The Battle of Psicro was a battle of the Syracusan-Crotonese War which was fought in 379 BC. The Syracusan tyrant Dionysius I destroyed the Crotonese mercenary army of Archon Polyperchon at Psicro (Ciro, Calabria) just days after destroying another Crotonese army at the Battle of the Neaethus.
Background[]
Following the fall of Croton to the armies of Syracuse, Archon Polyperchon and his general Eurydamus raised massive mercenary armies in the vicinity of Strongoli with the intent of marching south, crossing the Neaethus (River Neto), and recapturing the city of Croton from Tyrant Dionysius' army. Eurydamus was unable to cross a bridge over the Neaethus due to obstruction caused by the Syracusan spy Ligeia of Skyllition, buying Dionysius time to march north to launch a counterattack. When Dionysius was ready, Ligeia left the vicinity, and Dionysius' army attacked across the river and obliterated the Crotonese force with only 51 losses. Having suffered negligible losses, Dionysius decided to continue his offensive by attacking Polyperchon's army at its positions near Psicro (Ciro). Polyperchon repeated Eurydamus' mistake and decided to stand and fight rather than flee.
Battle[]
Dionysius' 2,200-strong Syracusan army included three units of hippeis (horsemen), four phalanxes of hoplites, a cohort of mercenary hippeis, a phalanx of mercenary Bruttian veterans, two phalanxes of mercenary hoplites, two units of mercenary hippotoxotai (horse archers), two units of toxotai (archers), two units of Greek slingers, and a unit of mercenary toxotai. Polyperchon's army was roughly half hoplites and half slingers, with a single unit of mercenary Italian tribesmen; he also had two units of hippeis and a unit of horse skirmishers.
The Crotonese army positioned itself on a hilltop, and Dionysius promptly ordered his cavalry to advance on both flanks, while the main body of his army moved to the base of the hill to challenge the Crotonese to battle. The Syracusan hoplites met in battle with the Crotonese hoplites as the latter charged down the hill, while the Syracusan cavalry on both flanks put the Crotonese cavalry to flight, charged uphill, and slaughtered the Crotonese skirmishers. The Crotonese army found itself outflanked and outmatched in terms of quality, with the veteran hoplites of Dionysius' army easily overcoming the unarmored light hoplites of Polyperchon's army. Polyperchon was slain, and his army was routed from the field and pursued by Syracusan cavalry, who captured 180 Crotonese soldiers. The remnants of this army, led by Miltiades, escaped into the countryside before raising additional mercenaries and collaborating with Admiral Callimorphus to briefly recapture Croton.
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