Alexander (taxiarch)
Encyclopedia
Alexander was a Byzantine military officer, active in the reign of Maurice
. He is styled a taxiarch in the accounts of Theophylact Simocatta
. He is known for his part in campaigns against the South Slavs
.
. This might be an attempt to translate a Latin
title. He is unlikely to have served as a magister militum
, always mentioned serving under other commanders. He might have been a comes rei militaris or a dux
. In either case, Alexander was stationed in Thrace
.
He is first mentioned in 593, serving under Priscus
. Alexander was at that time tasked with leading a scouting party. He and his men crossed the river Helibakion (Ialomiţa River
) in search of a group of Slavic raiders. The raiders attempted to escape through the local marshes, disorienting the Byzantines. Alexander attempted to set fire to the woods covering the rebels. But the material was too wet to catch fire. At that point, one of the raiders defected to Alexander's side. He was a Gepid who had briefly joined the Slavs, but apparently was not committed to their cause. He led Alexander to the hideout of his former allies. They were easily captured.
Alexander returned to Priscus' camp with the captives and valuable information. The raiders were spies employed by Musokios
. The latter had just been informed of the defeat of Ardagast
and had yet to react to it. Priscus and the defector started working on a trap to capture Musokios and his forces. In said plan, Alexander was assigned to lead an advance force.
Late one night, Alexander and two hundred soldiers managed to take positions near the banks of the river Paspirion. They went unnoticed and lay in ambush. The following night, they attacked the boatmen of Musokios, who were reportedly drunk and asleep at the time. They were easily sloughtered. Alexander captured the entire fleet of the Slavs. The boats were used to transport Priscus and the main force of the army, an estimated 3,000 men. Under the cover of the night, the entire force attacked the Slavic camp. Musokios was captured alive, while most of his men were slaughtered.
In 594, Alexander served under the curopalates
Peter
. Alexander led a force of 1,000 cavalrymen against 600 Slavs. The enemies had recently plundered a number of cities in Moesia
and were slowed down by the need to transport their loot. The Slavs reacted swiftly to Alexander's approach. They first executed all the male prisoners from Moesia who were able to use weapons. They then used their waggons as barricades, placing the female captives and the children in the middle. The warriors themselves "stood on the carts, brandishing their javelins".
The Byzantine cavalrymen could not approach their enemies without exposing their horses to danger. So Alexander ordered them to dismount and fight as infantry. The battle was decided when an unnamed Byzantine soldier managed to capture one of the waggons. The defense of the Slavs collapses, though they took the time to kill the rest of their captives first. They were then killed by the charging Byzantines. Following this victory, there is no further mention of Alexander.
Maurice (emperor)
Maurice was Byzantine Emperor from 582 to 602.A prominent general in his youth, Maurice fought with success against the Sassanid Persians...
. He is styled a taxiarch in the accounts of Theophylact Simocatta
Theophylact Simocatta
Theophylact Simocatta was an early seventh-century Byzantine historiographer, arguably ranking as the last historian of Late Antiquity, writing in the time of Heraclius about the late Emperor Maurice .-Life:His history of the reign of emperor Maurice is in eight books...
. He is known for his part in campaigns against the South Slavs
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
.
Biography
Alexander is styled a taxiarch in the accounts of Theophylact SimocattaTheophylact Simocatta
Theophylact Simocatta was an early seventh-century Byzantine historiographer, arguably ranking as the last historian of Late Antiquity, writing in the time of Heraclius about the late Emperor Maurice .-Life:His history of the reign of emperor Maurice is in eight books...
. This might be an attempt to translate a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
title. He is unlikely to have served as a magister militum
Magister militum
Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...
, always mentioned serving under other commanders. He might have been a comes rei militaris or a dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
. In either case, Alexander was stationed in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
.
He is first mentioned in 593, serving under Priscus
Priscus (general)
Priscus was a leading East Roman general during the reigns of the Byzantine emperors Maurice , Phocas and Heraclius . Although the contemporary sources are markedly biased in his favour, Priscus comes across as an effective and capable military leader...
. Alexander was at that time tasked with leading a scouting party. He and his men crossed the river Helibakion (Ialomiţa River
Ialomita River
The Ialomiţa is a river of Southern Romania that rises from the Bucegi Mountains in the Carpathians and flows into the Danube.The upper reach of the river is sometimes known as Valea Obârşiei or Obârşia Ialomiţei.-Localities:...
) in search of a group of Slavic raiders. The raiders attempted to escape through the local marshes, disorienting the Byzantines. Alexander attempted to set fire to the woods covering the rebels. But the material was too wet to catch fire. At that point, one of the raiders defected to Alexander's side. He was a Gepid who had briefly joined the Slavs, but apparently was not committed to their cause. He led Alexander to the hideout of his former allies. They were easily captured.
Alexander returned to Priscus' camp with the captives and valuable information. The raiders were spies employed by Musokios
Musokios
Musokios or Mužok was a 6th-century Slavic monarch that ruled around 592, during Maurice's Balkan campaigns.Menander Protector writes about Musokios in his works.-Raid on Ardagast:...
. The latter had just been informed of the defeat of Ardagast
Ardagast
Ardagast or Radogost was a 6th-century South Slavic chieftain under King Musokios.Menander Protector writes about Ardagast in his works, and he is mentioned in the Strategicon of Maurice....
and had yet to react to it. Priscus and the defector started working on a trap to capture Musokios and his forces. In said plan, Alexander was assigned to lead an advance force.
Late one night, Alexander and two hundred soldiers managed to take positions near the banks of the river Paspirion. They went unnoticed and lay in ambush. The following night, they attacked the boatmen of Musokios, who were reportedly drunk and asleep at the time. They were easily sloughtered. Alexander captured the entire fleet of the Slavs. The boats were used to transport Priscus and the main force of the army, an estimated 3,000 men. Under the cover of the night, the entire force attacked the Slavic camp. Musokios was captured alive, while most of his men were slaughtered.
In 594, Alexander served under the curopalates
Curopalates
Kouropalatēs, Latinized as curopalates or curopalata and Anglicized as curopalate, was a Byzantine court title, one of the highest from the time of Emperor Justinian I to that of the Komnenoi in the 12th century...
Peter
Peter (curopalates)
Petrus |Cappadocia]] – 27 November 602 in Constantinople or Chalcedon) was a brother of the Byzantine Emperor Maurice, who reigned from 582 to 602.-Background:...
. Alexander led a force of 1,000 cavalrymen against 600 Slavs. The enemies had recently plundered a number of cities in Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
and were slowed down by the need to transport their loot. The Slavs reacted swiftly to Alexander's approach. They first executed all the male prisoners from Moesia who were able to use weapons. They then used their waggons as barricades, placing the female captives and the children in the middle. The warriors themselves "stood on the carts, brandishing their javelins".
The Byzantine cavalrymen could not approach their enemies without exposing their horses to danger. So Alexander ordered them to dismount and fight as infantry. The battle was decided when an unnamed Byzantine soldier managed to capture one of the waggons. The defense of the Slavs collapses, though they took the time to kill the rest of their captives first. They were then killed by the charging Byzantines. Following this victory, there is no further mention of Alexander.