John Troglita
Encyclopedia
John Troglita was a 6th-century Byzantine general. His exploits against the Sassanid Persians
in the East and especially against the Moorish
rebels in North Africa
are the subject of the last Latin epic poem of Antiquity
, the Iohannis or de Bellis Libycis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus
.
, but his peculiar surname might indicate provenance from Trogilos (Τρώγιλος) in Macedonia
. According to information provided by Procopius and Corippus, he was the son of a certain Evanthes, and had at least one brother named Pappus. Troglita himself married a "daughter of a king", probably a barbarian chieftain, and had a son, Peter.
John Troglita is first mentioned as having participated in the Vandalic War
(533–534) under Belisarius
, and may be identifiable with another John, who commanded a unit of foederati
in the battles of Ad Decimum
and Tricamarum. Trogilta remained in Africa
after Belisarius' departure in 534, and participated in the expeditions of Solomon
against the Moors
in 534–535. At the time, he was probably the local military governor (dux
) in either Byzacena
or Tripolitania
. Troglita also fought against the mutinous army under the renegade Stotzas
, participating in the first victory under Belisarius
at Membresa in 536, and then, under Solomon's successor Germanus, in the decisive battle at Scalas Veteres in spring 537. In this battle he was one of the commanders of the cavalry on the Byzantine army's right wing, which according to the historian Procopius
was defeated and driven off by Stotzas' men, losing its standards in the process. Nevertheless, the battle resulted in an imperial victory.
At some point after 538 he was sent to the Eastern frontier, where by 541 he was appointed dux Mesopotamiae, one of the most important military commands of the region. From this position he arrested a member of the embassy of the Ostrogoth
ic king Witiges
to the Persians, and according to Corippus scored a number of successes against the Persian army: he defeated the general Nabedes near Nisibis
, led his army in a successful night attack against the Persian force besieging Theodosiopolis, and then defeated another Persian army besieging Dara
, capturing its general, Mihr-Mihroe
. Procopius however gives a different account of the first battle, indicating that John had to be saved from a sudden Persian attack by Belisarius, and does not mention the other two incidents at all. Nevertheless, Corippus maintains that John was congratulated for his performance by Urbicius, one of Emperor Justinian's advisors who had been sent to supervise the war.
and establishing control over Numidia
and Mauretania Sitifensis. The Moorish revolt flared up again in 543 however, and Solomon was killed in the Battle of Cillium in 544. His successor, his nephew Sergius, was incompetent. Defeated by the Moors, he was recalled and replaced with the senator Areobindus, who was murdered in spring 546 in the another military revolt led by the general Guntharic, who intended to declare himself independent of Constantinople. Although he was soon murdered by the Armenian Artabanes
, the need for a new and capable leader was apparent. Justinian. perhaps acting on Urbicius' advice, as implied by Corippus, recalled John Troglita from the East, and after having him report on the situation there in Constantinople, sent him to Africa as the new magister militum
per Africam in late summer 546.
In late 546, when John reached Carthage
, the situation was dire. The forces available to him, under Marcentius in Byzacene and Gregory in Carthage, were limited and of poor quality. Therefore, John first tried to use diplomacy to win part of the Moorish tribes over. His efforts achieved some success as Cutzinas joined him with several thousand cavalrymen, while Iaudas, the chieftain of the Aurasii (the tribes of the Aures Mountains
) decided to pursue a course of neutrality. The other tribes of Byzacena and Numidia
however united in a confederation, aiming to expel the Romans from their last strongholds along the coast. Nevertheless, John continued to negotiate with the tribes, buying time to prepare his own forces for a counterstrike.
When his preparations were complete, John with his army issued forth from Carthage, joined up with Marcentius, and, taking the tribes completely by surprise, relieved the beleaguered cities in a swift campaign. The Moors withdrew again to the mountainous interior, and under the leadership of Antalas, gathered their forces near Sufetula
. The Moors achieved an early success when they ambushed a Roman reconnaissance force. John advanced with his army in relief, but the Moors quickly withdrew to their camp, which they fortified by digging trenches. Unable to carry out a direct assault, the Roman army likewise erected a fortified camp, and the two adversaries shadowed each other for several days in unease. At long last, after another attempt at peaceful surrender had been rejected by Antalas, the two armies met in battle. Our main source Corippus describes the battle in Homer
ic fashion as a series of duel
s, but it is clear that it was a long, indecisive and bloody conflict. Eventually the Romans prevailed and drove back the Moors, breaking through their defences and storming their camp. In the aftermath of the battle, many prisoners were released, and among the treasures captured were the military standards lost by Solomon at Cillium in 544.
