Battle of Barbalissos

Coordinates: 36°03′40″N 37°53′28″E / 36.0610°N 37.8912°E / 36.0610; 37.8912
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Battle of Barbalissos
Part of the
Barbalissos, Syria modern Qalʿat al-Bālis, Syria)[1]
Result Sasanian victory[2][3]
Belligerents Sasanian Empire Roman EmpireCommanders and leaders Shapur IStrength Unknown 60,000[4]Casualties and losses Unknown Roman forces annihilated[5][6]

The Battle of Barbalissos was fought between the

Shapur I's inscription at Naqsh-e Rostam
.

Overview

The battle was fought between the Sasanian Persians and Romans at Barbalissos, an old Roman town near Aleppo in modern-day Syria and close to the Euphrates River. The battle was fought in 252 when Shapur I (239-270 AD), King of the Sasanian Empire led his army from the Euphrates River and met with a Roman army 60,000 strong of legionaries, archers, and Roman cavalry. Although the number of forces of the Sasanian army are unclear, through tactics and use of strategy Shapur I managed to win the battle and open a way through the Syrian cities and castles.[7][8] The defeat was very costly for Valerian who appointed many more armies to stop Shapur I from quick advance into Roman soil and later decided to lead an army of 70,000 legionaries himself in what became known as the Battle of Edessa.[9]

Sources

  • Kaveh Farroukh, Sassanian Elite Cavalry AD 224-642
  • David S. Potter, The Roman Empire at Bay
  • Res Gestae Divi Saporis[1]

References

  1. ^ "ŠĀPUR I: History – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
  2. ^ The Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 12, The Crisis of Empire, AD 193-337, "He captured several tomns and then destroyed a Roman army of 60000 men at Barbalissus (Balis) on the large bend of the Euphrates to the north."
  3. ^ Maria Brosius, The Persians, (Routledge, 2006), 145.
  4. ^ Maria Brosius, The Persians, 145.
  5. ^ Encyclopaedia Iranica "And we annihilated a Roman force of 60,000 at Barbalissus [modern Qalʿat al-Bālis, on the left bank of the Euphrates in Syria] and we burned and ravaged the province of Syria and all its dependencies; and in that one campaign we conquered from the Roman empire the following forts and cities (some thirty-six of them are named)"
  6. ^ The Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 12, The Crisis of Empire, AD 193-337, "He captured several towns and then destroyed a Roman army of 60000 men at Barbalissus (Balis) on the large bend of the Euphrates to the north."
  7. ISBN 9781134359844
    .
  8. ISBN 9780674778863
    .
  9. ISBN 9781610693912
    .

36°03′40″N 37°53′28″E / 36.0610°N 37.8912°E / 36.0610; 37.8912

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