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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 Dranginai

(Battle of Troina)
year:

1040

A Byzantine victory against the Arabs of Sicily ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Arabs (of Sicily and Tunis)
location:
Northeast of Troina in Sicily at the western slopes of mount Aetna
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Pitched Battle
war:
Later Byzantine-Muslim Wars
modern country:
Italy
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Michael IV the Paphlagonian) The Enemies
Commander: General George Maniakes Wale Abdullah
Forces: perhaps 60,000
Losses: > 50,000

Background story:
Georgios Maniakes had landed in Sicily with a strong army in 1038. In the same year had conquered Messina and defeated a large Arab army at Rometta. After that battle, he quickly conquered another 13 cities in Sicily.
Gradually, within two years, the Byzantines had taken control of eastern Sicily. The next target was Syracuse, where the siege, however, was dragging for too long.
The Arabs, who were still resisting in the rest of the island, received again significant reinforcements from North Africa. A large army led by Abdullah, son of the Emir of Queran (in present-day Tunisia) moved southeast to the rear of the Byzantine army.
Maniakes reacted quickly and, taking the army from Syracuse, moved against them.
The moral in the Byzantine army was not good at all due to the differences between Georgios Maniakes and Stefanos Kalafatis, co-leader of the campaign and brother of the Byzantine emperor Michael IV.

The Battle:
Dranginai
The battle of Troina in Skylitzes manuscript
The Saracens had encamped in a smooth and extensive plain called Draginai, on the western slopes of Mount Aetna, 15km northeast of the city of Troina (which in the previous centuries had been a Byzantine stronghold). Maniakes, who always wanted to take the initiative, marched against them. He had previously instructed Stefanos to guard the coast with the fleet, so that the Arabs would not have a way to escape.
Maniakes extended his army to 3 wings that attacked one after the other. During the battle, a strong storm lifted a cloud of dust that blinded and completely disorganized the Arabs. The Byzantines, in order to avoid the caltrops that the Arabs had scattered on the battlefield, wore metal cases on their horses’ feet, like shoes. This trick proved to be very effective, as the Saracens were not prepared to defend themselves against a cavalry attack and, moreover, in a thick cloud of dust. Soon the battle turned into a massacre. According to Skylitzes, the losses of the Arabs were again (as in Rometta) over 50,000!
However, the leader of the Saracens, Abdullah, fled from the battlefield and, reaching the shore, boarded a fast ship and managed to escape from Stefanos’ fleet.

When Maniakes learned that Abdullah had escaped, he became furious. He blamed Stefanos, whom he insulted and publicly criticized, calling him a coward, lazy and a traitor. In addition, he repeatedly hit him on the head with his whip.
A similar incident occurred with the Lombard leader of the Italians, Arduino: Maniakes had him flogged for an arabian black horse that Arduino wanted to keep as a booty, refusing to give it to the general.

These two episodes had devastating consequences. First of all, Aldouinos with the Lombards and the Kontaratoi withdrew from the Greek army. Worst of all, Stephen wrote a letter to his brother John Orphanotrophos, who at the time was the mighty man of Byzantium, slandering Maniakes for conspiring against the emperor in order to usurp the throne.
Shortly afterwards, the Byzantines finally captured Syracuse, but while Maniakes was preparing to continue on to Palermo, he was recalled to Constantinople, where he was humiliated and imprisoned. Stefanos took over the command of the army in Sicily together with an eunuch named Vassilios Pediaditis.

Noteworthy:
Maniakes built a church on the battlefield to which he donated an icon hagiographed by the Evangelist Luke himself. The church, after the failure of the campaign, was deserted for many years. Much later, in 1172, Margarita of Navarre, mother of the Norman king of Sicily, built a moanstery there, the Abbazia di Santa Maria di Maniace , which still exists today and functions as a museum. Also the province of Catania around that point is still called “Maniace”.

Aftermath:
The victory in this battle was big, but Maniakes’ bad behavior triggered developments that eventually led to a catastrophe. After the departure and imprisonment of Maniakes, the complete incompetence of his replacements resulted in the loss of all the profits of the previous 2 years. Very quickly, all the cities were recaptured by the Arabs except Messina. Stefanos was killed and Vassilios fled to Puglia. Meanwhile, problems with Lombards and Normans began.