Battle of Marcelae

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Battle of Marcelae
Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
Date 792 Location near Karnobat, Bulgaria Result Bulgarian victory
Combatants
Bulgaria	Byzantine Empire
Commanders
Kardam	Constantine VI
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties
Unknown	Heavy

Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
Ongala  –1st Anchialus  – Rishki Pass  –2nd Anchialus  – Berzitia  – Marcelae  – Serdica  – Pliska – 1st Adrianople – Versinikia  – Bulgarophygon  – 3rd Anchialus  – Katasyrtai  – Pigae  – Trayanovi Vrata  – Solun  – Spercheios  – Skopie  – Kleidion  – Ostrovo  – Klokotnitsa  – 2nd Adrianople – Devnya  – Skafida  – Rusokastro

The battle of Marcelae (Bulgarian: битка при Маркели) took place in 792 near the town of Karnobat in south eastern Bulgaria.

Contents 1 Origins of the conflict 2 The battle 3 Aftermath 4 References

[edit] Origins of the conflict

In April 791 the Byzantine emperor Constantine VI started a campaign against Bulgaria in response to the Bulgarian penetration in the Struma valley in 789, when Kardam's army defeated the Byzantines killing the strategus of Thrace Filites. The campaign was directed to the east to distract the Khan's attention from the southwest. The armies met near the fortress of Provat (20 km east of Odrin) and the Byzantines were forced to retreat but their defeat was not decisive and in the following year the campaign was renewed.

[edit] The battle

This time the Byzantines reached Marcelae and on 20 July they met the Bulgarian forces. Several days the emperor did not dare to attack them and the Bulgarians had enough time to make an ambush in the swampy woodlands in the area. In the end Constantine VI was convinsed by false prophets that the stars boded victory and attacked. In the very beginning the Byzantines made tactical mistakes, advanced without order and were easily swept off to the ambush. A weapon called "arkani" was used by the Bulgarians in this battle : the "arkani" conisted of a long pole with an attachment similar to a lasso at one end. It was an excellent weapon against cavalry as the rider could easily be pulled out of the saddle by a skilled warrior, armed with arkani. The Bulgarians achieved a stunning victory killing most of the enemy army and captured the emperor's servants and tent.

[edit] Aftermath

The victory had great political significance. The decades of crisis were finally overcome, the Byzantines were forced once again to pay tribute to the Khans. Bulgaria entered the breaking 9th century consolidated, stronger and united.

[edit] References

• Васил Н. Златарски, История на българската държава през средните векове, Част I, II изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1970.
• Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.
• Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.