Callinicum (Phase 2)

Azarethes had proven himself to be the better tactician in this battle. He had moved most of his heavy cavalry unnoticed to his left and they charged with stunning effect. The Byzantine right wing, composed of 5,000 lightly armed Ghassinid …

531-04-19

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Azarethes had proven himself to be the better tactician in this battle. He had moved most of his heavy cavalry unnoticed to his left and they charged with stunning effect. The Byzantine right wing, composed of 5,000 lightly armed Ghassinid Arabs, crumbled and fled. Azarethes’ cavalry now occupied the high ground, looking down on the exposed flank of the Byzantine center. Their next charge overran 2,000 newly recruited infantry and smashed into much of Ascan’s center cavalry. Ascan and over 800 of his heavy cavalrymen died in place to buy time for Belisarius. That sacrifice not only gained the needed time, but also inflicted heavy loss on the elite Persian Heavy cavalry. Belisarius now proved himself to be the better leader. He and his subordinate Petros refused the open right flank to reach the bank of the Euphrates River with a combination of reformed cavalry, infantry from the left wing and all available reserves. This outnumbered, but solid, formation held out against repeated Persian cavalry charges. Without the benefit of heavy cavalry, the remaining Persian light cavalry took heavy casualties but could not break it. When darkness fell, what remained of the Byzantine army escaped over the Euphrates River to the safety of Callinicum. The Persians had gained a Pyrrhic victory. Both armies were so crippled by the losses that they would be out of action for many months, and those losses cost both Belisarius and Azarethes their commands.

Callinicum, Syria

The Battle of Callinicum took place on Easter Saturday, 19 April 531 CE, between the armies of the Byzantine Empire under Belisarius and a Sasanian cavalry force under Azarethes. After a defeat at the Battle of Dara, the Sasanians moved to invade Syria in an attempt to turn the tide of the war. Belisarius' rapid response foiled the plan, and his troops pushed the Persians to the edge of Syria through maneuvering before forcing a battle in which the Sasanians proved to be the pyrrhic victors.

Wikipedia: Battle of Callinicum

Sassanid

Byzantine