Aratius
Encyclopedia
Aratius was an Armenian
military commander of the 6th-century. He served at first the Sassanid Empire
, then defected to the Byzantine Empire
. He is primarily known for his activities in the Iberian War
, and the Gothic War. He was eventually killed in an ambush. Primary sources about him include Choricius of Gaza
and Procopius
.
. Choricius of Gaza
describes Aratius as originating from a good family and having distinguished brothers. He does not identify this family. Modern historians suggest that they could be part of the Kamsarakan
family, also ancestral to Narses.
in the Iberian War
(526-532). The two of them managed to win a victory over the Byzantine commanders Belisarius
and Sittas
. The battle is briefly described by Procopius
. "And the Romans, under the leadership of Sittas and Belisarius, made an inroad into Persarmenia
, a territory subject to the Persians, where they plundered a large tract of country and then withdrew with a great multitude of Armenian captives. These two men were both youths and wearing their first beards, body-guards of the general Justinian
, who later shared the empire with his uncle Justinus
. But when a second inroad had been made by the Romans into Armenia, Narses and Aratius unexpectedly confronted them and engaged them in battle. These men not long after this came to the Romans as deserters, and made the expedition to Italy with Belisarius; but on the present occasion they joined battle with the forces of Sittas and Belisarius and gained the advantage over them."
In summer 530, Aratius and his brothers Narses deserted to the Byzantine Empire. They transported their mother with them. They were welcomed and rewarded by the eunuch Narses, a fellow Persarmenian. At the time this Narses was not yet a general, but a sacellarius
. They were soon joined by Isaacius. Procopius narrates: "Narses and Aratius who at the beginning of this war, as I have stated above, had an encounter with Sittas and Belisarius in the land of the Persarmenians, came together with their mother as deserters to the Romans; and the emperor's steward, Narses, received them (for he too happened to be a Persarmenian by birth), and he presented them with a large sum of money. When this came to the knowledge of Isaac, their youngest brother, he secretly opened negotiations with the Romans, and delivered over to them the fortress of Bolum, which lies very near the limits of Theodosiopolis
. For he directed that soldiers should be concealed somewhere in the vicinity, and he received them into the fort by night, opening stealthily one small gate for them. Thus he too came to Byzantium."
Palestinae
. Choricius composed a panegyric
for both Aratius and the "archon
" Stephanus (Stephen). Stephanus was the governor of Palestina. On 1 July, 536, Stephanus was promoted to proconsul
/anthypatos
of Palaestina Prima (First Palestine). The panegyric was composed shortly before this promotion. The text includes mentions of Aratius' activities in the intervening years.
He is first credited with ending a revolt of religious dissenters in the vicinity of Caesarea. He was then supposedly able to do so without resorting to force. He is then credited as the strategos
(general) responsible for capturing an enemy fortress, which was considered impregnable. Who the enemy barbarian
s were is left unclear, though they could have been hostile Arabs. He is thirdly mentioned leading a force of about 20 men in opening a pass which was held closed by Arab attacks. Again supposedly without a battle. He is next mentioning restoring Byzantine control over Iotabe (Tiran Island
), previously occupied by neighbouring tribesmen. Aratius was finally able to locate the stronghold of these tribesmen on the mainland, attack it and capture
it. He is particularly praised for the revenue brought in by Iotabe, through the customs
paid there.
Choricius' flattering description features Aratius as an able man, merciful in administering justice and honest in financial matters.
, leading a group of reinforcements for Belisarius. His title at the time is not recorded. He might have been a magister militum
or a comes rei militaris. He probably arrived in the spring or summer of the year. He was reportedly ordered by Belisarius to set his camp near Auximum
with 1,000 men. The town was a stronghold of the Ostrogoths and Aratius' mission was to keep watch over their activities.
Aratius spent the winter of 538-539 at Firmum
, continuing his watch over nearby Auximum. He took part in the siege of Auximum in 539. He and his brother Narses were leading a force of Armenians during said siege. In 540, Aratius, his brother Narse, Bessas, and John fell out of favour with Belisarius and sent away from Ravenna
. Belisarius and the eunuch Narses rivaled each other at the time. Belisarius, who chose Ravenna for his seat, suspected them of serving his rival. Belisarius was soon recalled from Italy. Aratius presumably continued fighting the Gothic War, but his activities over the following decade are mostly unrecorded.
