Zabergan Kutrigur-bulgars Byzantine war 558 - 559

The Anastasian Wall Battle or ''Battle at the Anastasian Wall'', which took place at the end of winter – beginning of

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

559, was a pivotal battle between the Byzantine army commanded by Dux Sergius and a Kutrigur Bulgars army commanded by

Zabergan Zabergan ( grc-x-medieval, Ζαβεργάν) was the chieftain of the Kutrigur Bulgar Huns, a nomadic people of the Pontic–Caspian steppe, after Sinnion. His name is Iranian, meaning full moon. Either under pressure from incoming Avars,; or in r ...

in the 558-559 AD Kutrigur campaign against the Byzantine Empire. The battle took place at the east side of the

Anastasian Wall The Anastasian Wall (Greek: , ; tr, Anastasius Suru) or the Long Walls of Thrace (Greek: , ; Turkish: ''Uzun Duvar'') is an ancient stone and turf fortification located west of Istanbul, Turkey, built by the Eastern Roman Empire during the late ...

, about 40 km west of Constantinople.

Background

During the winter of 558, a Kutrigur army crossed the frozen Danube and invaded

Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; el, Μοισία, Moisía) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River, which included most of the territory of modern eastern Serbia, Kosovo, north-eastern Alban ...

and Thrace. It then split into three, heading towards Constantinople,

Thracian Chersonesus The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles st ...

and Thermopylae.

, leading a group of 7000 cavalry, crossed the

Anastasian wall The Anastasian Wall (Greek: , ; tr, Anastasius Suru) or the Long Walls of Thrace (Greek: , ; Turkish: ''Uzun Duvar'') is an ancient stone and turf fortification located west of Istanbul, Turkey, built by the Eastern Roman Empire during the late ...

at the beginning of

559.Agathiae. Historiarum libri V , ГИБИ II, 185-202
/ref>

The Battle

A Byzantine force sent by emperor Justinian and made up of the Imperial Guard, regular troops and mobilized citizens clashed with the Kutrigur cavalry at the east side of the Anastasian Wall but were defeated. During the battle, Patricius Sergius was captured; Zabergan had him executed.

Aftermath

After this victory, Constantinople became under threat, with Kutrigur forces overrunning settlements on the outskirts of the city during the

of 559. ''Drypia', Nymphs (Nymphas)'' and ''Hitos (Chitus)'' were captured and the Kutrigurs briefly entered Sykai. The Kutrigur force at this moment stood about 15 km from the ''Gate of St. Roman,'' with Zabergan making his fortified camp at Melantias, just 20 km of Constantinople. The panicked Roman population took shelter behind the Walls of Constantinople. Belisarius, recalled from retirement by Justinian, then led a force of 300 veterans and took camp just a few kilometers from the Kutrigurs in Melantias. Zabergan attempted to take the Byzantines by surprise, but was in turn taken by surprise and defeated at the Battle of Melantias. With the Byzantine victory, the threat for the capital was removed. The Kutrigur army withdrew from Constantintople, plundering Yeşilköy, DecatumJohn Malalas, Ioannis Malalae]
Chronographia ГИБИ II 218
/ref> and Thrace before re-crossing the Danube and returning to their homeland.

References

{{Reflist, 2 550s in the Byzantine Empire Battles involving the Byzantine Empire, Melantias 550s conflicts 559 Kutrigurs Justinian I