Siege of Sisauranon (541)
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (August 2022) |
Siege of Sisauranon | |||||||
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Part of Belisarius' invasion of Mesopotamia in 541 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Byzantine Empire Goths Ghassanids | Sasanian Empire | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Belisarius Peter John Troglita Bouzes? Al-Harith ibn Jabalah | Bleschames | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | 800 Persian cavalry | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | All defected |
The siege of Sisauranon took place in 541 between Byzantine forces under Belisarius and the Sassanian garrison of the Sisauranon fortress under Bleschames.
The Romans employed several approaches, including stratagems and assaults. The garrison eventually surrendered and defected after the Byzantines received information about the fort being without supplies.
Background
In 541, the Byzantine emperor
Belisarius gave up, and instead commenced a siege against Sisauranon, a nearby frontier fortress. Sisauranon was held by a garrison consisting of 800 Persian cavalrymen.[1]
Siege
A Roman assault against the fort was defeated with heavy losses, and the attackers were only saved by a well-directed charge by
The sweltering heat of Mesopotamia caused serious illness in the Roman camp, which forced Belisarius to halt the campaign. The sick were transported back home in carts.[3] The raiding party failed to return or give any information on their movements. Procopius alleged that the Arabs wanted to keep all the booty.[1]
Aftermath
The defected Persian garrison went on to take part in the Gothic War. They participated in the Siege of Verona and the Battle of Faventia. Among them was one Artabazes, whose men took over the city gate in Verona and participated in single combat in Faventina.
Footnotes
- ^ According to Procopius (92.19.12), "the Saracens are by nature unable to storm a wall, but the cleverest of all men at plundering.".
Notes
- ^ a b c Petersen 2013, p. 526.
- ^ Petersen 2013, pp. 152, 352, 526.
- ^ Petersen 2013, p. 263,526.
References
- Petersen, Leif Inge Ree (15 September 2013). Siege Warfare and Military Organization in the Successor States (400-800 AD): Byzantium, the West and Islam. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-25446-6.