Anastasian War

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Anastasian War
Part of the
Roman-Persian Wars
The Roman-Persian frontier had remained stable since 384, when the two powers divided Armenia, and despite recurrent warfare, would not change significantly until the Lazic War
The Roman-Persian frontier had remained stable since 384, when the two powers divided Armenia, and despite recurrent warfare, would not change significantly until the Lazic War.
Date502–506 AD
Location
Osroene, Upper Mesopotamia, Southeastern Anatolia (modern-day Turkey
)
Territorial
changes		 Status quo ante bellum
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire
Arab allies
Lakhmids
Commanders and leaders

The Anastasian War was fought from 502 to 506 between the

series of destructive conflicts
between the two empires over the next century.

Prelude

Several factors underlay the termination of the longest period of peace the

Anastasius I refused to provide any help, Kavad tried to gain the money by force.[2]

War

Roman and Persian Empires in 500, also showing their neighbors, many of whom were dragged into wars between the great powers.

Kavad's campaign of 502

In 502, Kavad quickly captured the unprepared city of

Veh-az-Amid Kavad (Arrajan).[5]

Anastasius' campaign of 503 and Kavad's counterattack

The Byzantine emperor

Apion I (the Egyptian),[10] comes Justin (the future emperor),[11] Patriciolus and his son Vitalian (who later revolted against Anastasius), the Colchian Pharesmanes, and the Goths Godidisklus and Bessas.[9]

Initially, Areobindus gained the upper hand in Nisibis, but Kavad's counterattack defeated him, plundered his fort Apadna, and forced him to retreat westward; Hypatius and Patricius attempted to assist him, but it was too late.

Lakhmids overran much of Osrhoene but attempts to attack the fortified city failed. Meanwhile, Byzantine forces under Pharesmanes attacked Amida, who killed the Sasanian commander Glones through cunning. This, together with Hunnic incursions, the arrival of Byzantine reinforcements, and Kavad's lack of supplies, all forced him to withdraw to Persia. This further contributed to the reputation of Edessa as being impregnable.[11][12] Meanwhile, the dux of Osrhoene, Timostratus, defeated the Lakhmids, and the Tha'labites (Byzantine Arabs) attacked Lakhmid capital al-Hira.[11]

Anastasius' renewed assault

In the summer of 503, Anastasius sent reinforcements under

Beth Arabaye, while Areobindus raided Arzanene. Sasanian weakness at this point is apparent by defections to the Byzantine side by the renegade Constantine, a certain Arab chief Adid, and the Armenian Mushlek. The Byzantines eventually captured Amida.[13][11]

Peace treaty

In the same year, an armistice was agreed as a result of an invasion of Armenia by the

Nisibis.[13] In November 506, a treaty was finally agreed, but little is known of what the terms of the treaty were. Procopius states that peace was agreed for seven years, and it is likely that some payments were made to the Persians.[14] The Persians did not keep Byzantine territory and no annual tribute was paid so it seems the peace treaty was not harsh on the Byzantines.[15]

Aftermath

The Roman generals blamed many of their difficulties in this war on their lack of a major base in the immediate vicinity of the frontier, a role filled for the Persians by Nisibis (which until its secession in 363 had served the same purpose for the Romans), and in 505 Anastasius therefore ordered the building of a great fortified city at Dara. The dilapidated fortifications were also upgraded at Edessa, Batnae and Amida.[16]

Although no further large-scale conflict took place during Anastasius's reign, tensions continued, especially while work continued at Dara. This construction project was to become a key component of the Roman defenses, and also a lasting source of controversy with the Persians, who complained that its construction violated the treaty agreed in 422, by which both empires had agreed not to establish new fortifications in the frontier zone. Anastasius, however, pursued the project, deflecting Kavad's complaints with money.[17] The Persians were in any case unable to stop the work, and the walls were completed by 507/508.[13]

References

  1. ^ The sources are contradictory about the role played by Constantine during the siege of Theodosiopolis. According to Zacharias Rhetor, (Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 63) he was taken prisoner, while according to Joshua the Stylite, due a grudge he bore against the emperor Anastasius, he betrayed the Romans. (Joshua the Stylite, Chronicle 48)
  2. ^ Procopius. History of the Wars, I.7.1-2; Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 62.
  3. ^ Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 62.
  4. ^ Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 63.
  5. ^ A. Shapur Shahbazi, Erich Kettenhofen, John R. Perry, “DEPORTATIONS,” Encyclopædia Iranica, VII/3, pp. 297-312, available online at http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/deportations (accessed on 30 December 2012).
  6. ISBN 978-90-04-25446-6
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-19-936274-5
    .
  8. ISBN 978-0-88402-214-5
    .
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-1-60206-445-4
    .
  10. ISBN 978-0-486-20398-0
    .
  11. ^
    ISBN 978-0-415-46530-4
    .
  12. ^ Greatrex & Lieu 2002, pp. 69–71.
  13. ^ a b c Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 77.
  14. ^ Procopius. History of the Wars, I.9.24; Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 77.
  15. OCLC 1007044617
    .
  16. ^ Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 74.
  17. OCLC 294885267
    .

Sources

Primary

Secondary

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