A few months later however, the Leuathae, the largest tribe in Tripolitania, rose up under their leader Carcasan, and John marched out to meet them. The Moors initially withdrew into the arid interior, hoping to shake him off, but John's army, accompanied by a caravan with water and provisions, followed them into the desert. Both armies suffered from thirst, hunger and disease. Eventually, they met near Marta, on the plain of Gallica. According to Corippus, John was reluctant to engage in battle, but was forced by his men to fight, a phenomenon frequent during the Late Empire, when army discipline had become lax. In the event, the battle turned into a disaster, and the Romans were routed. John fled to Iunci and thence to Laribus, where he started mustering a new army. Antalas immediately rose up again and joined the Leuthae, and throughout the remainder of 547 they raided across the province, even reaching the vicinity of Carthage itself.
In the spring of 548, John, having regrouped his forces and secured the assistance of several tribes, most importantly of Coutzinas, set out to meet them. The Moors again withdrew before his advance, hoping to draw him into the interior, far from his supply bases, and starve his army out. Through espionage John became aware of their intentions, and instead camped at Iunce, near the sea. After suppressing a mutiny amongst his men, he marched towards the plain called the Fields of Cato, where the Moors had camped. Intent on drawing them out into an open battle, John feigned reluctance to fight. His plan worked, and the ensuing battle was a resounding Roman victory. Seventeen Moorish chieftains, including Carcasan, fell, while Antalas was captured, in a victory that marked the end of the long Moorish Wars. Byzacena, Numidia and Tripolitania were finally secured, and a period of peace inaugurated.
, the tribes were granted autonomy, and annual monetary grants (pacta) to their leaders cemented this agreement. At the same time, the network of fortifications erected by Solomon was repaired and strengthened, securing Roman control of vital routes and strategically important areas.
John's success in restoring peace to Africa can be seen from the fact that in 551, when Totila
, king of the Ostrogoths, captured Sardinia
and Corsica
, John was able to spare enough forces and send a fleet to reclaim them, albeit without success. The exact date of John's death is unknown, but most likely he died in 552 or soon after, and was buried in Carthage.
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...
in the East and especially against the Moorish
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
rebels in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
are the subject of the last Latin epic poem of Antiquity
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
, the Iohannis or de Bellis Libycis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus
Flavius Cresconius Corippus
Flavius Cresconius Corippus was a late Roman epic poet of the 6th century, who flourished under East Roman Emperors Justinian I and Justin II. His major works are the epic poem Johannis and the panegyric In laudem Justini minoris...
.
Origins and early career in Africa and the East
The exact origin of John Troglita is unclear. He may have been born in ThraceThrace
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...
, but his peculiar surname might indicate provenance from Trogilos (Τρώγιλος) in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
. According to information provided by Procopius and Corippus, he was the son of a certain Evanthes, and had at least one brother named Pappus. Troglita himself married a "daughter of a king", probably a barbarian chieftain, and had a son, Peter.
John Troglita is first mentioned as having participated in the Vandalic War
Vandalic War
The Vandalic War was a war fought in North Africa, in the areas of modern Tunisia and eastern Algeria, in 533-534, between the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Vandal Kingdom of Carthage...
(533–534) 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....
, and may be identifiable with another John, who commanded a unit of foederati
Foederati
Foederatus is a Latin term whose definition and usage drifted in the time between the early Roman Republic and the end of the Western Roman Empire...
in the battles of Ad Decimum
Battle of Ad Decimum
The Battle of Ad Decimum took place on September 13, 533 between the armies of the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, and the Eastern Roman Empire , under the command of general Belisarius. This event and events in the following year are sometimes jointly referred to as the Battle of Carthage, one...
and Tricamarum. Trogilta remained in Africa
Praetorian prefecture of Africa
The praetorian prefecture of Africa was a major administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire, established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals in 533-534 by emperor Justinian I...
after Belisarius' departure in 534, and participated in the expeditions of Solomon
Solomon (Byzantine general)
Solomon was an East Roman general from northern Mesopotamia, who distinguished himself as a commander in the Vandalic War and the reconquest of North Africa in 533–534. He spent most of the next decade in Africa as its governor general, combining the military post of magister militum with the...
against the Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in 534–535. At the time, he was probably the local military governor (dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
) in either Byzacena
Byzacena
Byzacena was a Roman province in what is now Tunisia.At the end of the third century AD, the Emperor Diocletian divided the great Roman province of Africa Proconsularis into three smaller provinces: Zeugitana in the north, still governed by a proconsul and referred to as Proconsularis, Byzacena,...
or Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
. Troglita also fought against the mutinous army under the renegade Stotzas
Stotzas
Stotzas , also Stutias, was an East Roman soldier and leader of a military rebellion in the Praetorian prefecture of Africa.-Life:...
