Mihr-Mihroe
Encyclopedia
Mihr-Mihroe, in Byzantine
sources Mermeroes was a 6th-century Sassanid Persian general, and one of the leading commanders of the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
of the time.
, when he led an army of 30,000 in an invasion of Byzantium's Armenian provinces
. He was defeated
near Satala
by the Byzantine generals Sittas
and Dorotheus however, and had to withdraw. In summer 531, following the narrow Persian victory at Callinicum
and a series of minor reversals in Armenia and northern Mesopotamia
, the Persian shah, Kavadh I
(r. 488–531), sent Mihr-Mihroe with Chanaranges to capture the Byzantine stronghold of Martyropolis
. The two commanders laid siege to the city, but after receiving news of Kavadh's death, and with their troops suffering from the cold winter, they concluded a truce and withdrew to Persian territory.
In 542, after the renewal of hostilities in 540, Mihr-Mihroe was dispatched by Khosrau I
(r. 531–579) against the Byzantine fortress of Dara
, but, according to Corippus, he was defeated and captured by the fort's commander, John Troglita
. Mihr-Mihroe reappears in 548, when he was sent at the head of a large army to relieve the fortress of Petra in Lazica, which was under siege by a combined Byzantine-Lazic force. As the Byzantine commander, Dagistheus, had neglected to safeguard the mountain passes with sufficient men, Mihr-Mihroe was able to move into Lazica, brushing aside the Byzantine detachments. He relieved the siege of Petra and reinforced its garrison, but lacking supplies for his army, he was forced to withdraw to Dvin
in Persian Armenia, leaving behind some 3,000 men garrisoning Petra and further 5,000 under Phabrizus to keep the supply route open.
These forces were defeated in the next year by the Lazi and the Byzantines, and the new Byzantine commander, Bessas, laid siege to Petra. In spring 551, Mihr-Mihroe marched to relieve the fortress once again, but before he could do this, it fell to Bessas' troops. He then turned towards the Lazic capital, Archaeopolis, seizing the forts of Sarapanis and Scanda in the process. He laid siege to Archaeopolis, but his attacks were repulsed. As his army suffered from lack of supplies, he was forced to abandon the siege and head west, to the fertile province of Mocheresis, which he made his base of operations. Over the subsequent winter of 551/552, he strengthened his control over eastern Lazica (including the region of Suania), while his peace overtures to the Lazic king Gubazes II
failed. Reinforced with mercenaries recruited among the Sabirs, in 552 he attacked the Byzantine-Lazic strongholds of Archaeopolis, Tzibile, and a third unnamed fort, but was again repulsed and withdrew to Mocheresis.
In 554, through a ruse he succeeded in dislodging the Byzantines from Telephis, their most forward position, causing a general retreat along the Phasis river. He did not pursue them however or otherwise press his advantage, due to his own army's lack of supplies. After strengthening his own forts, he returned to Mocheresis. There he fell ill, and withdrew to Iberia
; he died of his illness at Mtskheta
in the summer of 555.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
sources Mermeroes was a 6th-century Sassanid Persian general, and one of the leading commanders of the Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
Byzantine–Sassanid Wars
The Byzantine–Sassanid Wars refers to a series of conflicts between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid dynasty of the Persian Empire...
of the time.
Life
Nothing is known of his early life, but he is recorded as an old man by 555. He first appears in summer 530, during the Iberian WarIberian War
The Iberian War was fought from 526 to 532 between the Eastern Roman Empire and Sassanid Empire over the eastern Georgian kingdom of Iberia.-Origin:After the Anastasian War, a seven-year truce was agreed on, yet it lasted for nearly twenty years...
, when he led an army of 30,000 in an invasion of Byzantium's Armenian provinces
Roman Armenia
From the end of the 1st century BC onwards, Armenia was, in part or whole, subject to the Roman Empire and its successor, the East Roman or Byzantine Empire...
