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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 Bar

year:

1042

& October 1042
Ruin of the Byzantines in a night ambush of the Serbs ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Serbs
location:
At a gorge of mount Rumija, NE of the city Bar in Montenegro
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Night attack
war:
Uprisings of the Serbs
modern country:
Montenegro
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Constantine IX Monomachos) The Enemies
Commander: Patrician Michael Stefan Vojislav
Forces: 40,000 (?) Unknown
Losses: 2/3 of the army minimal

Background story:
One of the many challenges that Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos had to face, during his reign, was the uprising of Duklja in the western Balkans. Duklja (or, for the Greeks, Diokleia) was a medieval principality, which occupied, roughly, the area of present-day southern Montenegro. It was a Byzantine province that at times had been claimed by the Bulgarians. The inhabitants are referred to by the sources as “Diocletians” and were mostly Slavs (Serbs) and Illyrians. From 1014, the Byzantine archon of Duklja, based at the port of Bar, was Stefan Vojislav (or “Stefanos Voithslavos”).
Stephan Vojislav
Stefan Vojislav
In 1034, Vojislav, taking advantage of the turmoil after the suspicious death of emperor Romanos III Argyros, declared independence. In that case, a Byzantine army from Durres intervened immediately and order was restored. Vojislav was arrested and held in prison (or perhaps in house arrest) in Constantinople. He was replaced by the Byzantine official Theofilos Erotikos, who bore the title of strategos of Serbia (probably having a wider area under his jurisdiction).

In 1037 or 1038 Vojislav managed to escape from Constantinople, returned to Duklja and persuaded his people for a new revolt against Byzantium. This time the movement was successful and the governor Erotikos was expelled.
The Byzantines reacted, but for a different reason: In 1039 the emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian was staying in Thessaloniki and waited there for a ship loaded with gold from southern Italy. The ship sank on the rocks off the coast of Duklja and Vojislav appropriated the cargo. When Michael demanded the return of his gold, Vojislav ignored him. After this, the emperor sent against him a Byzantine army led by the inexperienced eunuch George Provatas, who was lost in the mountains, fell into ambushes and suffered a humiliating defeat.

Vojislav then launched raids on other Byzantine territories, and quickly expanded to Dalmatia and present-day northern Albania. At some point, he even besieged Durres.
Vojislav's activity and raids was a serious problem; a solution had to be found. In 1042 emperor Constantine IX wrote to the lord of Durres patrikios Michael ordering him to gather an army from Durres and from neighboring Byzantine regions and to squash the rebellion.

The Battle:
Bar
the defeat of the Byzantines at Bar from the Skylitzes manuscript
The governor of Durres Michael, following the instructions of the emperor, gathered a large army, which according to the historian Skylitzes reached 60,000 men. However, today its it is believed that the real force of the Byzantines was less than 40,000 men. Most of them were Serbs from the other Serbian principalities in the Balkans.
Michael marched to the north, but the problem was that he had the military experience or the skills to lead such a campaign.
The Byzantine army entered the territory of ​​Duklja without initially encountering resistance. Michael began to set plunder towns and villages in the lowlands, but as he was advancing, neglected to take measures to cover his back and to guard the straits into which was lured by the Montenegrins.
On the night of October 7, after midnight, and while the Byzantine army was encamped in a mountainous area of ​​Mount Rumija, northeast of Bar, a Serb entered the camp and began to shout “in fear” that a huge enemy army was heading towards them. This caused a great deal of unrest in the camp. The unrest became panic when the Serbs began to approach slowly and menacingly from the slopes to the sound of many trumpets to give the impression that they really had a large army. The Byzantines tried to retreat, but the passages were blocked by the Serbs, and found themselves trapped inside a gorge. Chaos ensued and the Byzantines, unable to defend themselves and without leadership, were at the mercy of the enemies who threw stones and arrows from the top of the gorge. The carnage continued all night and the next day! The victory was sealed in the end by the attack of the Serbian cavalry.
The losses of the Byzantine army amounted to two thirds of its total strength. Seven Byzantine generals fell at the battlefield.

Noteworthy:
The battle is considered a great historical event in modern Montenegro. October 7 is the national army day!

Aftermath:
After this battle, Duklja gained its independence from Byzantium for over 100 years. Stefan Vojislav died the following year, in 1043, but his successors proved to be equally aggressive and competent. Duklja expanded and for a few decades was the most important Slavic state in the Balkans. In the 12th century, its power began to decline and gradually re-entered the sphere of influence of Byzantium. In 1186 it was annexed to Serbia and its period of autonomy ended.