Battle of Antioch (613)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Antioch took place in 613
outside of Antioch
, Syria
between a Byzantine army
led by Heraclius
and a Persian army
. The victorious Persians were able to maintain a hold on their recently taken Byzantine territory.
, under the generalship of Shahrbaraz and Shahin, the Persian army had conquered Byzantine-controlled territories in Mesopotamia
and the Caucasus
. In the next year, continuing their success, the Persian force overran Syria and Eastern Anatolia, capturing Christian
cities such as Antioch and Damascus
. Ostensibly, the Persian army
could not travel much further into Byzantine territory without confronting a centrally-assembled Eastern-Roman army. In response to the sudden loss of territory in the Eastern frontier, Heraclius organized a capable-sized army and marched to Antioch. His counter-attack however was decisively defeated in 613 outside the city of Antioch in Syria
. In the set battle, the Roman positions completely collapsed and a general rout of the Byzantine army
led to an easy victory for Sharbaraz and Shahin. The victory ensured the Persians would maintain the recently overran Byzantine territory.
. In the coming decade, Sassanid forces penetrated deep into enemy territory. Jerusalem and all of Palestine
fell in 614
to Shahrbaraz. General Shahin made further inroads into Central and Western Anatolia
, and the Persian expansion reached its pinnacle with the successful siege of Alexandria
in the spring of 619
, which led to an annexation of Egypt
.
613
Year 613 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 613 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* Clotaire II reunites the Frankish kingdoms...
outside of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
between a Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
led by Heraclius
Heraclius
Heraclius was Byzantine Emperor from 610 to 641.He was responsible for introducing Greek as the empire's official language. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the exarch of Africa, successfully led a revolt against the unpopular usurper Phocas.Heraclius'...
and a Persian 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...
. The victorious Persians were able to maintain a hold on their recently taken Byzantine territory.
History
Beginning in 610610
Year 610 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 610 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years...
, under the generalship of Shahrbaraz and Shahin, the Persian army had conquered Byzantine-controlled territories in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and 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...
. In the next year, continuing their success, the Persian force overran Syria and Eastern Anatolia, capturing Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
cities such as Antioch and Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Ostensibly, the Persian 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...
could not travel much further into Byzantine territory without confronting a centrally-assembled Eastern-Roman army. In response to the sudden loss of territory in the Eastern frontier, Heraclius organized a capable-sized army and marched to Antioch. His counter-attack however was decisively defeated in 613 outside the city of Antioch in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. In the set battle, the Roman positions completely collapsed and a general rout of the Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
led to an easy victory for Sharbaraz and Shahin. The victory ensured the Persians would maintain the recently overran Byzantine territory.
Aftermath
Proceeding the battle, the Byzantine Empire could not offer much resistance to the invading Persians. Heraclius himself needed time to implement a number of internal initiatives to ensure he could raise the necessary funds and troops for a renewed war with the anxious Sassanid kingKhosrau II
250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II 250px|thumb|Khosrau II (Khosrow II, Chosroes II, or Xosrov II in classical sources, sometimes called Parvez, "the Ever Victorious" – (in Persian: خسرو پرویز), was the twenty-second Sassanid King of Persia, reigning from 590 to 628...
. In the coming decade, Sassanid forces penetrated deep into enemy territory. Jerusalem and all of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
fell in 614
614
Year 614 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 614 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Europe :* The Palace of Diocletian is damaged by the...
to Shahrbaraz. General Shahin made further inroads into Central and Western Anatolia
Chalcedon
Chalcedon , sometimes transliterated as Chalkedon) was an ancient maritime town of Bithynia, in Asia Minor, almost directly opposite Byzantium, south of Scutari . It is now a district of the city of Istanbul named Kadıköy...
, and the Persian expansion reached its pinnacle with the successful siege of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
in the spring of 619
619
Year 619 was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 619 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Asia :* The Second Perso-Turkic War is fought and...
, which led to an annexation of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.