Angilas
Encyclopedia
Angilas was a Byzantine taxiarch, active in the Lazic War
(541-562). The main source about him is Agathias
.
. His title is only recorded in the Greek language. His Latin title may have been comes rei militaris.
He is first recorded leading a tagma
of Moors
in the Siege of Phasis
. His troops are described as peltast
s and spear
men , probably meaning they were only armed with shield
and lance
s. His troops were stationed at the "middle part" of the fortifications, alongside Theodore and Philomathius. Theodore led heavy infantry
consisting of Tzani, Philomathius led Isauria
n slinger
s and dart-throwers The Tzani were a tribe of the Caucasus
. Procopius
reports that "From ancient times the Tzani have lived as an independent people".
Phasis was besieged by forces of the Sassanid Empire
. Martinus, the overall commander of the Byzantine troops, had given instructions to the whole army to stay at their respective posts. They were to disregard attempts of the Sassanids to have them exit the fortifications and fight in the open. However, Angilas and Philomathius led about two hundred of their men in opening a town gate. They exited the town and attacked a force of Sassanids whose archers
were harassing the defenders. Theodore at first attempted to restrain them. But then bowed down to "majority opinion" and followed them in attacking. He was reportedly reluctant to violate orders, but unwilling to be branded a coward
by the soldiers.
The Byzantine force was heavily outnumbered. Agathias reports that they "would almost certainly have been annihilated". But they were saved by an error of the Dilimnites. The Dilimnites were a force of auxiliaries
, originating in the mountains of Persia. "They fought on foot, armed each with a sword, a shield, and three javelins". They decided against attacking the Byzantines from a distance. Instead they "calmly awaited their approach" and then easily performed an encirclement
. But the encircled Byzantines started a desperate attack on the enemies positioned closer to the town walls. The Dilimnites "opened up their ranks and made way from them" instead of facing the furious attack. Angilas and the others escaped back to the safety of the city. Agathias remarks both on the futility of their action and on how "they had risked their lives to save their skins!"
Later in the siege, a number of panicked Sassanid troops had started a gradual retreat. Most of the Dilimnites left their positions to "relieve those who were being hard pressed". Angilas and Theodore noticed that there were few troops left besieging their section of the fortifications. They led a sortie
against the besiegers. The few Dilimnites left behind were either slain or forced to flee, "pressed in relentless pursuit" by the Byzantine force. The majority of the Dilimnites noted that their "kinsmen" were in peril. They abandoned their current positions in an attempt to face Angilas and Theodore. But their counterattack
was disorganized and ineffective.
The nearby Sassanid forces thought that the Dilimnites were retreating in haste. Said forces panicked and started fleeing "ignominiously in all directions". The Dilimnites were left unsupported "and rushed to join them in flight". Agathias regards them as the cause and victims of a "double misunderstanding". Angilas and Theodore had succeeded in causing a general flight of the Sassanid forces. The rest of the Byzantine troops "sallied forth from behind the walls" and started pursuing the fleeing enemies. The entire left wing of the Sassanid army
fell apart, leaving their intact right wing "fighting a vigorous rear-guard action".
The Persians reportedly lost at least "ten thousand fighting men" and most of their siege equipment by the time night fell. The Byzantine casualties "did not number more than two hundred". The Byzantines set the siege equipment on fire. The servants of the porters of the Sassanid army reportedly mistook the smoke for a sign that the city had fallen. They started rushing towards the Byzantine lines. Nearly "two thousand men" were killed that night, others captured. Nachoragan, the Sassanid general, was already running out of supplies and winter was approaching. He broke off the siege and retreated the following day. His troops headed towards Kotais
and Muchereisis. Sassanid reinforcements arrived too late to make a difference and also retreated.
The fate of Angilas following the end of the siege is unknown.
Lazic War
The Lazic War or Colchic War, also known as the Great War of Egrisi in Georgian historiography, was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia for control of the region of Lazica, in what is now western Georgia...
(541-562). The main source about him is Agathias
Agathias
Agathias or Agathias Scholasticus , of Myrina , an Aeolian city in western Asia Minor , was a Greek poet and the principal historian of part of the reign of the Roman emperor Justinian I between 552 and 558....
.
Biography
Angilas is first mentioned in 556, as a taxiarch in LazicaEgrisi
Lazica or Egrisi in Georgian |Georgia]], named after the Laz tribe, which at some time dominated the local ruling élite.The kingdom flourished between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD. It covered part of the territory of the former kingdom Colchis and subjugated the territory of modern...
. His title is only recorded in the Greek language. His Latin title may have been comes rei militaris.
He is first recorded leading a tagma
Tagma (military)
The tagma is a term for a military unit of battalion or regiment size. The best-known and most technical use of the term however refers to the elite regiments formed by Byzantine emperor Constantine V and comprising the central army of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th–11th centuries.-History and...
of Moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
in the Siege of Phasis
Siege of Phasis
The Siege of Phasis took place in 555–556 during the Lazic War between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia. The Persians besieged the town of Phasis in Lazica, held by the Byzantines, but failed to take it...
