{"slug": "byzantine-army", "label": "Byzantine army", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byzantine_army", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1018780", "qid": "Q1018780", "description": "land branch of the armed forces of the Byzantine Empire", "entries": 39, "years": 39, "span": [451, 867], "span_label": ["451 CE", "867 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 35}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}, {"title": "Deaths", "count": 1}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 1}, {"title": "Crime & Justice", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "constantinople", "label": "Constantinople", "shared": 7}, {"slug": "sassanid-empire", "label": "Sassanid Empire", "shared": 7}, {"slug": "maurice-emperor", "label": "Maurice (emperor)", "shared": 6}, {"slug": "turkey", "label": "Turkey", "shared": 6}, {"slug": "byzantine-empire", "label": "Byzantine Empire", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "heraclius", "label": "Heraclius", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "anatolia", "label": "Anatolia", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "shahrbaraz", "label": "Shahrbaraz", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "lombards", "label": "Lombards", "shared": 4}, {"slug": "syria", "label": "Syria", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "armenia", "label": "Armenia", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "khosrau-ii", "label": "Khosrau II", "shared": 3}], "items": [{"year": 451, "year_label": "451 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Egyptian people clash with Byzantine soldiers in Alexandria rejecting Proterius of Alexandria as the new Chalcedonian Patriarch. The Egyptian rebels besieged the imperial garrison in the ancient temple of Serapis, and burned them alive. The Byzantine military eventually suppressed the uprising with heavy reinforcements.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1361438720#Egypt", "title": "451", "revid": 1361438720, "section": "Events › By place › Egypt"}}, {"year": 515, "year_label": "515 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Anastasius I gives Marinus, former praetorian prefect of the East, command over the Byzantine army. He defeats the rebel fleet at the harbor entrance, using a sulfur-based chemical substance, similar to the later Greek fire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364754462#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "515", "revid": 1364754462, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 518, "year_label": "518 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Jabalah IV ibn al-Harith becomes the king of the Ghassanids. He invades Palestine, but is defeated by a Byzantine army under general (dux) Romanus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364754317#Arabia", "title": "518", "revid": 1364754317, "section": "Events › By place › Arabia"}}, {"year": 527, "year_label": "527 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Justinian I reorganises the command structure of the Byzantine army, and fields a small but highly trained army.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340793725#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "527", "revid": 1340793725, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 533, "year_label": "533 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Summer – Emperor Justinian I holds a war council in Constantinople. His advisers warn him against launching an expedition to North Africa, because of the supply-lines (1,000 miles into Vandal waters) and the huge drain on the imperial treasury. Justinian appoints Belisarius to command the Byzantine army.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340793764#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "533", "revid": 1340793764, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 536, "year_label": "536 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March", "text": "March – Ostrogothic King Theodahad cedes Provence and upper Alamannia to the Franks, gaining their support in the war. He sends a large Gothic army into Dalmatia. They defeat the Byzantines, Mundus is killed during the fighting at Salona, and the Byzantine army withdraws.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362906459#Europe", "title": "536", "revid": 1362906459, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 538, "year_label": "538 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "April", "text": "April – Belisarius secures Liguria, Mediolanum (modern Milan) and Ariminum, but disagreements, especially with Narses, leads to disunity in the Byzantine army.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1351200776#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "538", "revid": 1351200776, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 541, "year_label": "541 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Winter – Siege of Verona: Totila defends the city of Verona against a numerically superior Byzantine army. He gains control over the Po Valley and prepares a Gothic offensive in Central Italy.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1299131059#Europe", "title": "541", "revid": 1299131059, "section": "Events › By place › Europe"}}, {"year": 548, "year_label": "548 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Battle of the Fields of Cato: The Byzantine army, under John Troglita, crushes the Moorish revolt in Byzacena (Tunisia).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368141112#Africa", "title": "548", "revid": 1368141112, "section": "Events › By place › Africa"}}, {"year": 549, "year_label": "549 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Lazic War: The Byzantine army under Bessas combines forces with King Gubazes II, and defeats the Persians in Lazica (modern Georgia) in a surprise attack. The survivors retreat into Caucasian Iberia.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369557736#Persia", "title": "549", "revid": 1369557736, "section": "Events › By place › Persia"}}, {"year": 551, "year_label": "551 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Lazic War - Siege of Petra (550–551): The Byzantine army and their Sabir allies (some 6,000 men) under Bessas recapture the strategic Byzantine fortress of Petra, located on the coast of the Black Sea. He orders the city walls razed to the ground.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362066549#Persia", "title": "551", "revid": 1362066549, "section": "Events › By place › Persia"}}, {"year": 555, "year_label": "555 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – Lazic War: The Byzantine army under Bessas is repulsed, and forced to retreat out of Archaeopolis (Georgia).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1356951195#Persia", "title": "555", "revid": 1356951195, "section": "Events › By place › Persia"}}, {"year": 565, "year_label": "565 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Justin II sends his son-in-law Baduarius (magister militum) with a Byzantine army, to support the Gepids in their war against the Lombards.