Battle of Callinicum
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Callinicum took place Easter day, 19 April 531, between the armies of the Eastern Roman Empire under Belisarius
and the Sassanid Persians
under Azarethes
. After a defeat at the Battle of Dara
, the Sassanids moved to invade Syria in an attempt to turn the tide of the war. Belisarius' rapid response foiled the plan, and his troops pushed the Persians out of Syria through skillful maneuvering before forcing a battle.
, numbering about 15,000 cavalry, with an additional group of 5,000 Lakhmid Arabs, crossed the frontier at Circesium
on the Euphrates
and marched north. As they neared Callinicum, Belisarius, who commanded the local Byzantine troops, set out to follow them as they advanced westwards. Belisarius' forces consisted of about 5,000 men and another 3,000 Ghassanid Arab allies, for the remainder of his army had been left to secure Dara
. The Byzantines finally blocked the Persian advance at Chalcis
, where reinforcements under Hermogenes
also arrived, bringing the Byzantine force to some 20,000 men. The Persians were forced to withdraw, and the Byzantines followed them east.
Initially, Belisarius only wanted to drive off the Persians, without a risky battle. The Byzantine troops, however, were restless, and clamored for battle. After failing to convince his men, and realizing they would mutiny unless he agreed, Belisarius prepared his force for battle.
The two armies met outside Callinicum on 19 April 531. Both groups formed up differently, Belisarius again choosing an "odd" formation that confused his opposing general. In this case he anchored his left flank on the bank of the river with infantry, put the Ghassanid Arab allies on the right flank, and placed several ranks of heavy cavalry, the cataphract
s, in the center of the front line. In more standard formation the Persians split their forces into two roughly equal groups, with infantry in front of cavalry.
For much of the day, the battle was a stalemate, with the Persians and Byzantines trading arrows and cavalry charges. After "two thirds of the day" had elapsed a squadron of the elite Persian cavalry broke through the Roman right flank, composed of Belisarius' Ghassanid allies, with surprising force such that the Ghassanids were accused of treachery after they fled. With his right flank gone, Belisarius was forced to retreat in an effort to re-form his line, but the retreat was followed and soon the Romans found themselves pressed against the river.
Zacharias of Mytilene says of this battle:
"[The Romans] turned and fled before the Persian attack. Many fell into the Euphrates and were drowned, and others were killed."
However, it is unknown what stage of the battle Zachariah was referring to.
Here on the river, the Romans were able to resist the Persians and withdraw much of their army across the river. The Persians attacked the Byzantine lines over the course of several hours, but were repulsed with heavy casualties by the dedicated line of Byzantine troops led directly by Belisarius. Eventually, the Persians gave up, and Belisarius completed his own withdrawal.
In fact, the Persian losses were so severe that when the army returned to the capital, Emperor Kavadh I
removed General Azarethes from command and stripped him of his honors due to the general's actions in the battle.
This mutual disaster was the first of Belisarius' series of (relatively) unsuccessful wars against Sassanids, which led Byzantine to pay heavy tributes in exchange for a peace treaty and the remaining Byzantine land still in Persian hands.
Callinicum ended the first of Belisarius' Persian campaigns, returning all of the land lost to them to Roman rule under Justinian I
in the Eternal Peace
agreement signed in summer 532.
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 the Sassanid Persians
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...
under Azarethes
Azarethes
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....
. After a defeat at 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 :...
, the Sassanids moved to invade Syria in an attempt to turn the tide of the war. Belisarius' rapid response foiled the plan, and his troops pushed the Persians out of Syria through skillful maneuvering before forcing a battle.
Battle
In April 531, a Persian force under AzarethesAzarethes
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....
