Azarethes
Encyclopedia
Azarethes also recorded as Exarath and Zuraq, was a Sassanid Persian
military commander during the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
. His name is the Greek corruption of a probably honorific title.
According to the account of Procopius
(De bello Persico, I.18), Azarethes was placed in command of the Persian army in Mesopotamia
after the Persian defeat in the Battle of Dara
in 530. Procopius calls him an "exceptionally able warrior", and Zacharias of Mytilene records that he held the rank of astabadh (a senior minister roughly equivalent to the Byzantine magister officiorum
). In 531, together with his Lakhmid allies, he led an invasion across the Euphrates
into the Byzantine province of Commagene. When the Byzantine army under Belisarius
approached, they withdrew east, halting at Callinicum. In the ensuing battle, the Byzantines suffered a heavy defeat, but Persian losses too were so high that the Persian king Kavadh I
(r. 488–531) was displeased with him and relieved him of his command.
He only reappears in the sources once, in 544, when he accompanied Kavadh's successor, Khosrau I
(r. 531–579), at the siege of Edessa
.
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
military commander during the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
The Byzantine–Sassanid Wars refers to a series of conflicts between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid dynasty of the Persian Empire...
. His name is the Greek corruption of a probably honorific title.
According to the account of 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...
(De bello Persico, I.18), Azarethes was placed in command of the Persian army in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
after the Persian defeat in the Battle of Dara
Battle of Dara
The Battle of Dara was fought between the Sassanids and the Byzantine Empire in 530. It was one of the battles of the Iberian War.- Background :...
in 530. Procopius calls him an "exceptionally able warrior", and Zacharias of Mytilene records that he held the rank of astabadh (a senior minister roughly equivalent to the Byzantine magister officiorum
Magister officiorum
The magister officiorum was one of the most senior administrative officials in the late Roman Empire and the early centuries of the Byzantine Empire...
). In 531, together with his Lakhmid allies, he led an invasion across the Euphrates
Euphrates
The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia...
into the Byzantine province of Commagene. When the Byzantine army under 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....
approached, they withdrew east, halting at Callinicum. In the ensuing battle, the Byzantines suffered a heavy defeat, but Persian losses too were so high that the Persian king Kavadh I
Kavadh I
Kavad or Kavadh I was the son of Peroz I and the nineteenth Sassanid king of Persia, reigning from 488 to 531...
(r. 488–531) was displeased with him and relieved him of his command.
He only reappears in the sources once, in 544, when he accompanied Kavadh's successor, Khosrau I
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
(r. 531–579), at the siege of Edessa
Edessa, Mesopotamia
Edessa is the Greek name of an Aramaic town in northern Mesopotamia, as refounded by Seleucus I Nicator. For the modern history of the city, see Şanlıurfa.-Names:...
.