The siege of sparta free download

Most Popular. New Releases. Desktop Enhancements. Networking Software. Trending from CNET. Download Now. Developer's Description By Square Enix. This demo includes three full campaign missions as the Egyptians, Persians, or Spartans.

Full Specifications. What's new in version. Release November 7, Date Added April 6, Operating Systems. Total Downloads 27, Downloads Last Week 0. Report Software. Related Software. Fall in love with the classic Age of Empires II experience, now with high definition graphics. The defenders were aware that the Epiriotes had brought elephants and to counteract them, the older men and women dug a trench parallel to Pyrrhus' camp with wagons sunken into the ground at the flanks to hinder the enemy's advance.

The trench was a formidable obstacle, spanning feet in length with a depth of six feet and a width of nine feet. Pausanias recounts that the meagre Spartan garrison were assisted during the siege by allies who had arrived from Argos and Messene.

Additionally, the Spartans sent messengers to both Areus summoning him back to Sparta and to Antigonus, seeking assistance from him despite the fact that Sparta and Macedon had historically been enemies. When daybreak approached and the Epiriote army was preparing its attack, the Spartans assumed defensive positions behind their trench.

They were encouraged by the women who had remained and by the sight of Chilonis, who had placed a halter around her neck, declared that she would commit suicide rather than return to Cleonymus if Pyrrhus captured the city. The besiegers, led by Pyrrhus in person, attempted to storm the Spartan defences but were repulsed as they were unable to secure firm footing in the face of Spartan attacks, rendering the trench impassable.

Seeking to circumvent this obstacle, Pyrrhus sent a force of 2, Gauls and some picked Chaonians under the commander of his son Ptolemy to go around the trench. These troops found their path blocked by the wagons which the Lacedaimonians had sunken into the soil. The wagons were planted so deeply that they hindered not only the Epiriote assault but also Spartan efforts to repel the foray. Eventually the Gauls managed to remove some of the wagons, giving them the opportunity to burst into the city.

Acrotatus, seeing the danger, exploited a series of depressions in the terrain to lead a force of men undetected against the Epiriote rear. This manoeuvre evoked panic amongst the Gauls who were compelled to abandon their attempt to enter the city and had to turn around to confront the attack to their rear. After a hard fought battle, the Epiriote flanking group was pushed back into the trench with heavy casualties inflicted upon them.

The Spartans, elated by Arcotatus' leadership, told him to withdraw from the battle and return to Chilonis so as to beget more children like him for Sparta. Pyrrhus failed to breach the Lacedaimonian defences and when night fell, he withdrew back to his camp.

According to Plutarch, Pyrrhus received an omen during the night. As he slept, he dreamt of Sparta being smitten and set alight by thunderbolts coming from his own hand. While Pyrrhus and most of his counsellors interpreted the dream as indicating that they would seize Sparta by storm, his friend Lysimachus warned him that places struck by thunderbolts were usually avoided and that Pyrrhus was destined not to enter Sparta.

Pyrrhus dismissed this interpretation and buoyed by what he deemed to be a portentous sign, he prepared his men for a further assault. In the face of the renewed Epiriote offensive, the Spartans held their defences with vigour. Due to the lack of manpower, the Spartan women were active in offering missiles to the defenders as well as taking away the wounded and providing food and drink to those who required it.

To nullify the advantage of the Spartans' position, the Epiriotes began filling up the trench with materials which they were bringing to the front line as well as the bodies of their slain comrades. The efforts of the besiegers were hindered by the Spartans who were aware of the importance of maintaining their defensive obstacles. In response to the Spartan counter-attack against the Epiriotes filling the trench, Pyrrhus decided to personally lead a charge against the Spartan lines.

Mounted on his horse, the Epiriote King was able to force his away through the trench, over the wagons and into the city with a group of his companions. The sudden onslaught of Pyrrhus sparked panic amongst the defenders of this section. At this point Pyrrhus' horse was wounded by a javelin which pierced its belly causing it to throw the King to the ground. The fall of the King threw his companions into a state of confusion and enabled the Spartans to rally. The Spartans launched a barrage of missiles at the King's comrades, felling many of them.

Despite the deaths of many of his guards, Pyrrhus was successfully taken to the safety of the main Epiriote lines. Following this unsuccessful foray, Pyrrhus ordered his army to fall back.

He hoped that the Spartans would now be willing to come to terms due to the heavy casualties they had suffered. Pyrrhus' hopes of a Spartan capitulation were thwarted by the arrival of reinforcements.

Upon hearing of Pyrrhus' intention to conquer Sparta, Antigonus Gonatas had dispatched his general, Ameinias the Phocian, from Corinth with a group of mercenaries to relieve the Lacedaimonians. Shortly after this, the defenders' numbers were further augmented by the arrival of Areus with 2, men from Crete. The arrival of these reinforcements greatly reduced the strain on the Spartans, with women and those who were not of military age being able to withdraw from the front line.

Bolstered by the fresh troops, the Spartans and their Macedonian allies prepared themselves for Pyrrhus' next assault against the trench. The presence of more adversaries intensified Pyrrhus' determination to capture the city and he ordered another attack on the trenches. He was unable to accomplish anything and suffered further losses.

The failure of this attack convinced Pyrrhus about the futility of persevering with the siege and he decided to lift it and withdraw. Pyrrhus intended to spend the winter in Laconia, possibly with the purpose of launching a fresh attack on Sparta and sent his army to begin ravaging the surrounding countryside. At this point, Pyrrhus received an emissary from Aristeas, a prominent citizen of the major Peloponnesian polis of Argos, seeking his assistance to overthrow the regime of Aristippus, which was supportive of Antigonus and the Macedonians.

Pyrrhus hastened to seize the opportunity to capture Argos and began to withdraw from Laconia, heading north to Argolis. His retreating army were continuously harried by the Spartans under the command of Areus. By setting ambushes and occupying important positions along the Epiriote line of retreat, the Spartans were able to inflicted significant casualties on Pyrrhus' rearguard of Gauls and Molossians.

Valiant warriors like Hector, Ajax, wily Odysseus, and brave Achilles, their exploits in battle, their secret passions and hidden strengths, their friendships and rivalries -these are what legends are made of. It began with a stolen kiss and the abduction of the beautiful Helen, wife of a king. Diplomacy gave way to insults, and soon it fell to Agamemnon to restore the honor of his brother, Menelaus of Sparta, by leading an army of heroes to the gates of the enemy fortress.

Combat raged for nine years, neither side able to dominate the other until a brave Spartan dreamed up a desperate and daring gambit that just might turn the tide of battle in Sparta's favor. Intrigue, deception, betrayal, and the love of a woman whose face launched a thousand ships brought two great armies to war. There are no reviews yet. Be the first one to write a review. Books for People with Print Disabilities.