. His troops are described as peltast
Peltast
A peltast was a type of light infantry in Ancient Thrace who often served as skirmishers.-Description:Peltasts carried a crescent-shaped wicker shield called pelte as their main protection, hence their name. According to Aristotle the pelte was rimless and covered in goat or sheep skin...
s and spear
Spear
A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...
men , probably meaning they were only armed with shield
Shield
A shield is a type of personal armor, meant to intercept attacks, either by stopping projectiles such as arrows or redirecting a hit from a sword, mace or battle axe to the side of the shield-bearer....
and lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
s. His troops were stationed at the "middle part" of the fortifications, alongside Theodore and Philomathius. Theodore led heavy infantry
Heavy infantry
Heavy infantry refers to heavily armed and armoured ground troops, as opposed to medium or light infantry, in which the warriors are relatively lightly armoured. As modern infantry troops usually define their subgroups differently , 'heavy infantry' almost always is used to describe pre-gunpowder...
consisting of Tzani, Philomathius led Isauria
Isauria
Isauria , in ancient geography, is a rugged isolated district in the interior of South Asia Minor, of very different extent at different periods, but generally covering what is now the district of Bozkır and its surroundings in the Konya province of Turkey, or the core of the Taurus Mountains. In...
n slinger
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
s and dart-throwers The Tzani were a tribe of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. Procopius
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea was a prominent Byzantine scholar from Palestine. Accompanying the general Belisarius in the wars of the Emperor Justinian I, he became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the Wars of Justinian, the Buildings of Justinian and the celebrated Secret History...
reports that "From ancient times the Tzani have lived as an independent people".
Phasis was besieged by forces of the Sassanid Empire
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
. Martinus, the overall commander of the Byzantine troops, had given instructions to the whole army to stay at their respective posts. They were to disregard attempts of the Sassanids to have them exit the fortifications and fight in the open. However, Angilas and Philomathius led about two hundred of their men in opening a town gate. They exited the town and attacked a force of Sassanids whose archers
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
were harassing the defenders. Theodore at first attempted to restrain them. But then bowed down to "majority opinion" and followed them in attacking. He was reportedly reluctant to violate orders, but unwilling to be branded a coward
Cowardice
Cowardice is the perceived failure to demonstrate sufficient mental robustness and courage in the face of a challenge. Under many military codes of justice, cowardice in the face of combat is a crime punishable by death...
by the soldiers.
The Byzantine force was heavily outnumbered. Agathias reports that they "would almost certainly have been annihilated". But they were saved by an error of the Dilimnites. The Dilimnites were a force of auxiliaries
Auxiliaries
An auxiliary force is a group affiliated with, but not part of, a military or police organization. In some cases, auxiliaries are armed forces operating in the same manner as regular soldiers...
, originating in the mountains of Persia. "They fought on foot, armed each with a sword, a shield, and three javelins". They decided against attacking the Byzantines from a distance. Instead they "calmly awaited their approach" and then easily performed an encirclement
Encirclement
Encirclement is a military term for the situation when a force or target is isolated and surrounded by enemy forces. The German term for this is Kesselschlacht ; a comparable English term might be "in the bag"....
. But the encircled Byzantines started a desperate attack on the enemies positioned closer to the town walls. The Dilimnites "opened up their ranks and made way from them" instead of facing the furious attack. Angilas and the others escaped back to the safety of the city. Agathias remarks both on the futility of their action and on how "they had risked their lives to save their skins!"
Later in the siege, a number of panicked Sassanid troops had started a gradual retreat. Most of the Dilimnites left their positions to "relieve those who were being hard pressed". Angilas and Theodore noticed that there were few troops left besieging their section of the fortifications. They led a sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
against the besiegers. The few Dilimnites left behind were either slain or forced to flee, "pressed in relentless pursuit" by the Byzantine force. The majority of the Dilimnites noted that their "kinsmen" were in peril. They abandoned their current positions in an attempt to face Angilas and Theodore. But their counterattack
Counterattack
A counterattack is a tactic used in response against an attack. The term originates in military strategy. The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy in attack and the specific objectives are usually to regain lost ground or to destroy attacking enemy units.It is...
was disorganized and ineffective.
The nearby Sassanid forces thought that the Dilimnites were retreating in haste. Said forces panicked and started fleeing "ignominiously in all directions". The Dilimnites were left unsupported "and rushed to join them in flight". Agathias regards them as the cause and victims of a "double misunderstanding". Angilas and Theodore had succeeded in causing a general flight of the Sassanid forces. The rest of the Byzantine troops "sallied forth from behind the walls" and started pursuing the fleeing enemies. The entire left wing of the Sassanid army
Sassanid army
The birth of the Sassanid army dates back to the rise of Ardashir I , the founder of the Sassanid dynasty, to the throne. Ardashir aimed at the revival of the Persian Empire, and to further this aim, he reformed the military by forming a standing army which was under his personal command and whose...
fell apart, leaving their intact right wing "fighting a vigorous rear-guard action".
The Persians reportedly lost at least "ten thousand fighting men" and most of their siege equipment by the time night fell. The Byzantine casualties "did not number more than two hundred". The Byzantines set the siege equipment on fire. The servants of the porters of the Sassanid army reportedly mistook the smoke for a sign that the city had fallen. They started rushing towards the Byzantine lines. Nearly "two thousand men" were killed that night, others captured. Nachoragan, the Sassanid general, was already running out of supplies and winter was approaching. He broke off the siege and retreated the following day. His troops headed towards Kotais
Kutaisi
Kutaisi is Georgia's second largest city and the capital of the western region of Imereti. It is 221 km to the west of Tbilisi.-Geography:...
and Muchereisis. Sassanid reinforcements arrived too late to make a difference and also retreated.
The fate of Angilas following the end of the siege is unknown.