Battle of The River Amnias - Turning Point

Turning Point

The turning point of the battle occurred when the Scythed chariots led by Archelaus dived into Nicomedes army. According to Appian the scythe chariots caused wounds of such a hideous nature that they caused fear and confusion among Nicomede’s army. An excerpt from the translated history that Appian wrote states "At the Battle of the Amnias River (89 BC), a victory that helped Mithridates VI wrest Asia Minor away from Rome, scythe-bearing chariots charged into Rome's Bithynian allies, "cutting some of them in two, and tearing others to pieces." So horrified was the army at the spectacle of men being cut in half while still breathing or their mangled bodies hanging in parts on the scythes that, "overcome rather by the hideousness of the spectacle than by the loss of the fight, fear took possession of their ranks"." This gave Neoptolemus time to regroup and attack what was now the rear of Nicomedes' armor. Even though Archelaus and Neoptolemus had the clear advantage the battle did not end until Neoptolemus basically lost his entire army.