Battle of Sarus

Last updated
Battle of Sarus
Part of the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628
Seyhan river (map).jpg
Seyhan river (map)
DateApril 625
Location
Sarus river, Cilicia
(modern-day Turkey)
Result Byzantine victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Calvary cross potent (transparent).png Byzantine Empire Derafsh Kaviani flag of the late Sassanid Empire.svg Sassanid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Heraclius Shahrbaraz
Strength
unknown unknown but possibly larger force
Casualties and losses
unknown massive

The Battle of Sarus was fought in April 625 between the Byzantine army, led by Emperor Heraclius, and the Persian general Shahrbaraz. After a series of maneuvers, the Byzantine army under Heraclius, which in the previous year had invaded Persia, caught up with Shahrbaraz's army, which was heading towards the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, where his forces would take part in its siege together with the Avars. The battle ended in a nominal victory for the Byzantines, but Shahrbaraz withdrew in good order, and was able to continue his advance through Anatolia towards Constantinople. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heraclius</span> Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641

Heraclius was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">622</span> Calendar year

Year 622 (DCXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar, the 622nd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 622nd year of the 1st millennium, the 22nd year of the 7th century, and the 3rd year of the 620s decade. The denomination 622 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

The 620s decade ran from January 1, 620, to December 31, 629.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">625</span> Calendar year

Year 625 (DCXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 625 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Nineveh (627)</span> Part of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628

The Battle of Nineveh was the climactic battle of the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kavad II</span> King of the Sasanian Empire in 628

Kavad II was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran briefly in 628.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khosrow II</span> Shah of the Sasanian Empire from 590 to 628

Khosrow II, commonly known as Khosrow Parviz, is considered to be the last great Sasanian king (shah) of Iran, ruling from 590 to 628, with an interruption of one year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shahrbaraz</span> Shah of the Sasanian Empire in 630

Shahrbaraz, was shah (king) of the Sasanian Empire from 27 April 630 to 9 June 630. He usurped the throne from Ardashir III, and was killed by Iranian nobles after forty days. Before usurping the Sasanian throne he was a spahbed (general) under Khosrow II (590–628). He is furthermore noted for his important role during the climactic Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628, and the events that followed afterwards.

Rhahzadh, originally Roch Vehan, known in Byzantine sources as Rhazates was a Sasanian general of Armenian origin under Shah Khosrow II.

Heraclius' campaign of 622, erroneously also known as the Battle of Issus, was a major campaign in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 by emperor Heraclius that culminated in a crushing Byzantine victory in Anatolia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish revolt against Heraclius</span> Part of the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628

The Jewish revolt against Heraclius was part of the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 and is considered the last serious Jewish attempt to gain autonomy in Palaestina Prima prior to modern times.

Shahen or Shahin was a senior Sasanian general (spahbed) during the reign of Khosrow II (590–628). He was a member of the House of Spandiyadh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty</span> Byzantine Empire under the Heraclian dynasty

The Byzantine Empire was ruled by emperors of the dynasty of Heraclius between 610 and 711. The Heraclians presided over a period of cataclysmic events that were a watershed in the history of the Empire and the world. Heraclius, the founder of his dynasty, was of Armenian and Cappadocian (Greek) origin. At the beginning of the dynasty, the Empire's culture was still essentially Ancient Roman, dominating the Mediterranean and harbouring a prosperous Late Antique urban civilization. This world was shattered by successive invasions, which resulted in extensive territorial losses, financial collapse and plagues that depopulated the cities, while religious controversies and rebellions further weakened the Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Constantinople (626)</span> Part of Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 & the Avar–Byzantine Wars

The siege of Constantinople in 626 by the Sassanid Persians and Avars, aided by large numbers of allied Slavs and Bulgars ended in a strategic victory for the Byzantines. The failure of the siege saved the empire from collapse, and, combined with other victories achieved by Emperor Heraclius the previous year and in 627, enabled Byzantium to regain its territories and end the destructive Roman–Persian Wars by enforcing a treaty with borders status quo c. 590.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sasanian conquest of Egypt</span> 618–621 conquest of the Byzantine province

The Sasanian conquest of Egypt took place between 618 and 621 CE, when the Sasanian Persian army defeated the Byzantine forces in Egypt and occupied the province. The fall of Alexandria, the capital of Roman Egypt, marked the first and most important stage in the Sasanian campaign to conquer this rich province, which eventually fell completely under Persian rule within a couple of years. An account of the event is given by A. J. Butler.

In 615, during the ongoing war with the Byzantine Empire, the Sasanian army under spahbod Shahin invaded Asia Minor and reached Chalcedon, across the Bosporus from Constantinople. It was at this point, according to Sebeos, that Heraclius had agreed to stand down and was about ready to become a client of the Sasanian emperor Khosrow II, allowing the Roman Empire to become a Persian client state, as well as even allow Khosrow II to choose the emperor. The Sassanids had already captured Roman Syria and Palestine in the previous year. After negotiations with Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, a Byzantine ambassador was sent to Persian Shahanshah Khosrow II, and Shahin withdrew again to Syria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628</span> Last war between the Byzantine and Sasanian empires

The Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 was the final and most devastating of the series of wars fought between the Byzantine / Roman Empire and the Sasanian Empire of Iran. The previous war between the two powers had ended in 591 after Emperor Maurice helped the Sasanian king Khosrow II regain his throne. In 602 Maurice was murdered by his political rival Phocas. Khosrow declared war, ostensibly to avenge the death of the deposed emperor Maurice. This became a decades-long conflict, the longest war in the series, and was fought throughout the Middle East: in Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, the Caucasus, Anatolia, Armenia, the Aegean Sea and before the walls of Constantinople itself.

Kardarigan was a Sassanid Persian general of the early 7th century, who fought in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628. He is usually distinguished from another Persian general of the same name who was active during the 580s. The name is actually an honorific title and means "black hawk".

Shahraplakan, rendered Sarablangas (Σαραβλαγγᾶς) in Greek sources, was a Sassanid Persian general (spahbed) who participated in the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628 and the Third Perso-Turkic War.

Niketas was a 7th-century Byzantine officer. He was the son and heir of the Sasanian Persian general and briefly shahanshah, Shahrbaraz.

References

  1. Norwich, John Julius (1997). A Short History of Byzantium. Vintage Books. ISBN   0-679-77269-3.

Sources