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364749296#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "565", "revid": 1364749296, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 566, "year_label": "566 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "A Byzantine army, under command of Baduarius, assists the Gepids in their war against the Lombards. The Byzantines win the first battle in the lower Danube (Moesia), but Gepid King Cunimund refuses to hand back the fortress city of Sirmium (modern Serbia), as he had promised.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364749385#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "566", "revid": 1364749385, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 572, "year_label": "572 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591: Emperor Justin II refuses to pay the annual tribute to Khosrau I, putting an end to the 50-year peace treaty established ten years earlier. The Armenians are considered allies to the Byzantine Empire, and Justin sends a Byzantine army into Persian territory, besieging the fortress city of Nisibis (modern Turkey).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340801019#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "572", "revid": 1340801019, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 577, "year_label": "577 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Winter – Maurice is appointed commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army in the East. He succeeds Justinian, despite complete lack of military experience.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369170756#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "577", "revid": 1369170756, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 578, "year_label": "578 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Sassanid War: A Byzantine army under command of Maurice (magister militum per Orientem) invades Upper Mesopotamia, and raids on both sides of the Tigris. He deports 70,000 captives from Hyrcania to Cyprus, and installs military colonists to guard the strategic locations.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340801573#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "578", "revid": 1340801573, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 581, "year_label": "581 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Sasanian War: A Byzantine army commanded by Maurice, and supported by Ghassanid forces under King Al-Mundhir III, fails to capture the Persian capital, Ctesiphon, along the Euphrates.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340801589#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "581", "revid": 1340801589, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 582, "year_label": "582 CE", "section": "Deaths", "date": "August 14", "text": "August 14 – Emperor Tiberius II Constantine, age 47, dies (possibly from deliberately poisoned food) at Constantinople, after a 4-year reign during which Thrace and Greece have been inundated by the Slavs. He is succeeded by his son-in-law Maurice, former notary who has commanded the Byzantine army in the war against the Persian Empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364751218#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "582", "revid": 1364751218, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 586, "year_label": "586 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Solachon: A Byzantine army under command of Philippicus defeats the Sassanid Persians, near Dara.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364748798#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "586", "revid": 1364748798, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 591, "year_label": "591 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Sassanid War: Emperor Maurice, seeing an opportunity to end the prolonged war to the advantage of Constantinople, assists Khosrau II to regain the Persian throne. He sends a Byzantine army (35,000 men) under Narses into Mesopotamia, through Syria. At the same time, an expeditionary force in Armenia advances through Caucasian Iberia into Media (modern Azerbaijan).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364751608#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "591", "revid": 1364751608, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 601, "year_label": "601 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Balkan Campaign: A Byzantine army under command of Peter, brother of Emperor Maurice, crosses the Danube and advances to the Tisza River, where it defeats the Avars.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364903478#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "601", "revid": 1364903478, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 605, "year_label": "605 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor Phocas recognizes Agilulf as king of the Lombards, and signs a peace treaty. He pays a tribute and cedes Orvieto (Central Italy), among other towns. The Byzantine army is withdrawn from the Balkan Peninsula.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364904400#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "605", "revid": 1364904400, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 611, "year_label": "611 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Persian War: The Persian army under Shahrbaraz captures Antioch, and most of the remaining Byzantine fortresses in Syria and Mesopotamia. King Khosrau II is re-establishing a neo-Persian Empire, and intensifies his war effort. The Byzantine army, ruined by defeat and corruption, offers only half-hearted opposition.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340802764#Persian_Empire", "title": "611", "revid": 1340802764, "section": "Events › By place › Persian Empire"}}, {"year": 619, "year_label": "619 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": null, "text": "Heraclius prepares to leave Constantinople and moves the Byzantine capital to Carthage, but is convinced to stay by Sergius I, patriarch of Constantinople. He begins to rebuild the Byzantine army with the aid of funds from church treasures.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340802932#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "619", "revid": 1340802932, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 622, "year_label": "622 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Issus: Heraclius defeats the Persian forces under Shahrbaraz in Cappadocia. He recaptures Anatolia, but returns to Constantinople to deal with the threat posed to his Balkan domains by the Avars, and puts the Byzantine army into winter quarters in Pontus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368342469#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "622", "revid": 1368342469, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 623, "year_label": "623 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Sassanid War: Emperor Heraclius invades Armenia, leaving his son Constantine (age 11) and co-regent Bonus to defend Constantinople against the Persians still at Chalcedon (modern Turkey). He sails with 5,000 reinforcements to join the Byzantine army at Trapezus. Raising additional forces in Pontus, Heraclius strikes through the mountains of Armenia and the northern sub-Caucasian principalities. He plunders Media (Azerbaijan), and avoids the Persian armies who attempt to trap him.