, participating in the first victory 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....
at Membresa in 536, and then, under Solomon's successor Germanus, in the decisive battle at Scalas Veteres in spring 537. In this battle he was one of the commanders of the cavalry on the Byzantine army's right wing, which according to the historian 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...
was defeated and driven off by Stotzas' men, losing its standards in the process. Nevertheless, the battle resulted in an imperial victory.
At some point after 538 he was sent to the Eastern frontier, where by 541 he was appointed dux Mesopotamiae, one of the most important military commands of the region. From this position he arrested a member of the embassy of the Ostrogoth
Ostrogoth
The Ostrogoths were a branch of the Goths , a Germanic tribe who developed a vast empire north of the Black Sea in the 3rd century AD and, in the late 5th century, under Theodoric the Great, established a Kingdom in Italy....
ic king Witiges
Witiges
Witiges or Vitiges was King of the Ostrogoths in Italy from 536 to 540.He succeeded to the throne of Italy in the early stages of the Gothic War, as Belisarius had quickly captured Sicily the previous year and was currently in southern Italy at the head of the forces of Justinian I, the Eastern...
to the Persians, and according to Corippus scored a number of successes against the Persian army: he defeated the general Nabedes near Nisibis
Nisibis
Nusaybin Nisêbîn) is a city in Mardin Province, Turkey, populated mainly by Kurds. Earlier Arameans, Arabs, and Armenians lived in the city. The population of the city is 83,832 as of 2009.-Ancient Period:...
, led his army in a successful night attack against the Persian force besieging Theodosiopolis, and then defeated another Persian army besieging 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...
, capturing its general, Mihr-Mihroe
Mihr-Mihroe
Mihr-Mihroe, in Byzantine sources Mermeroes was a 6th-century Sassanid Persian general, and one of the leading commanders of the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars of the time.- Life :Nothing is known of his early life, but he is recorded as an old man by 555...
. Procopius however gives a different account of the first battle, indicating that John had to be saved from a sudden Persian attack by Belisarius, and does not mention the other two incidents at all. Nevertheless, Corippus maintains that John was congratulated for his performance by Urbicius, one of Emperor Justinian's advisors who had been sent to supervise the war.
High command in Africa
During Troglita's absence from Africa, the situation had been turbulent. Germanus had remained in the province until 539, and succeeded in restoring discipline in the army and pacifying the core territories of Africa Proconsularis and Byzacena. He was succeeded by Solomon, who began his second tenure with great success, defeating the Moors of the Aures MountainsAurès Mountains
The Aurès , or Aurea, refers to an Amazigh language-speaking region in East Algeria, as well as an extension of the Atlas mountain range that lies to the east of the Saharan Atlas in eastern Algeria and northwestern Tunisia...
and establishing control over Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
and Mauretania Sitifensis. The Moorish revolt flared up again in 543 however, and Solomon was killed in the Battle of Cillium in 544. His successor, his nephew Sergius, was incompetent. Defeated by the Moors, he was recalled and replaced with the senator Areobindus, who was murdered in spring 546 in the another military revolt led by the general Guntharic, who intended to declare himself independent of Constantinople. Although he was soon murdered by the Armenian Artabanes
Artabanes (general)
Artabanes was an East Roman general of Armenian origin who served under Justinian I . Initially a rebel against Byzantine authority, he fled to the Sassanid Persians but soon returned to Byzantine allegiance. He served in Africa, where he won great fame by killing the rebel general Guntharic and...
, the need for a new and capable leader was apparent. Justinian. perhaps acting on Urbicius' advice, as implied by Corippus, recalled John Troglita from the East, and after having him report on the situation there in Constantinople, sent him to Africa as the new 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...
per Africam in late summer 546.
Suppression of the Moorish revolt
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, the situation was dire. The forces available to him, under Marcentius in Byzacene and Gregory in Carthage, were limited and of poor quality. Therefore, John first tried to use diplomacy to win part of the Moorish tribes over. His efforts achieved some success as Cutzinas joined him with several thousand cavalrymen, while Iaudas, the chieftain of the Aurasii (the tribes of the Aures Mountains
Aurès Mountains
The Aurès , or Aurea, refers to an Amazigh language-speaking region in East Algeria, as well as an extension of the Atlas mountain range that lies to the east of the Saharan Atlas in eastern Algeria and northwestern Tunisia...
