Stotzas
Encyclopedia
Stotzas also Stutias, was an East Roman (Byzantine)
soldier and leader of a military rebellion in the Praetorian prefecture of Africa
.
of the general Martinus in the army under Belisarius
that had conquered
the Vandal kingdom
in Africa in 533–534. In 536, a military mutiny broke out in the Byzantine army in Africa against its leader, Solomon
. The rebels chose Stotzas to lead them, and aimed to expel the imperial loyalists and establish Africa as a separate state, ruled by themselves. Stotzas marched against the capital, Carthage
, with an army of 8,000 men, joined by at least a thousand surviving Vandals
and several escaped slaves. He besieged the city, which was on the point of surrendering when Belisarius suddenly arrived from Sicily
. Stotzas lifted the siege and retreated to Membresa, where his army was defeated by Belisarius. The rebels fled into Numidia
, where Stotzas persuaded most of the Byzantine garrison to join him, after murdering their officers; according to the historian Procopius
, at this point two thirds of the Byzantine army in Africa had gone over to the rebel camp.
Belisarius had to return to Italy to prosecute the war against the Ostrogoths, but he was replaced by Emperor Justinian's able cousin Germanus in late 536. Germanus's policy to win over the disaffected troops with promises of pardon and the payment of their arrears was successful, and a large part of the rebels went over to him. Hence, Stotzas resolved to force a decision, and marched against him in spring 537. The two armies met at Scalas Veteres, and Stotzas, abandoned by many of his allies, was defeated.
Stotzas was able to flee with a handful of followers to Mauretania
, where he was welcomed, given the daughter of a local prince in marriage, and allegedly raised to king in 541. In 544, however, he and the Moorish king Antalas attacked Byzantine Africa again. Stotzas and his men were attacked by the general John in autumn 545, despite being heavily outnumbered. In the ensuing battle of Thacia, John was able to inflict a mortal wound on Stotzas, although he too fell soon after.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
soldier and leader of a military rebellion in the Praetorian prefecture of Africa
Praetorian prefecture of Africa
The praetorian prefecture of Africa was a major administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire, established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals in 533-534 by emperor Justinian I...
.
Life
Stotzas served as a bodyguardBodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
of the general Martinus in the army under Belisarius
Belisarius
Flavius Belisarius was a general of the Byzantine Empire. He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Mediterranean territory of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost less than a century previously....
that had conquered
Vandalic War
The Vandalic War was a war fought in North Africa, in the areas of modern Tunisia and eastern Algeria, in 533-534, between the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Vandal Kingdom of Carthage...
the Vandal kingdom
Vandal Kingdom
The Vandal Kingdom was a kingdom in North Africa established by the Vandals, an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin. Having crossed the Rhine in 407, the Vandals settled in southern Spain, modern day Andalusia, until pushed out by the Visigoths...
in Africa in 533–534. In 536, a military mutiny broke out in the Byzantine army in Africa against its leader, Solomon
Solomon (Byzantine general)
Solomon was an East Roman general from northern Mesopotamia, who distinguished himself as a commander in the Vandalic War and the reconquest of North Africa in 533–534. He spent most of the next decade in Africa as its governor general, combining the military post of magister militum with the...
. The rebels chose Stotzas to lead them, and aimed to expel the imperial loyalists and establish Africa as a separate state, ruled by themselves. Stotzas marched against the capital, Carthage
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
, with an army of 8,000 men, joined by at least a thousand surviving Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
and several escaped slaves. He besieged the city, which was on the point of surrendering when Belisarius suddenly arrived from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. Stotzas lifted the siege and retreated to Membresa, where his army was defeated by Belisarius. The rebels fled into Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
, where Stotzas persuaded most of the Byzantine garrison to join him, after murdering their officers; according to the historian 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...
, at this point two thirds of the Byzantine army in Africa had gone over to the rebel camp.
Belisarius had to return to Italy to prosecute the war against the Ostrogoths, but he was replaced by Emperor Justinian's able cousin Germanus in late 536. Germanus's policy to win over the disaffected troops with promises of pardon and the payment of their arrears was successful, and a large part of the rebels went over to him. Hence, Stotzas resolved to force a decision, and marched against him in spring 537. The two armies met at Scalas Veteres, and Stotzas, abandoned by many of his allies, was defeated.
Stotzas was able to flee with a handful of followers to Mauretania
Mauretania
Mauretania is a part of the historical Ancient Libyan land in North Africa. It corresponds to present day Morocco and a part of western Algeria...
, where he was welcomed, given the daughter of a local prince in marriage, and allegedly raised to king in 541. In 544, however, he and the Moorish king Antalas attacked Byzantine Africa again. Stotzas and his men were attacked by the general John in autumn 545, despite being heavily outnumbered. In the ensuing battle of Thacia, John was able to inflict a mortal wound on Stotzas, although he too fell soon after.