Battle of Singara (344)
Battle of Singara | |||||||
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Part of the Perso-Roman wars of 337–361 | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Sasanian Empire | Roman Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Shapur II Prince Narseh † | Constantius II | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown, but larger | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Heavy[4] | Heavy[5] |
The Battle of Singara was fought in 344 between
Shapur II of Persia
. It is the only one of the nine pitched battles recorded to have been fought in a war of over twenty years, marked primarily by indecisive siege warfare, of which any details have been preserved. Although the Persian forces prevailed on the battlefield, both sides suffered heavy casualties.
Background
When
Lakhmid Arabs rebellion in the south, he directed his attention towards Rome, his main enemy, in 337.[6][7] The sacking of a Sasanian city and the deportation of its population may have led to the intervention of Shapur II.[8] He began by recapturing Armenia. and then advanced in his first campaign against Constantius II in the following year, however, the Roman defensive lines resisted and the Persian forces made limited progress.[9]
Battle
The Roman troops initially retreated and broke into the Persian camp.[10] They inflicted heavy casualties including Shapur's son Prince Narseh.[11] However, the Persians counter-attacked and drove the Romans away with heavy losses.
Outcome and aftermath
The death of Shapur's son did not facilitate an amicable settlement of the conflict, and the war dragged on for several years. Shapur, notwithstanding the extent of his victory, proved unable to utilize the event to any further advantage. Two years later, he became bogged down in another siege of
treaty of Dura
, and thus Shapur's ambitions were accomplished.
See also
Notes
- pyrrhic victory.[3]
References
- SSRN 2648954.
- JSTOR 1087874.
- ^ a b Harrel 2016, p. 78-82.
- ^ From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views: A Source History "344 (summer) Both Romans and Persians suffered heavy casualties at the battle of Singara."
- ^ From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views: A Source History "344 (summer) Both Romans and Persians suffered heavy casualties at the battle of Singara."
- ISBN 9780521301992.
- ^ electricpulp.com. "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
Until the death of Constantine in 337, there was relative peace with the Romans, but the conversion of Armenia to Christianity and the Roman rulers' backing of Armenia caused Šāpur II to begin a campaign against them.
- ISBN 9781473848337.
- ^ electricpulp.com. "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
Šāpur II laid siege to Nisibis three times, and there was constant warfare, which did not go in favor of either side. The Roman defensive system of fortresses and limes hindered Šāpur's campaign in the region, but some forts, such as the town of Bezabde near Nisibis, fell to him.
- ISBN 9780415103176.
- ISBN 9781473869110.
- ^ "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
The encroachment of the nomadic tribes in Central Asia forced Šāpur II to turn his attention to the East (Chronicle of Arbela, p. 85), and the war with Rome ended in stalemate by 350.