. He was defeated
Battle of Satala (530)
The Battle of Satala was fought between the forces of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Empire in summer 530, near Satala in Byzantine Armenia. The Persian army approached the city to lay siege, when it was attacked in the rear by a small Byzantine force. The Persians turned back to meet...
near Satala
Satala
Located in Turkey, the city of Satala , according to the ancient geographers, was situated in a valley surrounded by mountains, a little north of the Euphrates, where the road from Trapezus to Samosata crossed the boundary of the Roman Empire...
by the Byzantine generals Sittas
Sittas
Sittas was a Byzantine military commander during the reign of Justinian. During the Iberian War against the Sassanid Empire, Sittas was given command of forces in Armenia, similar to the status of Belisarius in Mesopotamia...
and Dorotheus however, and had to withdraw. In summer 531, following the narrow Persian victory at Callinicum
Battle of Callinicum
The Battle of Callinicum took place Easter day, 19 April 531, between the armies of the Eastern Roman Empire under Belisarius and the Sassanid Persians under Azarethes. After a defeat at the Battle of Dara, the Sassanids moved to invade Syria in an attempt to turn the tide of the war...
and a series of minor reversals in Armenia and 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...
, the Persian shah, Kavadh I
Kavadh I
Kavad or Kavadh I was the son of Peroz I and the nineteenth Sassanid king of Persia, reigning from 488 to 531...
(r. 488–531), sent Mihr-Mihroe with Chanaranges to capture the Byzantine stronghold of Martyropolis
Martyropolis
Martyropolis was the former name of a city in Turkey, now known in Turkish as Silvan, in Aramaic as Meiafarakin .It is a Catholic titular see....
. The two commanders laid siege to the city, but after receiving news of Kavadh's death, and with their troops suffering from the cold winter, they concluded a truce and withdrew to Persian territory.
In 542, after the renewal of hostilities in 540, Mihr-Mihroe was dispatched by Khosrau I
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
(r. 531–579) against the Byzantine fortress of Dara
Dara (Mesopotamia)
Dara or Daras was an important East Roman fortress city in northern Mesopotamia on the border with the Sassanid Empire. Because of its great strategic importance, it featured prominently in the Roman-Persian conflicts of the 6th century, with the famous Battle of Dara taking place before its walls...
, but, according to Corippus, he was defeated and captured by the fort's commander, John Troglita
John Troglita
John Troglita was a 6th-century Byzantine general. His exploits against the Sassanid Persians in the East and especially against the Moorish rebels in North Africa are the subject of the last Latin epic poem of Antiquity, the Iohannis or de Bellis Libycis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus.- Origins...
. Mihr-Mihroe reappears in 548, when he was sent at the head of a large army to relieve the fortress of Petra in Lazica, which was under siege by a combined Byzantine-Lazic force. As the Byzantine commander, Dagistheus, had neglected to safeguard the mountain passes with sufficient men, Mihr-Mihroe was able to move into Lazica, brushing aside the Byzantine detachments. He relieved the siege of Petra and reinforced its garrison, but lacking supplies for his army, he was forced to withdraw to Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
in Persian Armenia, leaving behind some 3,000 men garrisoning Petra and further 5,000 under Phabrizus to keep the supply route open.
These forces were defeated in the next year by the Lazi and the Byzantines, and the new Byzantine commander, Bessas, laid siege to Petra. In spring 551, Mihr-Mihroe marched to relieve the fortress once again, but before he could do this, it fell to Bessas' troops. He then turned towards the Lazic capital, Archaeopolis, seizing the forts of Sarapanis and Scanda in the process. He laid siege to Archaeopolis, but his attacks were repulsed. As his army suffered from lack of supplies, he was forced to abandon the siege and head west, to the fertile province of Mocheresis, which he made his base of operations. Over the subsequent winter of 551/552, he strengthened his control over eastern Lazica (including the region of Suania), while his peace overtures to the Lazic king Gubazes II
Gubazes II of Lazica
Gubazes II was king of Lazica from ca. 541 until his assassination in 555. He was one of the central personalities of the Lazic War, first as a Sassanid Persian vassal and after 548 as an ally of the Eastern Roman Empire....
failed. Reinforced with mercenaries recruited among the Sabirs, in 552 he attacked the Byzantine-Lazic strongholds of Archaeopolis, Tzibile, and a third unnamed fort, but was again repulsed and withdrew to Mocheresis.
In 554, through a ruse he succeeded in dislodging the Byzantines from Telephis, their most forward position, causing a general retreat along the Phasis river. He did not pursue them however or otherwise press his advantage, due to his own army's lack of supplies. After strengthening his own forts, he returned to Mocheresis. There he fell ill, and withdrew to Iberia
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
; he died of his illness at Mtskheta
Mtskheta
Mtskheta , one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia , is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...
in the summer of 555.