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Ascan
Ascan (died 19 April 531) was a Byzantine ''dux'' of Hunnish descent. He fought at the Battle of Dara in 530, and at the Battle of Callinicum one year later, where he put up a brave fight when his flank was exposed, dying on the field. Biography He was one of several warriors of Hunnic descent fighting for the Byzantine Empire; the Huns were known to "fight like tigers when driven to bay" and to "die sword in hand". Ascan fought at the Battle of Dara in 530 AD, where he commanded 600 horsemen (constituting the right-hand Hunnic cavalry force) together with fellow Hunnic commander Simmas. He, Simmas and the other two Hunnic commanders, Sunicas and Aïgan, played a fundamental role in the Roman victory of this battle. He led the greater part of the Byzantine cavalry, made up of cataphracts, at the Battle of Callinicum. Here, the Persians tried to defeat the Romans as they had in vain attempted at Dara, by deploying their cavalry to try and attack a weak spot in the Roman army. Beli ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simmas
Simmas () was a Hunnic general in the service of the Byzantine Empire, serving as ''dux'' (regional military commander). Active in the early 6th century, he fought at the Battle of Dara, commanding six hundred horseman along with fellow Hun commander Ascan, and played a fundamental role in the Byzantine victory. Biography He fought for the Byzantines against the Sasanian Empire at the Battle of Dara in 530 AD, alongside fellow Hun commanders Aïgan, Ascan, and Sunicas. He and Ascan commanded the right-hand Hunnic cavalry force, whereas Aïgan and Sunicas commanded the left wing of the Hunnic cavalry. During the battle, the Sasanian commander, Perozes, had concentrated his Immortals against the Byzantines to his left. The Byzantine generals countered this by stopping the action of Aïgan and Sunicas on the left and sending them to the right, where they joined Simmas and Ascan. The Huns were also backed by drafts from the center of the army. The Persians charged on, driving the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |