Saborios
Encyclopedia
Saborios or Saborius was a Byzantine
general who rose in revolt against Emperor Constans II (r. 641–668) in 667–668. He sought and obtained the aid of the Caliph Muawiyah I
(r. 661–680), but was killed in a horse accident before confronting the imperial troops.
descent by Theophanes the Confessor
(his name is a rendering of the Persian Shapur), but most modern scholars regard him an Armenian
. He is sometimes identified with a certain Pasagnathes, "patrikios of the Armenians", who rebelled in 651/652.
In 667, Saborios was the governing general (strategos
) of the theme of the Armeniacs, covering the northeastern part of Byzantine Anatolia
. At the time, and for several years, Constans II had been residing in Syracuse in Sicily
, having left the capital Constantinople
at the hands of his young son, co-emperor, and eventual successor, Constantine IV
. In the emperor's absence, Caliph Muawiyah had sent a series of devastating raids into Anatolia, targeting chiefly the Armeniac theme.
Taking advantage of the absence of many soldiers of the other themes with the emperor in Sicily, Saborios launched a revolt in late 667. In order to secure his rear, he sent one of his generals, Sergios, to Muawiyah in Damascus
, to enlist his support. Constantine, learning of the rebellion, also sent an envoy, the eunuch koubikoularios Andrew, to the caliph. Andrew however could not match the rebel's offer of a heavy tribute ("the entire public revenues" according to Theophanes) and Muawiyah agreed to support Saborios with troops. Andrew however arranged for Sergios, who had insulted him during the negotiations, to be captured at a pass near Arabissus in Cilicia
by troops loyal to the emperor. Sergios was then castrated and impaled on a stake.
Nevertheless, with his eastern flank secure, Saborios marched westwards towards Constantinople, and succeeded in gaining control over most of Anatolia. He camped with his men at Hexapolis, also known as Hadrianopolis, in Bithynia
, where he drilled his men and awaited the arrival of the Muslim army. Saborios was readying his men to face an oncoming loyalist army under the patrikios Nikephoros, when his horse bolted, slamming his head on a city gate and killing him. The Armeniac troops, left leaderless, quickly submitted, and by the time the Arab troops arrived, the revolt was effectively over. The Arab army used the turmoil to raid as far as the Bosporus
and capture Amorion, but the city was retaken by the Byzantines during the following winter.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
general who rose in revolt against Emperor Constans II (r. 641–668) in 667–668. He sought and obtained the aid of the Caliph Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I
Muawiyah I was the first Caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. After the conquest of Mecca by the Muslims, Muawiyah's family converted to Islam. Muawiyah is brother-in-law to Muhammad who married his sister Ramlah bint Abi-Sufyan in 1AH...
(r. 661–680), but was killed in a horse accident before confronting the imperial troops.
Life
Saborios is mentioned as being of PersianPersian 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...
descent by Theophanes the Confessor
Theophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
(his name is a rendering of the Persian Shapur), but most modern scholars regard him an Armenian
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....
. He is sometimes identified with a certain Pasagnathes, "patrikios of the Armenians", who rebelled in 651/652.
In 667, Saborios was the governing general (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...
) of the theme of the Armeniacs, covering the northeastern part of Byzantine Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
. At the time, and for several years, Constans II had been residing in Syracuse in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, having left the capital Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
at the hands of his young son, co-emperor, and eventual successor, Constantine IV
Constantine IV
Constantine IV , , sometimes incorrectly called Pogonatos, "the Bearded", by confusion with his father; was Byzantine emperor from 668 to 685...
. In the emperor's absence, Caliph Muawiyah had sent a series of devastating raids into Anatolia, targeting chiefly the Armeniac theme.
Taking advantage of the absence of many soldiers of the other themes with the emperor in Sicily, Saborios launched a revolt in late 667. In order to secure his rear, he sent one of his generals, Sergios, to Muawiyah in Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, to enlist his support. Constantine, learning of the rebellion, also sent an envoy, the eunuch koubikoularios Andrew, to the caliph. Andrew however could not match the rebel's offer of a heavy tribute ("the entire public revenues" according to Theophanes) and Muawiyah agreed to support Saborios with troops. Andrew however arranged for Sergios, who had insulted him during the negotiations, to be captured at a pass near Arabissus in Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
by troops loyal to the emperor. Sergios was then castrated and impaled on a stake.
Nevertheless, with his eastern flank secure, Saborios marched westwards towards Constantinople, and succeeded in gaining control over most of Anatolia. He camped with his men at Hexapolis, also known as Hadrianopolis, in Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
, where he drilled his men and awaited the arrival of the Muslim army. Saborios was readying his men to face an oncoming loyalist army under the patrikios Nikephoros, when his horse bolted, slamming his head on a city gate and killing him. The Armeniac troops, left leaderless, quickly submitted, and by the time the Arab troops arrived, the revolt was effectively over. The Arab army used the turmoil to raid as far as the Bosporus
Bosporus
The Bosphorus or Bosporus , also known as the Istanbul Strait , is a strait that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with the Dardanelles...
and capture Amorion, but the city was retaken by the Byzantines during the following winter.