Byzantine-Sassanid war (502?506)
The
Anastasian War
was fought from 502 to 506 between the
Byzantine Empire
and the
Sasanian Empire
. It was the first major conflict between the two powers since 440, and would be the prelude to a long
series of destructive conflicts
between the two empires over the next century.
Prelude
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Several factors underlay the termination of the longest period of peace the
Eastern Roman
and the
Sassanid Empire
ever enjoyed. The Persian king
Kavad I
needed money to pay his debts to the
Hephthalites
who had helped him regain his throne in 498/499. The situation was exacerbated by recent changes in the flow of the
Tigris
in
Lower Mesopotamia
, sparking famines and flood. When the Roman emperor
Anastasius I
refused to provide any help, Kavad tried to gain the money by force.
[2]
Kavad's campaign of 502
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In 502, Kavad quickly captured the unprepared city of
Theodosiopolis
, perhaps with local support; the city was in any case undefended by troops and weakly fortified.
[3]
Martyropolis
also fell in the same year. Kavad then besieged the fortress-city of
Amida
through the autumn and winter (502-503) and captured it after a lengthy siege, although the defenders were unsupported by troops.
[4]
Many people, particularly the population of Amida, were
deported
to
Pars
and
Khuzestan
in Persia, in particular, to the new city of
Veh-az-Amid Kavad
(Arrajan).
[5]
Anastasius' campaign of 503 and Kavad's counterattack
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The Byzantine emperor
Anastasius I
dispatched an army in May 503 against the Sasanians. The army numbered 52,000 men, the largest Roman force in the East since
Julian's invasion of Persia
, and the largest assembled Roman army throughout the 6th century.
[6]
The force gathered at
Edessa
and
Samosata
. It operated in three divisions under
magister militum per Orientem
Areobindus
,
strategos
Patricius
, and
Hypatius
. Hypatius and Patricius attacked Amida, which was held by a 3,000-strong garrison under
Glones
. Areobindus, together with
Romanus
and the Arab
phylarch
Asouades (Aswad) (probably a
Kinda
leader) attacked
Nisibis
, in which Kavad was residing.
[7]
[8]
Procopius also mentions
Celer
as a fourth commander.
[9]
Notable officers associated with this force include
"
hyparch
"
Apion I
(the Egyptian),
[10]
comes
Justin
(the future emperor),
[11]
Patriciolus
and his son
Vitalian
(who later revolted against Anastasius), the Colchian
Pharesmanes
, and the Goths Godidisklus and
Bessas
.
[9]
Initially, Areobindus gained the upper hand in Nisibis, but Kavad's counterattack defeated him, plundered his fort Apadna, and forced him to retreat westward; Hypatius and Patricius attempted to assist him, but it was too late.
[7]
They failed to join with Areobindus and were decisively defeated between Apadna and
Tell Beshme
and retreated to Samosata. According to Zacharias, their cavalry suffered heavily during the retreat, falling from the cliffs of mountains. Kavad continued westward to
Constantia
but failed to capture it, though he received supplies from its inhabitants. In early September, Kavad reached near Edessa. Areobindus rejected Kavad's demand of 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg) of gold in exchange for peace. Sasanians and
Lakhmids
overran much of Osrhoene but attempts to attack the fortified city failed. Meanwhile, Byzantine forces under
Pharesmanes
attacked Amida, who killed the Sasanian commander
Glones
through cunning. This, together with Hunnic incursions, the arrival of Byzantine reinforcements, and Kavad's lack of supplies, all forced him to withdraw to Persia. This further contributed to the reputation of Edessa as being impregnable.
[11]
[12]
Meanwhile, the
dux
of Osrhoene, Timostratus, defeated the Lakhmids, and the
Tha'labites
(Byzantine Arabs) attacked Lakhmid capital
al-Hira
.
[11]
Anastasius' renewed assault
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In the summer of 503, Anastasius sent reinforcements under
magister officiorum
Celer
and canceled taxes from Mesopotamia and Osrhoene, while Hypatius and Apion were recalled. Patricius moved to Amida, defeated a force sent against him, and invested the city; Celer joined him later in the spring of 504. While the siege was ongoing, Celer raided
Beth Arabaye
, while Areobindus raided
Arzanene
. Sasanian weakness at this point is apparent by defections to the Byzantine side by the renegade Constantine, a certain Arab chief Adid, and the Armenian Mushlek. The Byzantines eventually captured Amida.
[13]
[11]
Peace treaty
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In the same year, an armistice was agreed as a result of an invasion of Armenia by the
Huns
from the Caucasus. Negotiations between the two powers took place, but such was the distrust that in 506 the Romans, suspecting treachery, seized the Persian officials; once released, the Persians preferred to stay in
Nisibis
.
[13]
In November 506, a treaty was finally agreed, but little is known of what the terms of the treaty were.
Procopius
states that peace was agreed for seven years, and it is likely that some payments were made to the Persians.
[14]
The Persians did not keep Byzantine territory and no annual tribute was paid so it seems the peace treaty was not harsh on the Byzantines.
[15]
Aftermath
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The Roman generals blamed many of their difficulties in this war on their lack of a major base in the immediate vicinity of the frontier, a role filled for the Persians by Nisibis (which until its secession in 363 had served the same purpose for the Romans), and in 505 Anastasius therefore ordered the building of a great fortified city at
Dara
. The dilapidated fortifications were also upgraded at
Edessa
,
Batnae
and Amida.
[16]
Although no further large-scale conflict took place during Anastasius's reign, tensions continued, especially while work continued at Dara. This construction project was to become a key component of the Roman defenses, and also a lasting source of controversy with the Persians, who complained that its construction violated the treaty agreed in 422, by which both empires had agreed not to establish new fortifications in the frontier zone. Anastasius, however, pursued the project, deflecting Kavad's complaints with money.
[17]
The Persians were in any case unable to stop the work, and the walls were completed by 507/508.
[13]
References
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]
- ^
The sources are contradictory about the role played by Constantine during the siege of Theodosiopolis. According to
Zacharias Rhetor
, (
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 63) he was taken prisoner, while according to
Joshua the Stylite
, due a grudge he bore against the emperor Anastasius, he betrayed the Romans. (Joshua the Stylite,
Chronicle
48
)
- ^
Procopius.
History of the Wars
, I.7.1-2;
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 62.
- ^
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 62.
- ^
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 63.
- ^
A. Shapur Shahbazi, Erich Kettenhofen, John R. Perry, “DEPORTATIONS,”
Encyclopædia Iranica
, VII/3, pp. 297-312, available online at
http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/deportations
(accessed on 30 December 2012).
- ^
Petersen, Leif Inge Ree (15 September 2013).
Siege Warfare and Military Organization in the Successor States (400-800 AD): Byzantium, the West and Islam
. BRILL. p. 342.
ISBN
978-90-04-25446-6
.
- ^
a
b
Heather, Peter J. (2018).
Rome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian
. Oxford University Press. p. 77.
ISBN
978-0-19-936274-5
.
- ^
Shahid, Irfan (1995).
Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century
. Dumbarton Oaks. p. 21.
ISBN
978-0-88402-214-5
.
- ^
a
b
Procopius of Caesarea
(2007).
History of the Wars: Books 1-2 (Persian War)
. Cosimo, Inc. pp. 61?63.
ISBN
978-1-60206-445-4
.
- ^
Bury, John Bagnell (1958).
History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodosius I. to the Death of Justinian
. Courier Corporation. p. 471.
ISBN
978-0-486-20398-0
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Dodgeon, Michael H.; Lieu, Samuel N. C. (1991).
The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars Ad 363-628
. Psychology Press. pp. 68?72.
ISBN
978-0-415-46530-4
.
- ^
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, pp. 69?71.
- ^
a
b
c
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 77.
- ^
Procopius.
History of the Wars
, I.9.24;
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 77.
- ^
Heather, P. J. (Peter J.) (2018).
Rome resurgent : war and empire in the age of Justinian
. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
9780199362745
.
OCLC
1007044617
.
- ^
Greatrex & Lieu 2002
, p. 74.
- ^
Hughes, Ian (Historian) (2009).
Belisarius : the last Roman general
. Yardley, Pa.: Westholme.
ISBN
9781594160851
.
OCLC
294885267
.
Sources
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Primary
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Secondary
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