Battle of Blarathon

Battle of Blarathon
Part of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591
A Shahnameh illustration depicting the battle between Khusrau II and Bahram Chobin
Date August 591 Location near Ganzak, modern Iran 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
12,000 Armenian cavalry[1] 8,000 Iranian troops[2]	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Low	Heavy

The Battle of Blarathon was fought in 591 near Ganzak between a combined Eastern Roman-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 Roman-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

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.