, Constantianus and John were tasked with leading a force of 10,000 cavalryman on a mission. They were to assist the Lombards
in their conflict with the Gepids. This campaign was short-lived as the two opponents concluded a peace treaty, making the presence of Byzantine forces unnecessary.
In early 551, Aratius was one of the military commanders saint to face the South Slavs
who were plundering the Balkans
. Scholasticus was the overall leader of the campaign. The Byzantine forces suffered a major defeat in the vicinity of Adrianople
. But later regrouped and won a victory. Their opponents departed the area. Later thatr year, Aratius is again mentioned as strategos. The Cutrigur Huns
had invaded Byzantine territories, acting as agents of the Gepids. Justinian I sent Aratius to negotiate their retreat. The Byzantines informed them that the Cutrigur homeland had in turn been invaded by the Utigurs.
In 552, Aratius, Amalafrid
, Justinus
, Justinianus
and Suartuas were sent on a new mission to the Lombards. They were to assist them against the Gepids. Amalafridas continued on the mission. But the rest were soon recalled by the emperor. Religious strife had broken out in Ulpiana
and they were needed to restore order.
The Gothic War was still ongoing. In 552, Ildigisal and Goar invaded the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
. Aratius, Arimuth, Leonianus and Rhecithangus were tasked with stopping them. All four commanders were ambushed while drinking at a river. They were easily killed.
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
military commander of the 6th-century. He served at first the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
, then defected to the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. He is primarily known for his activities in the Iberian War
Iberian War
The Iberian War was fought from 526 to 532 between the Eastern Roman Empire and Sassanid Empire over the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia.-Origin:After the Anastasian War, a seven-year truce was agreed on, yet it lasted for nearly twenty years...
, and the Gothic War. He was eventually killed in an ambush. Primary sources about him include Choricius of Gaza
Choricius of Gaza
Choricius, of Gaza , Greek sophist and rhetorician, flourished in the time of Anastasius I .He was the pupil of Procopius of Gaza, who must be distinguished from Procopius of Caesarea, the historian. A number of his declamations and descriptive treatises have been preserved...
and Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
.
Biography
Aratius was a native of Persian Armenia. He was a brother of Isaacius (Isaac) and Narses. His brother should not be confused with the famous general NarsesNarses
Narses was, with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I during the "Reconquest" that took place during Justinian's reign....
. Choricius of Gaza
Choricius of Gaza
Choricius, of Gaza , Greek sophist and rhetorician, flourished in the time of Anastasius I .He was the pupil of Procopius of Gaza, who must be distinguished from Procopius of Caesarea, the historian. A number of his declamations and descriptive treatises have been preserved...
describes Aratius as originating from a good family and having distinguished brothers. He does not identify this family. Modern historians suggest that they could be part of the Kamsarakan
Kamsarakan
Kamsarakan was an Armenian noble family that was an offshoot of the Karen-Pahlav Clan, one of the seven great houses of Parthia of Persian Arsacid origin.Most of their lands were acquired by the Bagratuni during the last quarter of the eight century....
family, also ancestral to Narses.
Iberian War
Aratius and Narses are first mentioned in 527. They were fighting for the Sassanid EmpireSassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
in the Iberian War
Iberian War
The Iberian War was fought from 526 to 532 between the Eastern Roman Empire and Sassanid Empire over the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia.-Origin:After the Anastasian War, a seven-year truce was agreed on, yet it lasted for nearly twenty years...
(526-532). The two of them managed to win a victory over the Byzantine commanders Belisarius
Belisarius
Flavius Belisarius was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously....
and Sittas
Sittas
Sittas was a Byzantine military commander during the reign of Justinian. During the Iberian War against the Sassanid Empire, Sittas was given command of forces in Armenia, similar to the status of Belisarius in Mesopotamia...
