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June 22nd 217B.C. Raphia(Rafah) Palestine.

After Alexander the Great's death in 323B.C. his empire was spilt among his generals also known as the Diadochi. The two largest portions went to Seleucus I Nicator who founded the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemy I Soter who became Pharaoh of Egypt and started the Ptolemaic dynasty of pharaohs. For many years the Seleucid Empire and Ptolemaic Egypt fought over the region known as Cole-Syria(modern-day Syria, Lebanon, and Northern Palestine). In 219B.C. Seleucid Emperor Antiochus III invaded the region and captured a vast amount of territory, with the aid of the Governor of Tyre Theodotus, who switched sides from Egypt to the Seleucids. In 218B.C. Pharaoh Ptolemy IV began gathering an army to reclaim the region from the Seleucids. By mid-218B.C. he set out for the Levant. By mid 217B.C. both armies had met near the town of Raphia.

The Ptolemaic Army had 75k men, 70k infantry, 5k cavalry, and 73 elephants. The Seleucids had 70k men, 64k infantry 6k cavalry and 102 elephants. The Seleucid elephants were Indian elephants which were much larger than the African elephants used by the Ptolemaic. These were also two of the largest armies assembled during the Hellenic Era. Both sides initially constructed fortified camps, and foraged the area for food where they fought small skirmishes against each other. During this time Theodotus came up with a daring plan and snuck into the Ptolemaic camp, located Ptolemy IV's royal tent, but when he entered the tent he did not find Ptolemy but his doctor who he ended up killing and managed to exit the camp unnoticed. On June 22nd Ptolemy assembled his army for battle and Antiochus assembled his army as well.

Ptolemy placed himself on the Ptolemaic left flank and Antiochus commanded the Seleucid right flank. The battle started when both sides sent their elephants forward to attack, but as the elephants fought many of the African elephants were said to have become disturbed by the smell of the Indian elephants, which ended up causing many of the African elephants to run off the battlefield. Antiochus took advantage of this and ordered the entire Seleucid right flank to attack, which resulted in the collapse of the Ptolemaic left flank and Antiochus chased them off of the battlefield. Ptolemy escaped and took command of his center. The Ptolemaic right then advanced on the Seleucid left. Ptolemy then had his center advance on the Seleucid center. Ptolemy's center had significantly more men than the Seleucids, so after hard fighting both the Seleucid center and right had broke. Antiochus who was still chasing after the fleeing soldiers from the Ptolemaic left, had just been informed by a messenger that his center and right had collapsed. Antiochus and his men turned around to head back to the battle, but by that time it was too late. Antiochus withdrew to his camp.

The Ptolemaic had lost 2k men, while the Seleucids had lost over 10k. The Battle of Raphia was considered to be one of the largest of the Hellenic Era. Despite Antiochus's loss at Raphia he would later go on to be one of the greatest Seleucid emperors expanding the empire's borders to it's largest extent and earing the title of Antiochus the Great.

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