) decided to pursue a course of neutrality. The other tribes of Byzacena and Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
however united in a confederation, aiming to expel the Romans from their last strongholds along the coast. Nevertheless, John continued to negotiate with the tribes, buying time to prepare his own forces for a counterstrike.
When his preparations were complete, John with his army issued forth from Carthage, joined up with Marcentius, and, taking the tribes completely by surprise, relieved the beleaguered cities in a swift campaign. The Moors withdrew again to the mountainous interior, and under the leadership of Antalas, gathered their forces near Sufetula
Sbeitla
Sbeitla is a small town in north-central Tunisia. Nearby are the Roman ruins of Sufetula, containing the best preserved Forum temples in Tunisia...
. The Moors achieved an early success when they ambushed a Roman reconnaissance force. John advanced with his army in relief, but the Moors quickly withdrew to their camp, which they fortified by digging trenches. Unable to carry out a direct assault, the Roman army likewise erected a fortified camp, and the two adversaries shadowed each other for several days in unease. At long last, after another attempt at peaceful surrender had been rejected by Antalas, the two armies met in battle. Our main source Corippus describes the battle in Homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
ic fashion as a series of duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
s, but it is clear that it was a long, indecisive and bloody conflict. Eventually the Romans prevailed and drove back the Moors, breaking through their defences and storming their camp. In the aftermath of the battle, many prisoners were released, and among the treasures captured were the military standards lost by Solomon at Cillium in 544.
A few months later however, the Leuathae, the largest tribe in Tripolitania, rose up under their leader Carcasan, and John marched out to meet them. The Moors initially withdrew into the arid interior, hoping to shake him off, but John's army, accompanied by a caravan with water and provisions, followed them into the desert. Both armies suffered from thirst, hunger and disease. Eventually, they met near Marta, on the plain of Gallica. According to Corippus, John was reluctant to engage in battle, but was forced by his men to fight, a phenomenon frequent during the Late Empire, when army discipline had become lax. In the event, the battle turned into a disaster, and the Romans were routed. John fled to Iunci and thence to Laribus, where he started mustering a new army. Antalas immediately rose up again and joined the Leuthae, and throughout the remainder of 547 they raided across the province, even reaching the vicinity of Carthage itself.
In the spring of 548, John, having regrouped his forces and secured the assistance of several tribes, most importantly of Coutzinas, set out to meet them. The Moors again withdrew before his advance, hoping to draw him into the interior, far from his supply bases, and starve his army out. Through espionage John became aware of their intentions, and instead camped at Iunce, near the sea. After suppressing a mutiny amongst his men, he marched towards the plain called the Fields of Cato, where the Moors had camped. Intent on drawing them out into an open battle, John feigned reluctance to fight. His plan worked, and the ensuing battle was a resounding Roman victory. Seventeen Moorish chieftains, including Carcasan, fell, while Antalas was captured, in a victory that marked the end of the long Moorish Wars. Byzacena, Numidia and Tripolitania were finally secured, and a period of peace inaugurated.
Later activities
Troglita, now a patricius, remained in command in Africa for at least another four years, beginning the difficult work of reconstruction. Troglita was perceptive enough to understand that the complete eviction of the Moors from the interior of the provinces, and the complete restoration of the province to its ancient bounds, was impossible. Instead of antagonizing the tribes, he pacified them through diplomatic means. In exchange for becoming the Empire's foederatiFoederati
Foederatus is a Latin term whose definition and usage drifted in the time between the early Roman Republic and the end of the Western Roman Empire...
, the tribes were granted autonomy, and annual monetary grants (pacta) to their leaders cemented this agreement. At the same time, the network of fortifications erected by Solomon was repaired and strengthened, securing Roman control of vital routes and strategically important areas.
John's success in restoring peace to Africa can be seen from the fact that in 551, when Totila
Totila
Totila, original name Baduila was King of the Ostrogoths from 541 to 552 AD. A skilled military and political leader, Totila reversed the tide of Gothic War, recovering by 543 almost all the territories in Italy that the Eastern Roman Empire had captured from his Kingdom in 540.A relative of...
, king of the Ostrogoths, captured Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
and Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, John was able to spare enough forces and send a fleet to reclaim them, albeit without success. The exact date of John's death is unknown, but most likely he died in 552 or soon after, and was buried in Carthage.
Sources
- Flavius Cresconius CorippusFlavius Cresconius CorippusFlavius Cresconius Corippus was a late Roman epic poet of the 6th century, who flourished under East Roman Emperors Justinian I and Justin II. His major works are the epic poem Johannis and the panegyric In laudem Justini minoris...
, Iohannis - ProcopiusProcopiusProcopius 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 Vandalico, Volume II.