Kardarigan ( el, Καρδαριγάν) was a
Sassanid Persia
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
n general of the late 6th century, who fought in the
Byzantine–Persian War of 572–591. Since he is recorded as being old enough to have an adult nephew in 586, it is uncertain whether he is the same as the
general of the same name who fought in the
later wars of the early 7th century. His name is actually an honorific title and means "black hawk".
Biography
Kardarigan first appears as commander of the Persian forces in northern
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
in late 582, when he opposed a Byzantine invasion of
Arzanene
Arzanene ( el, Ἀρζανηνή) or Aghdznik () was a historical region in the southwest of the ancient kingdom of Armenia. It was ruled by one of the four ''bdeashkhs'' (''bidakhsh'', ''vitaxa'') of Armenia, the highest ranking nobles below t ...
under
John Mystacon
John, surnamed Mystacon, "the mustachioed", ( el, , '' fl.'' 580–590),. was a prominent East Roman (Byzantine) general in the wars with Sassanid Persia during the reigns of Byzantine emperors Tiberius II (r. 578–582) and Maurice (r. 582–602) ...
and defeated him at a battle at the river
Nymphius.
[.][.] In the campaign of 583, he laid siege to the fort of
Aphumon, but abandoned the siege to help repel a Byzantine attack on the newly constructed fort of
Akbas
Acbas (Akbas) or Arbas was a Sasanian forterss built in the 570s in Arzanene district, Armenia right on the Roman-Persian border. It was perched on a hill on the east bank of the Nymphius river (modern Batman River), roughly opposite Martyropolis ...
.
In autumn 584, as he was preparing an incursion into Byzantine territory, he was forced to turn east to counter a Byzantine invasion under
Philippicus
Philippicus ( la, Filepicus; el, Φιλιππικός, Philippikós) was Byzantine emperor from 711 to 713. He took power in a coup against the unpopular emperor Justinian II, and was deposed in a similarly violent manner nineteen months later. ...
. Philippicus withdrew before Kardarigan, abandoning his campaign.
[.] In 585, while Philippicus had fallen ill, Kardarigan went on the offensive, besieging the Byzantine base of Monocarton. The siege failed, and he then marched north to
Martyropolis, Philippicus's base; after sacking a monastery near the city, however, he returned to Persian territory.
In summer 586, Kardarigan attacked the army of Philippicus at
Solachon, commanding the central division of the Persian army in person. The battle ended in a heavy defeat, and although Kardarigan himself escaped, the survivors of his army suffered greatly because of his decision to destroy his army's water supplies before the battle, in an attempt to harden his men's resolve.
Nevertheless, while Philippicus proceeded to attack the fortress of
Chlomaron, Kardarigan managed to assemble an improvised force, mostly composed of peasant levies. He then marched to Chlomaron and united his army with its defenders, forcing the Byzantine general to raise the siege.
[.] He is not heard of thereafter, until
another (or possibly the same) general of that name appears in circa 605.
References
Sources
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kardarigan (6th Century)
6th-century births
Year of death unknown
6th-century Iranian people
Generals of Khosrow I
People of the Roman–Sasanian Wars
Generals of Hormizd IV