. The battle is briefly described by Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
. "And the Romans, under the leadership of Sittas and Belisarius, made an inroad into Persarmenia
Nor-Shirakan
Nor-Shirakan or Persarmenia , also known as Adiabene, was part of Greater Armenia, but now situated on the western shore of Lake Urmia in northern Iran. Following the partition of Greater Armenia between the Roman Empire and Sassanid Empire in 387, the territory under Sassanid influence became to...
, a territory subject to the Persians, where they plundered a large tract of country and then withdrew with a great multitude of Armenian captives. These two men were both youths and wearing their first beards, body-guards of the general Justinian
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
, who later shared the empire with his uncle Justinus
Justin I
Justin I was Byzantine Emperor from 518 to 527. He rose through the ranks of the army and ultimately became its Emperor, in spite of the fact he was illiterate and almost 70 years old at the time of accession...
. But when a second inroad had been made by the Romans into Armenia, Narses and Aratius unexpectedly confronted them and engaged them in battle. These men not long after this came to the Romans as deserters, and made the expedition to Italy with Belisarius; but on the present occasion they joined battle with the forces of Sittas and Belisarius and gained the advantage over them."
In summer 530, Aratius and his brothers Narses deserted to the Byzantine Empire. They transported their mother with them. They were welcomed and rewarded by the eunuch Narses, a fellow Persarmenian. At the time this Narses was not yet a general, but a sacellarius
Sakellarios
Sakellarios is an official entrusted with administrative and financial duties . The title was used in the Byzantine Empire with varying functions, and remains in use in the Eastern Orthodox Church....
. They were soon joined by Isaacius. Procopius narrates: "Narses and Aratius who at the beginning of this war, as I have stated above, had an encounter with Sittas and Belisarius in the land of the Persarmenians, came together with their mother as deserters to the Romans; and the emperor's steward, Narses, received them (for he too happened to be a Persarmenian by birth), and he presented them with a large sum of money. When this came to the knowledge of Isaac, their youngest brother, he secretly opened negotiations with the Romans, and delivered over to them the fortress of Bolum, which lies very near the limits of Theodosiopolis
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
. For he directed that soldiers should be concealed somewhere in the vicinity, and he received them into the fort by night, opening stealthily one small gate for them. Thus he too came to Byzantium."
Palestine
Aratius resurfaces in 535/536, as DuxDux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
Palestinae
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. Choricius composed a panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
for both Aratius and the "archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
" Stephanus (Stephen). Stephanus was the governor of Palestina. On 1 July, 536, Stephanus was promoted to proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
/anthypatos
Anthypatos
Anthypatos is the translation in Greek of the Latin proconsul. In the Greek-speaking East, it was used to denote this office in Roman and early Byzantine times, surviving as an administrative office until the 9th century...
of Palaestina Prima (First Palestine). The panegyric was composed shortly before this promotion. The text includes mentions of Aratius' activities in the intervening years.
He is first credited with ending a revolt of religious dissenters in the vicinity of Caesarea. He was then supposedly able to do so without resorting to force. He is then credited as the strategos
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
(general) responsible for capturing an enemy fortress, which was considered impregnable. Who the enemy barbarian
Barbarian
Barbarian and savage are terms used to refer to a person who is perceived to be uncivilized. The word is often used either in a general reference to a member of a nation or ethnos, typically a tribal society as seen by an urban civilization either viewed as inferior, or admired as a noble savage...
s were is left unclear, though they could have been hostile Arabs. He is thirdly mentioned leading a force of about 20 men in opening a pass which was held closed by Arab attacks. Again supposedly without a battle. He is next mentioning restoring Byzantine control over Iotabe (Tiran Island
Tiran Island
Tiran is an Egyptian-administered island that belongs to Egypt and is being claimed by Saudi Arabia. It is located at the entrance of the Straits of Tiran, which separates the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aqaba. It has an area of about 80 km2...
), previously occupied by neighbouring tribesmen. Aratius was finally able to locate the stronghold of these tribesmen on the mainland, attack it and capture
it. He is particularly praised for the revenue brought in by Iotabe, through the customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
paid there.
Choricius' flattering description features Aratius as an able man, merciful in administering justice and honest in financial matters.
