Battle of Surkh (271 BC)

The battle of Surkh occured in 271 when a Seleukid army faced the Roxolani nomands in battle. Despite outnumbering the Seleukid force, the Roxalani were defeated after Kleandros and while the horsemen got away, they had to leave their rich booty behind which financed the exansion of the mines of Utia and the founding of the city of Kishar.

Background
During the 280s and 270s BC the Scythians of the northern steppes became restless and expansionist, looking for new land. The Roxolani tribe was the first to cross into Seleukid lands in the 270s and, with the Seleukids occupied with a major rebellion, roamed free for the better part of the decade, sacking such cities as Alexandreia Areia and Eshgabad. By the end of the 270s the Seleukids could finally turn their attention to the Scythian problem and organised a force to try and capture the Roxolani. A yearlong campaign followed where the Roxolani used their superiour mobility to evade Seleukid forces. Though by clever maneuvering Kleandros Demadid finally managed to trap them at Surkh