Damian Dalassenos ( el, Δαμιανός Δαλασσηνός; ca. 940 – 19 July 998) was a Byzantine aristocrat and the first known member of the

Dalassenos Dalassenos ( el, Δαλασσηνός), feminine form Dalassene or Dalassena (Greek: Δαλασσηνή), was a Byzantine aristocratic family prominent in the 11th century. Origins and rise to prominence The family's name derives from their ancestr ...

noble family. He is known for his service as the military governor ('' doux'') of Antioch in 996–998. He fought the

Fatimids The Fatimid Caliphate was an Isma'ilism, Ismaili Shia Islam, Shi'a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries AD. Spanning a large area of North Africa, it ranged from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the ea ...

with some success, until he was killed at the

Battle of Apamea The Battle of Apamea was fought on 19 July 998 between the forces of the Byzantine Empire and the Fatimid Caliphate. The battle was part of a series of military confrontations between the two powers over control of northern Syria and the Hamdan ...

on 19 July 998.

Biography

Damian is the first attested member of the distinguished

clan. His early life is unknown, but for genealogical reasons he is estimated to have been born in ca. 940. Nothing is known of him before 995/6, when Emperor Basil II appointed him governor of Antioch in succession to Michael Bourtzes following the latter's defeat in the

Battle of the Orontes The Battle of the Orontes was fought on 15 September 994 between the Byzantines and their Hamdanid allies under Michael Bourtzes against the forces of the Fatimid vizier of Damascus, the Turkish general Manjutakin. The battle was a Fatimid victo ...

in September 994. This post was one of the most important military positions in the Byzantine Empire, as its holder commanded the forces arrayed against the

Fatimid Caliphate The Fatimid Caliphate was an Isma'ilism, Ismaili Shia Islam, Shi'a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries AD. Spanning a large area of North Africa, it ranged from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Red Sea in the ea ...

and the semi-autonomous

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

rulers of

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. In this capacity, he held the high title of either '' patrikios'' (according to John Skylitzes) or ''

magistros The ''magister officiorum'' (Latin literally for "Master of Offices", in gr, μάγιστρος τῶν ὀφφικίων, magistros tōn offikiōn) was one of the most senior administrative officials in the Later Roman Empire and the early centu ...

'' (according to

Stephen of Taron Stepanos Asoghik ( hy, Ստեփանոս Ասողիկ), also known as Stepanos Taronetsi ( hy, Ստեփանոս Տարոնեցի), was an Armenian historian of the 11th century. His dates are unknown but he came from Taron and earned the nickname ...

). Dalassenos maintained an aggressive stance. In 996 his forces raided the environs of

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis may refer to: Cities and other geographic units Greece *Tripoli, Greece, the capital of Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in ...

and Arqa, while Manjutakin, again without success, laid siege to Aleppo and

Antartus ) , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , imagesize = , image_caption = Tartus corniche Port of Tartus • Tartus beach and boulevard Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa • Al-Assad Stadium&n ...

, which the Byzantines had occupied and refortified the previous year, but was forced to withdraw when Dalassenos with his army came to relieve the fortress. The Fatimid defeat was compounded by the sinking of a Fatimid fleet, that was intended to support Manjutakin's operations, before Antartus. Dalassenos repeated his raids against Tripoli in 997, taking many captives. He also attacked the towns of

Rafaniya Raphanea or Raphaneae ( grc, Ῥαφάνεια; ar, الرفنية, al-Rafaniyya; colloquial: ''Rafniye'') was a city of the late Roman province of Syria Secunda. Its bishopric was a suffragan of Apamea. History Josephus mentions Raphanea i ...

Awj Awj ( ar, عوج, also spelled Ouj or Uj) is a village in northern Syria, administratively part of the Hama Governorate, located in the Homs Gap southwest of Hama. Nearby localities include Aqrab and Tell Dahab to the east, Nisaf and Baarin to t ...

, and Al-Laqbah, capturing the latter and carrying off its inhabitants into captivity. In June/July 998, he marched his troops to

Apamea Apamea or Apameia ( grc, Απάμεια) is the name of several Hellenistic cities in western Asia, after Apama, the Sogdian wife of Seleucus I Nicator, several of which are also former bishoprics and Catholic titular see. Places called Apamea in ...

to seize the city after a catastrophic fire had burned down its provisions. The Aleppines tried to seize the city first, but withdrew at the approach of Dalassenos, who could not permit a vassal to grow too strong. The local Fatimid governor, al-Mala'iti, called for aid, but the relief army under Jaysh ibn Samsama was delayed by having to deal first with suppressing the Byzantine-sponsored

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

of Tyre. After Tyre had been subdued, Jaysh moved his army to

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

, whence he proceeded to confront Dalassenos. Ibn al-Qalanisi reports that by this time, Apamea was near surrender due to famine. In the resulting battle, fought on 19 July 998, the Byzantines were initially victorious, but a Kurdish officer managed to kill Dalassenos, whereupon the Byzantine army collapsed and fled. Two of his sons, who accompanied Dalassenos, were taken captive to Cairo, where they remained for ten years, while Stephen of Taron somewhat dubiously reports that one of his sons was killed. Damian Dalassenos was succeeded as ''doux'' of Antioch by Nikephoros Ouranos.

Family

Damian Dalassenos had at least three sons: * Constantine Dalassenos, ''doux'' of Antioch in 1025 and a favourite of Emperor

Constantine VIII Constantine VIII Porphyrogenitus ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Πορφυρογέννητος, ''Kōnstantinos Porphyrogénnetos''; 960 – 11/12 November 1028) was ''de jure'' Byzantine emperor from 962 until his death. He was the young ...

(r. 1025–1028). *

Theophylact Dalassenos Theophylact Dalassenos ( el, Θεοφύλακτος Δαλασσηνός; born before c. 990 – after 1039) was a Byzantine aristocrat who occupied a series of senior military positions in the 11th century. Life Theophylact was the son of Damia ...

, also a ''doux'' of Antioch. *

Romanos Dalassenos Romanos Dalassenos was a Byzantine aristocrat and governor of the province of Iberia. Life Romanos was the son of Damian Dalassenos (killed 998), the first attested member of the distinguished Dalassenos aristocratic clan. He had two older brothe ...

, '' katepano'' of Iberia. Theophylact was most likely the father of Adrianos, the maternal grandfather of Anna Dalassene, the mother of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, founder of the Komnenian dynasty.

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Dalassenos, Damian 10th-century births 998 deaths 10th-century Byzantine people Byzantine generals Byzantine governors of Antioch Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars Byzantines killed in battle Damian Generals of Basil II Magistroi Patricii Year of birth unknown