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thyreos

Byzantine Battles

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Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Daras, 530
Daras, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
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Aspis

Battle of Thannourios

(Battle of Minduos)
year:

528

The Persians attacked to prevent the building of a new fortress with losses for both sides ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Sassanid Persians
location:
Ancient city Thannurios, present-day Tell Tunainir in NE Syria
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Pitched battle
war:
Iberian War (526-532)
modern country:
Syria
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Justinian I) The Enemies
Commander: Belisarius, Coutzes General Xerxes
Forces: outnumbered 30,000
Losses: Heavy 500 Immortals an+d others

Background story:
After the death of Emperor Justin in 527, his nephew Justinian ascended the throne and continued the war against the Sassanid Persians. The war had begun shortly before Justin's death, because of the efforts by the Persian Shah Kavadh Ι to forcibly convert the Georgians (Iberians) to Zoroastrianism. This is how the “Iberian War” started. In 527, a Roman army led by Generals Sitta and Belisarius invaded Persarmenia, where it was defeated and repulsed after some initial successes.
This was the first military action in which the participation in a leading role of the later brilliant general Belisarius is mentioned. At that time, he already had at his disposal the Voucellarii, the elite unit of heavy cavalry that he himself had trained and which was the core in all his campaigns from there on.
The following year, in 528, Justinian ordered Belisarius to build a new fort on the border with the Persians, near Daras. The site chosen for the new fortress was near the village of Mindouos, in the ancient city of Thannourios, present-day Tell Tunainir in northeastern Syria. The point was of strategic importance (Procopius points this out), on the river Avorra (today “Khabur”), one of the major tributaries of the Euphrates.

Belisarius took over the project with his usual efficiency and the construction proceeded quickly. The Persians, of course, became alarmed at the prospect of a new fortress on their frontier and tried to prevent its construction in various ways.

When Justinian was informed of the reactions of the Persians, he ordered an army from Lebanon to rush to the area, led by Generals Cutzes and Vutzes. Aid also came from the Gassanid Arabs led by their ruler, Gavalas (Jabala ibn al-Harith).

The Battle:
Thannurios
Belisarius
While the work for the construction of the fortress was continuing, a large Persian army of 30,000 men, led by General Xerxes, invaded the Byzantine territories of Mesopotamia and headed for Thannurios. Belisarius had already received the reinforcements from Lebanon and the Ghassanids.

It seems that initially the goal of the Persian army was just to intimidate the Romans and to make them leave the area and cancel the building of the castle. It is not clear how and why the hostilities escalated. Maybe, if the Byzantines had not received reinforcements, they would have left without further problems. Another thing that is not clear is whether one or two battles took place, one in Thannourios and another in Mindouos, very close to each other time-wise and space-wise (so, in any case, it was really one battle).

What is certain is that a fierce battle took place. At one point the Persians tricked the Roman infantry to pursue them and led them to a spot where they had dug trenches in the ground, where the Romans were trapped.
Belisarius counterattacked with his cavalry, but could not achieve much, as the Romans were outnumbered. So he was forced to retreat and since he could not defend the unfinished fortress at Thannourios, he left with the Byzantine army and headed for Daras, 90 km further north.

The losses of the Byzantines were severe. Gavalas fell from his horse and was killed. Cutzes was taken prisoner and nothing was heard about him again. In addition, there were casualties from thirst on the difficult route to Daras, as the army was unprepared to move into the desert of northern Syria and had no supplies or water.

The Persians captured the fortress at Thannurios and tore down the walls. Then they returned to their country. But they also suffered significant losses and it’s impressive that 500 of the Immortals, the elite body of the imperial guard, were killed, something that enraged King Kavadh.

Noteworthy:
In Procopius’ De Aedificiis , which describes castles and cities of the empire, it is mentioned (regardless of the present battle) that in Thannourios there are two fortresses, a small and a large one. In fact, he makes a special mention of the “huge, made of hard stone” tower of Thannurios, manned with a strong guard. So, it seems that some time later, during the reign of Justinian, the Byzantines were finally able to build the fortress.

Aftermath:
This battle took on unexpectedly large proportions with significant losses on both sides and may have been the reason for the further escalation of the war. General Xerxes, although formally a winner, was ousted due to the losses.
Belisarius was soon appointed general of the East (Magister Militum per Orientem). He was obviously not held responsible for the defeat and that is why it is speculated that he probably did not have the command in this particular battle.