Talk:Medieval Bulgarian Army

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A fact from Medieval Bulgarian Army appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know? column on 13 June 2008.

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[edit] "Panicked and fled"

Since this is a rather dramatic claim, I would like to see some actual quotes in the footnotes that state as much, not just cites to the books in question. Gatoclass (talk) 10:03, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Plus, the sentence "There are several known cases that the Byzantine Army panicked and fled upon the news that it was to invade Bulgaria" doesn't make any sense. If "it" is the Bulgarian army, as implied, then why on earth was the Bulgarian army invading Bulgaria? Constantine ✍ 16:02, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Well, "it" should refer to the Byzantine army but if that is not grammatically correct, I will change it.

Now, the book quotes a Byzantine historian (Leo Diakonos) and it says that the Emperor (Phokas) considered it is madness "to bring his armies to those dangerous places and to sent them to the Bulgarians who would slaughter them as cattle, because it is said that the Romans often got into the bad places of Bulgaria and were met by their doom. That is why he decided to retreat with his army and marched back to Byzantium." Several lines later it is quoted that Bulgaria is a country where "misfortune follows another misfortune". I am sorry for the rough translation but some of the words that are used are archaic. --Gligan (talk) 18:55, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

"Deciding to retreat" from a vulnerable position is a long ways from "panicking and fleeing". If those quotes are all you've got, then I think you need to rethink your phraseology. Gatoclass (talk) 19:07, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Ehm, again, it doesn't make sense: "There are several known cases that the Byzantine Army panicked and fled upon the news that the Byzantines were to invade Bulgaria". The Byzantines, (who were invading Bulgaria), panicked because the heard that they (the Byzantines) were invading Bulgaria... What I think you are trying to say is something like "There are several documented cases that the Byzantine army abandoned operations in Bulgaria upon receiving news of the Bulgarian army's approach." or, in a different wording: "There are several documented cases of Byzantine commanders abandoning an invasion of Bulgarian territory because of the approach of the Bulgarian army." But again, there is no mention in the quotes that the withdrawal was the result of the Bulgarians' approach, just that the Emperor abandoned operations in Bulgaria. Cheers, Constantine ✍ 19:17, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

In the books is written that when the Byzantines approached Bulgarian territory they refused to continue upon the sight of the mountains and forests; they probably remembered the fate of Nicephorus I in that mountains and just wanted to avoid meeting with the Bulgarians. It is not written that there was approaching Bulgarian forces but there must have been - it makes no sense to retreat on the sight of the mountains (although viewed from the south the Balkan mountains look quite threatening ;-) It seems that they feared the Bulgarians because the quotes says that they would be "slaughtered as cattle" if daring to invade that "dangerous" country. I think your English is much better, please reword the sentence to sound meaningful. Best, --Gligan (talk) 19:33, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

OK, I changed it to "because of a reluctance to confront the Bulgarian army", which is more neutral and certainly correct. Constantine ✍ 20:22, 9 June 2008 (UTC)

Very well : ) I am grateful for your copyedit as well; if you can find time, go though the rest of the article and correct my mistakes. You are also welcome to make suggestions on whether anything should be added. --Gligan (talk) 20:38, 9 June 2008 (UTC)