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364763007#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "623", "revid": 1364763007, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 626, "year_label": "626 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 31", "text": "July 31 – The Avars and Persian allies under Shahrbaraz launch an attack along the entire length of the Theodosian Walls (about 5.7 kilometres); the main effort is concentrated against the central section, particularly the low-lying mesoteichion. After a fierce infantry battle on the walls, the Byzantine army holds off many assaults on the city. Emperor Heraclius makes arrangements for a new army under his brother Theodore to operate against the Persians in western Anatolia, while he returns to his own army in Pontus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1352126742#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "626", "revid": 1352126742, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 627, "year_label": "627 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Byzantine–Sasanian War: Emperor Heraclius sweeps through southern Armenia with a 50,000-man expeditionary force, recapturing most of the Byzantine fortresses lost to the Persians ten and fifteen years earlier. The army of Shahrbaraz, still in Anatolia, is now cut off completely. Hearing from Byzantine agents (showing him letters) that King Khosrau II, dissatisfied with his failure to capture Constantinople, is planning to have him executed, he surrenders to Heraclius, refusing to join the Byzantine army against his ungrateful sovereign.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1346712156#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "627", "revid": 1346712156, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 634, "year_label": "634 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Arab–Byzantine War: Emperor Heraclius, ill, infirm, and unpopular with the Eastern Orthodox Church, is unable to personally lead the Byzantine army to resist the Muslim conquest of the Levant. He sends his brother Theodore to assemble forces to retake the newly won Muslim territories. Monophysites and Jews throughout Syria welcome the Arab invaders, as they are discontented with Byzantine rule.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1299946990#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "634", "revid": 1299946990, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 637, "year_label": "637 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Hazir: Muslim Arab forces (17,000 men) under Khalid ibn al-Walid defeat the Byzantine army near Qinnasrin (Northern Syria). The cities of Beirut and Tyre are captured by Yazid ibn Abi Sufyan after a short siege.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1315736944#Arabian_Empire", "title": "637", "revid": 1315736944, "section": "Events › By place › Arabian Empire"}}, {"year": 663, "year_label": "663 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "May 8", "text": "May 8 – Battle of Forino: The Byzantine army, led by Constans II, is defeated by the Lombards under Romuald I. He seizes Taranto and Brindisi, receiving military aid from the Bulgar Alcek horde, who are settled in the area of Ravenna.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367635360#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "663", "revid": 1367635360, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 680, "year_label": "680 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Ongal: The Byzantine army (25,000 men) under Constantine IV is defeated by the Bulgars and their Slavic allies in the Danube Delta. Bulgar cavalry force the Byzantines into a rout, while Constantine (suffering from leg pain) travels to Nesebar to seek treatment.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1331672551#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "680", "revid": 1331672551, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 681, "year_label": "681 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Autumn – A military revolt breaks out in the Anatolic Theme (modern Turkey). The Byzantine army marches to Chrysopolis, and sends a delegation across the straits of the Hellespont to Constantinople, demanding that the two brothers should remain co-emperors alongside Constantine IV.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367426529#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "681", "revid": 1367426529, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 689, "year_label": "689 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Bulgarian War: Emperor Justinian II defeats the Bulgars of Macedonia and recaptures Thessalonica, the second most important Byzantine city in Europe. He resettles the subdued Slavs in Anatolia (modern Turkey), where they are required to provide 30,000 men to the Byzantine army.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1350231931#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "689", "revid": 1350231931, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 692, "year_label": "692 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of Sebastopolis: The Byzantine army under Leontius is defeated at Sebastopolis, (modern Turkey) by Arab forces led by Muhammad ibn Marwan. During the battle, a \"special military corps\" (some 20,000 Slavs) under Neboulos deserts the Byzantine lines, and goes over to the Muslim Arabs.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340806257#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "692", "revid": 1340806257, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 713, "year_label": "713 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "June 3", "text": "June 3 – Emperor Philippicus is blinded, deposed, and sent into exile by conspirators of the Opsikion army in Thrace, after a reign of 1 year and 6 months. He is succeeded by Anastasios II, a bureaucrat and imperial secretary, who restores internal order and begins the reorganization of the Byzantine army. He executes the officers who have been directly involved in the conspiracy against Philippicus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340807131#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "713", "revid": 1340807131, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 813, "year_label": "813 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "June 22", "text": "June 22 – Battle of Versinikia: The Bulgars, led by Krum, ruler (khan) of the Bulgarian Empire, defeat Emperor Michael I near Edirne (modern Turkey). The Byzantine army (26,000 men) is destroyed by a counter-attack of Bulgarian heavy cavalry, while trapped in the valley. Krum captures the Byzantine camp and a rich prize, including gold and weaponry.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340940841#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "813", "revid": 1340940841, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 867, "year_label": "867 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "September 24", "text": "September 24 – Emperor Michael III is murdered, by order of his co-emperor Basil I. Basil becomes sole ruler (basileus) of the Byzantine Empire, and founds the Macedonian Dynasty (until 1056). Basil rebuilds the Byzantine army and navy, in an effort to restore the empire.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366655299#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "867", "revid": 1366655299, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}]}