, numbering about 15,000 cavalry, with an additional group of 5,000 Lakhmid Arabs, crossed the frontier at Circesium
Circesium
Circesium was an ancient city in Osrhoene, corresponding to the modern city of Buseira, in the region of Deir ez-Zor in Syria, at the confluence of the Khabur River with the Euphrates.- History :...
on 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...
and marched north. As they neared Callinicum, Belisarius, who commanded the local Byzantine troops, set out to follow them as they advanced westwards. Belisarius' forces consisted of about 5,000 men and another 3,000 Ghassanid Arab allies, for the remainder of his army had been left to secure Dara
Dara (Mesopotamia)
Dara or Daras was an important East Roman fortress city in northern Mesopotamia on the border with the Sassanid Empire. Because of its great strategic importance, it featured prominently in the Roman-Persian conflicts of the 6th century, with the famous Battle of Dara taking place before its walls...
. The Byzantines finally blocked the Persian advance at Chalcis
Chalcis, Syria
Chalcis was an ancient city in Syria. Syrian Chalcis was the birthplace of 3rd century Neoplatonist philosopher Iamblichus.It is thought to be the site of the modern town of Qinnasrin, though Anjar in Lebanon has also been suggested as the site of ancient Chalcis....
, where reinforcements under Hermogenes
Hermogenes (magister officiorum)
Hermogenes was an East Roman official who served as magister officiorum, military commander and diplomatic envoy during the Iberian War against Sassanid Persia in the early reign of Justinian I .- Life :...
also arrived, bringing the Byzantine force to some 20,000 men. The Persians were forced to withdraw, and the Byzantines followed them east.
Initially, Belisarius only wanted to drive off the Persians, without a risky battle. The Byzantine troops, however, were restless, and clamored for battle. After failing to convince his men, and realizing they would mutiny unless he agreed, Belisarius prepared his force for battle.
The two armies met outside Callinicum on 19 April 531. Both groups formed up differently, Belisarius again choosing an "odd" formation that confused his opposing general. In this case he anchored his left flank on the bank of the river with infantry, put the Ghassanid Arab allies on the right flank, and placed several ranks of heavy cavalry, the cataphract
Cataphract
A cataphract was a form of armored heavy cavalry utilised in ancient warfare by a number of peoples in Western Eurasia and the Eurasian Steppe....
s, in the center of the front line. In more standard formation the Persians split their forces into two roughly equal groups, with infantry in front of cavalry.
For much of the day, the battle was a stalemate, with the Persians and Byzantines trading arrows and cavalry charges. After "two thirds of the day" had elapsed a squadron of the elite Persian cavalry broke through the Roman right flank, composed of Belisarius' Ghassanid allies, with surprising force such that the Ghassanids were accused of treachery after they fled. With his right flank gone, Belisarius was forced to retreat in an effort to re-form his line, but the retreat was followed and soon the Romans found themselves pressed against the river.
Zacharias of Mytilene says of this battle:
"[The Romans] turned and fled before the Persian attack. Many fell into the Euphrates and were drowned, and others were killed."
However, it is unknown what stage of the battle Zachariah was referring to.
Here on the river, the Romans were able to resist the Persians and withdraw much of their army across the river. The Persians attacked the Byzantine lines over the course of several hours, but were repulsed with heavy casualties by the dedicated line of Byzantine troops led directly by Belisarius. Eventually, the Persians gave up, and Belisarius completed his own withdrawal.
Outcome
The direct outcome of the battle was something of a stalemate; the Byzantine army had lost many soldiers and wouldn't be in fighting condition for months, but the Persians had taken such heavy losses that it was useless as to its original purpose, the invasion of Syria.In fact, the Persian losses were so severe that when the army returned to the capital, Emperor 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...
removed General Azarethes from command and stripped him of his honors due to the general's actions in the battle.
This mutual disaster was the first of Belisarius' series of (relatively) unsuccessful wars against Sassanids, which led Byzantine to pay heavy tributes in exchange for a peace treaty and the remaining Byzantine land still in Persian hands.
Callinicum ended the first of Belisarius' Persian campaigns, returning all of the land lost to them to Roman rule under Justinian I
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...
in the Eternal Peace
Eternal Peace (532)
The Eternal Peace , signed in 532 between the East Roman Empire and Sassanid Persia, was a peace treaty of indefinite duration, which concluded the Iberian War between the two powers...
agreement signed in summer 532.