Battle of Samarra
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Samarra took place 26 June 363, after the invasion of Sassanid Persia
by the Roman Emperor
Julian
. A major skirmish, the fighting was indecisive but Julian was killed in the battle. The Romans, stranded deep in Persian territory with no emperor, were forced to offer terms for peace.
in the east and replace Shah Shapur II
with his brother Ormisdas. Julian made two blunderous mistakes at the very onset of the invasion. He split his force into two, one under General Procopius numbering 30,000 men, which went to northern Mesopotamia
, and one numbering 35,000 men under his own leadership. His second mistake was not defeating the main Sassanid army before attacking the capital, which would eventually lead to expedition's failure in 363. Julian at first won a tactical victory outside Ctesiphon
, but could not take the city. Even worse, Prokopius failed to join him with his army, for unknown reasons.
David S. Potter suggests that Julian's main faults was that he made a very risky campaign and that he didn't bring adequate siege train. Therefore, he had to retreat after realizing that Ctesiphon was too strongly defended to be taken by assault while his army was running out of supplies. However, the Sassanid army, under Shapur, implemented a scorched earth policy while harassing Romans all their way back to Roman Mesopotamia. Julian, realizing that his army could not get resupplied or re-enforced, tried to commence a set piece battle with his enemy, but could not.
So decision was taken to retreat through the district of Corduene
to the north , where there was hope to find adequate supplies. After a few days of advancing through the enemy country, despite defeating Persian skirmishes and inflicting them heavy losses in the Battle of Maranga, the demoralized army was essentially depleted of provisions and tired of the continuous fighting.
was a Persian skirmish, first against the rear guard of the Roman column. Then they fell on the centre and the left wing of the Romans. According to Ammianus Marcellinus
narrative, Julian hastened to rally his forces against the Persians, without wearing his armour. He managed to raise their morale and reverse the possibility of collapsing but his personal guard was dispersed during the fighting and Julian was fatally hit on his back by a spear. The spear was most probably thrown by a Saracen auxiliary in Persian service, as his doctor Oribasius concluded. After treatment by the doctors, he returned to the battlefield. The battle continued indecisively until the darkness of the night put an end to the fighting. Julian died from his wound, in his tent, a few hours later.
, Jovian clearly saw that the situation was desperate. Thus he was forced to offer humiliating terms in order to save his army and himself from complete destruction. The treaty with Shapur included surrendering of the five districts (Arzanene, Moxoene
, Zabdicene, Rehomene and Corduene) that Diocletian had won from Narseh
, as well as 15 fortresses including the strategical cities of Nisibis
and Singara without their inhabitants. This severely hampered the empire's defensive system in the east and offered the Persians favourable conditions in the subsequent confrontations with the Romans.
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
by the Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Julian
Julian the Apostate
Julian "the Apostate" , commonly known as Julian, or also Julian the Philosopher, was Roman Emperor from 361 to 363 and a noted philosopher and Greek writer....
. A major skirmish, the fighting was indecisive but Julian was killed in the battle. The Romans, stranded deep in Persian territory with no emperor, were forced to offer terms for peace.
Context
Julian invaded Persia with a force of 65,000 men, hoping to win a major victory against PersiansPersian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
in the east and replace Shah Shapur II
Shapur II
Shapur II the Great was the ninth King of the Persian Sassanid Empire from 309 to 379 and son of Hormizd II. During his long reign, the Sassanid Empire saw its first golden era since the reign of Shapur I...
with his brother Ormisdas. Julian made two blunderous mistakes at the very onset of the invasion. He split his force into two, one under General Procopius numbering 30,000 men, which went to northern Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, and one numbering 35,000 men under his own leadership. His second mistake was not defeating the main Sassanid army before attacking the capital, which would eventually lead to expedition's failure in 363. Julian at first won a tactical victory outside Ctesiphon
Battle of Ctesiphon (363)
The Battle of Ctesiphon took place on May 29, 363 between the armies of Roman Emperor Julian and the Sassanid King Shapur II outside the walls of the Persian capital Ctesiphon...
, but could not take the city. Even worse, Prokopius failed to join him with his army, for unknown reasons.
David S. Potter suggests that Julian's main faults was that he made a very risky campaign and that he didn't bring adequate siege train. Therefore, he had to retreat after realizing that Ctesiphon was too strongly defended to be taken by assault while his army was running out of supplies. However, the Sassanid army, under Shapur, implemented a scorched earth policy while harassing Romans all their way back to Roman Mesopotamia. Julian, realizing that his army could not get resupplied or re-enforced, tried to commence a set piece battle with his enemy, but could not.
So decision was taken to retreat through the district of Corduene
Corduene
Corduene was an ancient region located in northern Mesopotamia and modern day Kurdish inhabited south east Turkey. It was a province of the Greater Armenia. It was referred to by the Greeks as Karduchia and by both the Greeks and Romans as Corduene...
to the north , where there was hope to find adequate supplies. After a few days of advancing through the enemy country, despite defeating Persian skirmishes and inflicting them heavy losses in the Battle of Maranga, the demoralized army was essentially depleted of provisions and tired of the continuous fighting.
The battle
After three quiet days, the Roman army was attacked during its cautious advance in square formations. The battle at SamarraSamarra
Sāmarrā is a city in Iraq. It stands on the east bank of the Tigris in the Salah ad-Din Governorate, north of Baghdad and, in 2003, had an estimated population of 348,700....
was a Persian skirmish, first against the rear guard of the Roman column. Then they fell on the centre and the left wing of the Romans. According to Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus
Ammianus Marcellinus was a fourth-century Roman historian. He wrote the penultimate major historical account surviving from Antiquity...
narrative, Julian hastened to rally his forces against the Persians, without wearing his armour. He managed to raise their morale and reverse the possibility of collapsing but his personal guard was dispersed during the fighting and Julian was fatally hit on his back by a spear. The spear was most probably thrown by a Saracen auxiliary in Persian service, as his doctor Oribasius concluded. After treatment by the doctors, he returned to the battlefield. The battle continued indecisively until the darkness of the night put an end to the fighting. Julian died from his wound, in his tent, a few hours later.
Aftermath
Roman army's general staff proclaimed Jovian, the commander of Julian's guard, as his successor. He ordered the army to continue withdrawal but, after failing to cross TigrisTigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
, Jovian clearly saw that the situation was desperate. Thus he was forced to offer humiliating terms in order to save his army and himself from complete destruction. The treaty with Shapur included surrendering of the five districts (Arzanene, Moxoene
Moxoene
Moxoene was a province of old Armenia, today in Van province, Turkey, as well as a feudal familial name c. 400–800, also known by the name Moghk or Mox, Moxq, Moxus, Moxos, Moks, Mukus, Miks, Mikus, sometimes Mekes, as Muksî or Muskî in Kurdish, today Bahçesaray in Turkish.The settlement...
, Zabdicene, Rehomene and Corduene) that Diocletian had won from Narseh
Narseh
Narseh was the seventh Sassanid King of Persia , and son of Shapur I ....
, as well as 15 fortresses including the strategical cities of Nisibis
Nisibis
Nusaybin Nisêbîn) is a city in Mardin Province, Turkey, populated mainly by Kurds. Earlier Arameans, Arabs, and Armenians lived in the city. The population of the city is 83,832 as of 2009.-Ancient Period:...
and Singara without their inhabitants. This severely hampered the empire's defensive system in the east and offered the Persians favourable conditions in the subsequent confrontations with the Romans.