Battle of Blarathon

Battle of Blarathon
Part of the Sasanian civil war of 589-591, Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591

A Shahnameh illustration depicting the battle between Khusrau II and Bahram Chobin
DateAugust 591
Locationnear Ganzak, northwest Persia
Result Decisive allied victory
Belligerents
Allied forces of Khosrau II
 Byzantine Empire		 Rebel forces of Bahram Chobin
Commanders and leaders
John Mystacon
Narses
Khosrau II
Musel II Mamikonian
Vistahm
Vinduyih		 Bahram Chobin
Strength

60,000 in total

  • 40,000 Byzantine troops[1]
  • 12,000 Armenian cavalry[2]
  • 8,000 Persian troops[3]
 Heavily outnumbered[4]
Casualties and losses
Unknown Unknown

The Battle of Blarathon was fought in 591 near Ganzak between a combined Byzantine–Persian force and a Persian army led by the usurper Bahram Chobin.

Overview

The combined army was led by John Mystacon, Narses, and the Persian king Khosrau II. The Byzantine–Persian force was victorious, ousting Bahram Chobin from power and reinstating Khosrau as ruler of the Sassanid Empire. Khosrau was swiftly reinstated upon the Persian throne, and as agreed upon returned Dara and Martyropolis. Additionally, he agreed to a new partition of the Caucasus by which the Sassanids handed over to the Romans many cities, including Tigranokert, Manzikert, Baguana, Valarsakert, Bagaran, Vardkesavan, Yerevan, Ani, Kars, and Zarisat. Most of the Kingdom of Iberia, including the cities of Ardahan, Lori, Dmanisi, Lomsia, Mtskheta, and Tontio became Roman dependencies. Also, the city of Cytaea was given to Lazica, also a Roman dependency. The Battle of Blarathon altered the course of Roman-Persian relations dramatically, leaving the former in the dominant position. The extent of effective Roman control in the Caucasus reached its zenith historically.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bahram-06
  2. ↑ Pourshariati (2008), pp. 127–128
  3. ↑ Pourshariati (2008), pp. 127–128
  4. ↑ http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bahram-06

Sources

  • Whitby, Michael (1998), The Emperor Maurice and his Historian – Theophylact Simocatta on Persian and Balkan Warfare, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-822945-3
  • Pourshariati, Parvaneh (2008). Decline and Fall of the Sasanian Empire: The Sasanian-Parthian Confederacy and the Arab Conquest of Iran. London and New York: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-84511-645-3.


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