ordered army fall hoped willing come terms heavy casualties suffered hopes capitulation thwarted arrival reinforcements hearing intention conquer dispatched general group mercenaries relieve shortly defenders numbers defenders augmented arrival men crete arrival reinforcements greatly reduced strain women military age able withdraw line bolstered fresh troops allies prepared assault trench presence adversaries intensified determination capture city ordered attack trenches unable accomplish suffered losses failure attack convinced siege decided lift withdraw intended spend winter possibly purpose launching fresh attack sent army begin surrounding countryside point received prominent citizen major seeking assistance overthrow regime supportive seize opportunity capture began withdraw heading north retreating army continuously command setting occupying important positions line retreat able inflicted significant casualties rearguard attempt counter panic morale rear engaging sent son command hope son presence rally rearguard time rest army narrow pass marching battle intensified position set picked band led fight ensued slain remaining troops overwhelmed triumphant hearing son death rearguard charged cavalry killing hand destroying remainder picked troops defeat force able withdraw rest army aftermath evacuation directed army learning vicinity pitched camp series negotiations agreed withdraw night entered accompanied army aid ensuing melee set body led brought city faction attempting retreat struck head tile lying stunned troops defeat led power loss conquests victory control macedonia power greece establishment dominance led breakdown alliance bid royal ambitions join coalition greek fought war war ended crushing defeat defeating killing ally battle defeat disastrous rise regional power reign thirty years later popular culture siege available play historical battles award winning video game rome total war user command army attempts capture french painter painted work entitled par siege depicting battle ancient sources jones translator description greece new_york translator life new_york classics isbn modern sources paul roman tale cities london isbn cross cambridge fox books isbn green peter alexander historical evolution age los_angeles isbn history macedonia oxford sarah women oxford isbn volume world cambridge isbn graham
Siege of Sparta