Ascan
Ascan | |
|---|---|
| Born | Late 5th century or early 6th century Pannonia (?) |
| Died | 19 April 531 AD |
Ascan (died 19 April 531) was a
Biography
He was one of several warriors of Hunnic descent fighting for the Byzantine Empire; the Huns were known to "fight like tigers when driven to bay" and to "die sword in hand".
He led the greater part of the Byzantine cavalry, made up of
George Philip Baker remarked that "as soon as Belisarius saw that Ascan, the Hun leader, was down, he knew what to expect."[3] They dismounted and let loose their horses.[3] The Byzantines, pressed against the river, formed a U-shaped phoulkon formation to defend themselves. They withstood the Persian attacks until nightfall, when they safely escaped across the Euphrates to Callinicum (modern-day Raqqa in Syria).[5] The result of the battle was an inconclusive Sassanian Pyrrhic victory.
References
- ^ Malalas, John. "Chronography Bks 1-7, 10-18". Topos Text. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ISBN 9780598984241. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ ISBN 9780815412175. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ISBN 9781107009066. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84468-941-5.