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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 Faventia

year:

542

Defeat of the Byzantine army of Italy by the Ostrogoths ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Ostrogoths
location:
Near the town Faventia (modern Faenza in Emilia-Romania, SE of Bologna in central Italy)
 accuracy: ●●●●
battle type:
Pitched battle
war:
Gothic War in Italy
modern country:
Italy
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Justinian I) The Enemies
Commander: Constantinianus, Alexandros King Totila
Forces: 12,000 5,000
Losses:

Background story:
In May 540, after the capture of Ravenna by Belisarius, the Ostrogothic kingdom of Italy collapsed and the Gothic War was over.
Only it wasn’t.
Yes, the Byzantines had prevailed in most of Italy, but there were several areas in the north that had not surrendered. The important cities of Ticinum (modern-day Pavia) and Verona remained under Ostrogothic control, and this control soon extended to all of northern Italy north of the Po River. Their king Vitiges was taken prisoner in Constantinople, but the Goths had no problem electing another in his place, first Ildivad and then an Herul, Erarich.
Erarich began negotiations with Constantinople for the full subordination of his kingdom to the Byzantine Empire. These talks did not proceed because in 542 he was assassinated and Totila ascended the throne of the Ostrogoths.

Belisarius had left for Constantinople after Ravenna but was not replaced. In Italy there was no one now in command of the army. Of the various generals who until then had been under Belisarius, each took on an important city as governor. Emperor Justinian had sent a bureaucrat to Ravenna, the logothetes Alexandros, nicknamed “Scissors”, who had taken over the finances and was hated by all – both the military and the local population –while he himself quickly became rich.
The assassination of Erarich infuriated Justinian who blamed the commanders of the army in Italy for loosing the opportunity for full supremacy on the Italian peninsula. The generals gathered in Ravenna to decide on their next moves.
The decision was to immediately attack Verona, which was the new informal capital of the Ostrogoths. So an army of 12,000 men, led by the lords of Ravenna Constantinianus and Alexandros, assembled and marched against Verona. The other eleven Byzantine generals of Italy also took part in the operation.

The Byzantine army arrived very quickly in Verona. One of the guards was bribed and opened the gates to them at night. The generals were afraid to enter the city, perhaps because they feared it was a trap. Instead, they chose to be preceded by a reconnaissance team. This mission was undertaken by an Armenian officer, Artavazes, who selected 100 men and entered the city. This detachment killed the guards and occupied the walls.
The Goths of Verona, when they realized that the enemies had entered the city, hurried to leave it overnight. But they did not go far, waiting a little further out to see how things would go.
The next morning, the main body of the Byzantine army, which had encamped 5-6 km away from Verona, did not show much haste to come to the city to secure its occupation. The reason for this delay was the disagreements that arose between the generals over how the spoils of Verona would be distributed!
Some of the Ostrogoths who had stayed in the towers and had an overview of the situation, saw in the light of day that the Byzantines in the city were very few, so they notified their compatriots who came back.
When the rest of the Byzantine army set out for Verona, it found the gates closed and the Goths on the ramparts. Artavazes’ men, who had been stranded in the city, began to jump from the high walls to escape, and many of them were killed or wounded in the attempt.

The Battle:
Faventia
Vualaris
After the embarrassing failure at Verona, the Byzantines retreated to the south, crossed the Po, and encamped east of Faventia (modern-day Faencia). Totila, who had been warned at night to rush to Verona, came with an army of 5,000 men. When he saw that the Byzantines had left, he went after them.
The leaders of the Byzantines again remained inactive and made no move to prevent the Goths from crossing the river and so Totilas’ army crossed the Po undisturbed and headed for Faventia. The leader of the Ostrogoths correctly recognized that the power vacuum in the Byzantine army and the personal rivalries between the Byzantine generals presented a unique opportunity. A victory at this moment would secure him on the throne and would motivate the rest of the Goths of Italy to follow him against the Byzantines.
Approaching Faventia, Totila sent 300 of his men to sneak behind the Byzantine army to attack their rear at the right time.

When the two armies lined up for battle, a huge Goth named Vualaris rode his horse forward and began to provoke the Byzantines to fight with him. The only one who dared was Artavazis. After a short duel, Artavazis moved faster and hit the Goth with his spear on the right side. The spear pierced him and was nailed to the ground, while Vualaris remained in a strange position almost standing, but dead. Artavazis bent down to get his spear and then, as he pulled it sharply, he fell on theGoth's spear which had remained in a vertical position and which slightly injured his neck. At that moment, Artavazis almost did not realize that he had been wounded, but he started bleeding inside his armor.

With the end of the duel, the battle began. At some point, the 300 Goths appeared behind the Byzantines, who were taken by surprise and, thinking that they were surrounded by a large army, panicked.
The battle ended there. The Byzantines began to retreat erratically under the pressure of the Ostrogoths who inflicted many losses on them. Totila did not have enough men to insist on their pursuit, but at the end of the day many prisoners and all the Roman banners had fallen into his hands.
The Byzantine army was dispersed and each of the generals took refuge in his city.
Artavazis died from his injury three days later.

Aftermath:
It was the first great victory of Totila and the beginning of a series of military successes that in a short time led to the almost complete recapture of Italy by the Ostrogoths.
Totila did not rest and, wanting to take advantage of the momentum, besieged Florence.