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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 Svindax

(Battle of Phasiane)
year:

1022

Autumn 1022
Victory of the Byzantine army over the Iberians and integration of the Iberian region in the empire ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Iberians (Georgians)
location:
In the region of Phasiane in NE Asia Minor, in modern Kars district of Anatolia.
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Pitched battle
war:
Iberian war
modern country:
Turkey
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Basil II Bulgaroktonos) The Enemies
Commander: Emperor Basil II Ruler of Iberia Giorgi I
Forces: 40,000 Outnumbered
Losses:

Background story:
In 1021 Emperor Basil II marched with a large army to northeastern Asia Minor to reclaim the Byzantine territories (around the old principality of Taik or Tao) annexed by the ruler of Iberia and Abasgia (i.e. Georgia and Abkhazia) George I.
George avoided meeting in person the emperor and also avoided confronting him in battle even though he also had a strong army. The Byzantine army overtook the Iberians as they retreated near the lake of Palakazio and a bloody battle was fought there; the Byzantines were victorious.
But the victory in that battle was indecisive, as much of the Iberian army fled to the mountains, and shortly afterwards it was reinforced with forces from other principalities of the Transcaucasia.
Although the Iberians had already been expelled from the disputed areas, Basil was furious that he could not close the open issues with the Iberians and reacted harshly: he ordered his units to disperse and plunder the country of the Iberians with the order not to spare neither old men nor women nor children, to kill them all. Thus, twelve provinces were ravaged and deserted. The atrocities committed then are described in the darkest colors in the medieval chronicles of Georgia and Armenia.
The Byzantine army then left the area and encamped in Trabzon where it spent the winter.

The following year, the Iberians appeared willing to negotiate, while Basil himself, although primarily a warlord, always preferred solutions that could be given through diplomacy. Thus, in early 1022, consultations began to reach an agreement. Basil sought to secure the occupation of the territories of the Taik (or Tao) hegemony and the surrounding areas inherited by David the Kuropalatis, while the Iberians wanted at all costs to prevent a new destructive invasion by the Byzantines.
But then a serious development took place: A military uprising broke out against the emperor in Cappadocia, led by the distinguished general Nikephoros Xifias (who was then general of the army of the East) and Nikephoros Phokas (nicknamed Varytrachilos –son of the rebel of the 970s Vardas). The motives for this revolt are unclear. Maybe it had to do with the fact that Basil did not include them in his campaign in Iberia (why indeed?) although the campaign took place essentially in the backyard of these two. Or it may have had to do with the resentment lurking among the “dynatoi” (the mighty ones) of Asia Minor who had seen their vast fortunes diminished by the policies of Basil II. In any case, the uprising gathered many supporters in central Asia Minor and for a moment it seemed that it could become a serious threat to the emperor, who was fortified at the fortress of Mazdat.
Many Iberian and Armenian local lords were among the supporters of the insurgents, and this raised the reasonable suspicion that the revolt was incited by George, the Iberian ruler.
Basil appointed Theophylaktos Dalassinos as the new general of the East and sent him to suppress the uprising. Under unspecified circumstances, on the 15th of August 1022, Nikephoros Varytrachilos was killed by the men of Xifias and a little later Xifias himself was arrested by Dalassinos. Thus the revolt had an anticlimactic end, leaving behind the shadow of the involvement of the Iberians.

Negotiations with the Iberians continued in a climate of distrust, but they were dragging on and it was now clear that George was deliberately delaying. At the same time, George sent an army to Phasiane (or Basiani), an area north of Manzikert, to recapture it. All the Armenian and Georgian chroniclers of the period agree that George lingered until he found the right opportunity to attack. Unfortunately for him, he was dealing with one of the most ruthless and effective leaders of Byzantium, and the trick of deceiving the enemy through negotiations was very old and very familiar to the Byzantines. In fact, it was analyzed in military manuals such as the Strategikon of emperor Maurice and the Taktika of Leo VI.
The emperor in the end was raged with the games of the Georgians and decided to start the war again.

The Battle:
Svindax
The victory over Iberians from the Skylitzes manuscript
In the autumn of 1022, the Byzantine army invaded the area of Phasiane (or Basiani), south of Taik, between Lake Van and the Caucasus, in the present-day province of Kars in Turkey. Near the unidentified place "Svindax" the Byzantines met with the Iberian army.
It seems that Basil was caught unprepared, believing that the enemy would continue the tactic of avoiding fighting. So the army was not in battle formation. Nevertheless, the Iberians attacked with their cavalry and although their attack was disorganized and rather impulsive, it was initially victorious and drove a part of the Byzantine army to flee. The Iberians, however, made the mistake of thinking that the battle had been won after this first success, and began looting the enemy camp (although this may have been deliberately allowed to trap them – another age-old tactic). At the same time, their king George began to give instructions so that the emperor Basil would not escape!
The Byzantines counterattacked and then the Iberians first came in contact with the Varangians. Georgian chroniclers report with awe how their army was taken by surprise by these formidable warriors that no one could resist. The Iberians tried to regroup, but their cavalry was rendered useless as their horses were loaded with booty. The battle turned into a disaster for them. Their losses were devastating.
Around the end of the battle, Basil applied his favorite tactics of terrorizing the enemy: he promised a fee a for the heads of Georgian horsemen. Piles of heads were erected in the roads of Phasiane, as a heinous trophy of victory.

After the battle, George immediately declared his submission and asked the emperor to forgive him, fully accepting the Byzantine rule in Taik, Fasiani and other neighboring areas. The Byzantine emperor actually forgave him and allowed him to keep a part of his principality.

Aftermath:
A separate administrative division for Iberia was founded, the Iberian thema.
The treaty stipulated that the infant son of George I Pagratios would remain in Constantinople for 3 years as a hostage. Pagratios was returned to his parents after the 3 years. George probably planned to regain the lost lands after the death of Basil in 1025, but he died prematurely in 1027.
The area remained in Byzantine hands until the 1070s when the Seljuk invasions began.