<>
thyreos

Byzantine Battles

<>
Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Dara, 530
Dara, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
   4 th   century
   5 th   century
   6 th   century
   7 th   century
   8 th   century
   9 th   century
  10 th   century
  11 th   century
  12 th   century
  13 th   century
  14 th   century
  15 th   century

Aspis

Capture of Sirmium

(Sremska Mitrovica)
year:

580-582

The Avars captured the fortress city securing a base to raid the Balkans ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Avars
location:
Sirmium (modern Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
City Capture
war:
Wars against Avars & Slavs
modern country:
Serbia
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Tiberius II Constantine) The Enemies
Commander: Unknown Khagan Bayan Ι
Forces:
Losses:

Background story:
In 568, the Avars, a people of Turko-Mongolic origin, established a kingdom - khaganate - in Pannonia, an area around the present-day Hungary. In order to do this, they had to cross the Danube areas starting from somewhere north of the Caspian Sea where they were subordinate to the “Blue” Turks or Gokturks.
In Pannonia, before the Avars, two Germanic tribes co-existed, the Lombards and the Gepids. The Avars in alliance with the Lombards annihilated the Gepids and then pushed the Lombards (or “Longobards”) over to the Byzantine northern Italy.
The leader of the Avars at this time was the khagan Bayan I or, according to the Byzantines, “Vaianos”. The strength of the Avars when they first came to Europe was 20,000 horsemen. They were strengthened more later by various other tribes: Bulgarians, Goths, etc. while they had a special relationship of interdependence with the numerous Slavic tribes.
The Byzantines, applying their standard strategy with barbarians, paid them not to disturb their own areas. In 570 emperor Justin II refused to pay and then the Avars invaded south, in present-day Serbia. An army was sent against them that was defeated and the payments started again.

Almost from the beginning of the arrival of the Avars, Sirmium had been an issue. Sirmium was an ancient Roman city on the river Sava, which had become the capital of Pannonia and one of the largest and most important cities of the whole Roman Empire. In 441, and while it had already declined due to the Gothic wars, it was occupied by the Huns and then by the Goths and later by the Gepids. The last king of the Gepids, Cunimundus, had given Sirmium to the Byzantines in exchange for help in his war against the Lombards & Avars. The Byzantines initially sent 15,000 men, but in the final battle did not help. But they kept Sirmium.
The Avars believed that Sirmium, as part of the kingdom of the Gepids of which they were heirs, rightfully belonged to them. They besieged it unsuccessfully for the first time in 568 as soon as they prevailed in Pannonia. They besieged it again in 574, but withdrew after a peace treaty with the Byzantines in which it was agreed -again- the payment of an annual tribute that in 578 was raised to 80,000 soldii.

The Battle:
Sirmium
Sirmium – recreation of the Roman city
Around the end of the 570s, Byzantium had focused on the eastern front, while the defense on the western frontier was completely neglected. The result was that the Avars did whatever they wanted in the Balkans. Another consequence, by the way, was that just then the Slavs began to descend further south ...
In 580 the khagan Bayan of the Avars, seeing that the Byzantine army could not stop him, invaded the Byzantine territories again and besieged Sirmium, starting to build a bridge on the opposite bank of the river Sava. Although the defenders were few, the city endured for over two years thanks to its good natural fortification by the waters of the river.
In 582, Emperor Tiberius II, unable to send aid to Sirmium and wanting to appease the Avars in order to engage unhindered in the war with the Persians, agreed to surrender the city, on the condition that the Avars spare the lives of the inhabitants. The Avars did take the city without killings, but they took all the money and possessions of its people.
However, the Avars soon resumed raids, and in 583 had reached the southern Peloponnese where they stayed for many decades.

Noteworthy:
As part of the surrender agreement of Sirmium, the Avars demanded and took from the Byzantines 240,000 soldii for the unpaid tribute of the 3 years of the siege!

Aftermath:
Sirmium was a great loss because an important stronghold of the Byzantine Empire was lost in the north, paving the way for catastrophic raids to the south by the Avars and their allies, the Slavs.
It was a historical event that marks the beginning of an era in which the composition of the population of the Balkans changed. Byzantine rule also suffered a major blow in the Balkans.