Gothic War
Procopius next mentions Aratius in 538. He was sent to the Gothic War in the Italian PeninsulaItalian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
, leading a group of reinforcements for Belisarius. His title at the time is not recorded. He might have been 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...
or a comes rei militaris. He probably arrived in the spring or summer of the year. He was reportedly ordered by Belisarius to set his camp near Auximum
Osimo
Osimo is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the province of Ancona, 15 km south of that town by rail. It is situated on a hill near the Adriatic Sea.Silk-spinning and the raising of cocoons are carried on.-History:...
with 1,000 men. The town was a stronghold of the Ostrogoths and Aratius' mission was to keep watch over their activities.
Aratius spent the winter of 538-539 at Firmum
Fermo
Fermo is a town and comune of the Marche, Italy, in the Province of Fermo.Fermo is located on a hill, the Sabulo with a fine view, on a branch from Porto San Giorgio on the Adriatic coast railway....
, continuing his watch over nearby Auximum. He took part in the siege of Auximum in 539. He and his brother Narses were leading a force of Armenians during said siege. In 540, Aratius, his brother Narse, Bessas, and John fell out of favour with Belisarius and sent away from Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
. Belisarius and the eunuch Narses rivaled each other at the time. Belisarius, who chose Ravenna for his seat, suspected them of serving his rival. Belisarius was soon recalled from Italy. Aratius presumably continued fighting the Gothic War, but his activities over the following decade are mostly unrecorded.
Later years
His next prominent action was in 549. Aratius, BouzesBouzes
Bouzes or Buzes was an East Roman general active in the reign of Justinian I in the wars against the Sassanid Persians.- Family :...
, Constantianus and John were tasked with leading a force of 10,000 cavalryman on a mission. They were to assist the Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
in their conflict with the Gepids. This campaign was short-lived as the two opponents concluded a peace treaty, making the presence of Byzantine forces unnecessary.
In early 551, Aratius was one of the military commanders saint to face 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...
who were plundering the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. Scholasticus was the overall leader of the campaign. The Byzantine forces suffered a major defeat in the vicinity of Adrianople
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
. But later regrouped and won a victory. Their opponents departed the area. Later thatr year, Aratius is again mentioned as strategos. The Cutrigur Huns
Huns
The Huns were a group of nomadic people who, appearing from east of the Volga River, migrated into Europe c. AD 370 and established the vast Hunnic Empire there. Since de Guignes linked them with the Xiongnu, who had been northern neighbours of China 300 years prior to the emergence of the Huns,...
had invaded Byzantine territories, acting as agents of the Gepids. Justinian I sent Aratius to negotiate their retreat. The Byzantines informed them that the Cutrigur homeland had in turn been invaded by the Utigurs.
In 552, Aratius, Amalafrid
Amalafrid
Amalafrid was the son of the last Thuringian king Hermanafrid and his wife Amalaberga, daughter of Amalafrida and niece of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great....
, Justinus
Justin (consul 540)
Flavius Mar Petrus Theodorus Valentinus Rusticius Boraides Germanus Iustinus, commonly simply Iustinus was an East Roman aristocrat and general, who was appointed as one of the last Roman consuls in 540....
, Justinianus
Justinian (general)
Justinian was an East Roman aristocrat and general, and a member of the ruling Justinian dynasty. As a soldier, he had a distinguished career in the Balkans and in the East against Sassanid Persia...
and Suartuas were sent on a new mission to the Lombards. They were to assist them against the Gepids. Amalafridas continued on the mission. But the rest were soon recalled by the emperor. Religious strife had broken out in Ulpiana
Ulpiana
Ulpiana was an ancient Roman city located in what is today Kosovo. It was also named Justiniana Secunda. Ulpiana is situated in the municipality of Lipljan...
and they were needed to restore order.
The Gothic War was still ongoing. In 552, Ildigisal and Goar invaded the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum was one of four praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided.The administrative centre of the prefecture was Sirmium , and, after 379, Thessalonica...
. Aratius, Arimuth, Leonianus and Rhecithangus were tasked with stopping them. All four commanders were ambushed while drinking at a river. They were easily killed.