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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 Mount Bourgaon

year:

535

Summer 535
A Byzantine victory against Moorish rebels ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Berbers
location:
In the unidentified Mount Bourgaon in central Tunisia, probably in Kairouan Governorate
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Mountain Battle
war:
Berber Tribes Rebellions
modern country:
Tunisia
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Justinian I) The Enemies
Commander: Solomon (Carthage governor) Esdilasas, Iourphouthes, Mesidinissas
Forces: < 18,000 > 50,000
Losses: 0 50,000 (!?)

Background story:
Following the departure of general Belisarius from Carthage after the destruction of the Vandal kingdom in 534, the local population of Berbers revolted. Solomon (Σολόμων), the praetorian prefect (governor of the province) gathered an army of 18,000 and defeated them in the battle of Mammes.
As soon as Solomon returned to Carthage, he received a report that the Moors had come back into Byzacium (central-eastern Tunisia) plundering everything there. He therefore turned back immediately and went against them with his whole army.

The Battle:
Bourgaon
Berber warrior
When the army of Solomon reached Mount Bourgaon where the enemies were encamped he remained inactive for some days, in camp. The location is not exactly known but it must be close to the place of the previous battle of Solomon against the Moors (battle of Mammes). The enemies’ camp was on the mountain and Solomon preferred to wait for them to come down to fight them in flat terrain.
The Moors however had no intention to leave their secure position and to fight the Romans in level country, especially after their recent crushing defeat at Mammes. The Berbers made their camp at the middle of a slope that was relatively easy to be accessed having in mind that an elevated position had an adequate advantage and also that if needed they could move to higher ground fast. But they made a mistake and left undefended the slopes of the mountain that were more difficult to be accessed believing that the enemy would never dare to try an attack from those sides.
When Solomon realized that the Berbers had no intention to fight on level ground and seeing his troops in distress at the prospect of making a prolonged siege in the desert, he decided to take the initiative. He ordered Theodoros, commander of the excubitores to lead a unit of 1000 men to the east side of the mountain which was extremely difficult to ascent and for this reason was not guarded by the enemy.
Theodoros managed to reach the unprotected peak of the mountain, behind and above the enemy camp during the night. At early dawn, Solomon with the rest of the army moved against the position of the Moors on the mountain. At the same time, the soldiers of Theodoros displayed the Roman standards and started their attack. The Moors turned all of them in a hasty flight. As they could not run up to the top or go down to the plain they ran towards other peaks through narrow passages trying to cross a vale between the peaks . But because they were too many of them, their panic created great confusion and disorder as those coming from behind were pushing off the cliffs those at the front. Some managed to escape only when the vale was filled with dead bodies (of men and horses) and were able to pass across stepping over them. Procopius reports that over 50,000 Moors were killed (perhaps an exaggeration). The Romans had no losses at all. No one was even wounded!
From the enemy leaders only Esdilasas was captured.

The remaining chieftains remembered an oracle that their nation would be destroyed by a beardless man. So they had a good excuse to sew for peace.

Noteworthy:
The women and children whom the Romans seized as booty were so many that the slave market in Carthage collapsed so that a Moorish boy would be sold to a price of a sheep.

Aftermath:
Solomon then set about erecting forts along the borders and the main roads, hoping to contain the raids of the Moors. But the region was always under attack. Solomon ws killed 10 years later in Cillium.