Battle of the River Thatis

Date	310/309 BC
Location	Thatis River
Result	Victory of Satyros II

Belligerents

Bosporan Kingdom

Siraces

Commanders and leaders

Satyros II
Meniscus

Eumelus
Aripharnes

Strength

2,000 Greek mercenaries
2,000 Thracians
20,000 Scythian infantry
10,000 Scythian cavalry

20,000 cavalry
22,000 infantry

The Battle of the River Thatis was part of a succession dispute in the Bosporan Kingdom that was fought in 310/309 BC. After the death of Paerisades I his eldest son Satyros II became king. His brother Eumelus pretended to the throne and gathered an army with his allies, the tribe of the Siraces. With his Scythian allies Satyrus met Eumelus in battle at the River Thatis, where Eumelus and the Siraces were defeated. Satyrus charged the cavalry in the center of the line of Eumelus with his own cavalry and put them to flight. When he heard his mercenaries had fled from the fight with the right wing of Eumelus, he attacked the enemy right wing and broke their army.

The defeat was not decisive: Eumelus and his allies escaped to the capital city of the Siraces, which was situated along the River Thatis. During the siege of that city Satyrus incurred many casualties and was mortally wounded himself. After the death of Satyrus the pretender Eumelus defeated his second brother Prytanis and seized the throne of the Bosporan Kingdom.

In 310/309 BC King Parysades died after ruling for 58 years. His eldest son Satyrus succeeded him as king, but his younger brothers Eumelus and Prytanis contended with him for the throne. Eumelus made an alliance with the Siraces, raised a strong army and made his own claim to the throne. Satyrus gathered his own army and marched against him near the Thatis river. This river (also called Thates) is unknown, but it is thought that the battle took place somewhere between the lower Kuban River and the Caucasus mountains.

When Satyrus moved his army into battle formations, he placed himself with the phalanx at the center. This was a Scythian custom according to Diodorus Siculus, the historian who is the sole source of information on the battle. He had 2,000 Greek mercenaries and 2,000 Thracians at his disposal, but the bulk of his army consisted of his Scythian allies. These numbered more than 20,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry. Eumelus had Aripharnes, the king of the Siraces, as his ally. He commanded 20,000 cavalry and 22,000 infantry.

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