The Battle of Singara was fought in 344 between Roman and Sasanian Persian forces. The Romans were led in person by Emperor Constantius II, while the Persian army was led by King Shapur II of Persia. It is the only one of the nine pitched battles recorded to have been fought in a war of over twenty years, marked primarily by indecisive siege warfare, of which any details have been preserved. Although the Persian forces prevailed on the battlefield, both sides suffered heavy casualties.
| Battle of Singara | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Perso-Roman wars of 337–361 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Sasanian Empire | Roman Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Shapur II Prince Narseh † | Constantius II | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown, but larger | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Heavy[4] | Heavy[5] | ||||||
Background
editWhen Shapur II, who ascended to the throne of the Sasanian Empire in 309 (at the time an unborn infant), came of age and took in hand the administration of his kingdom, he dedicated himself to a lifelong mission of restoring his country's military power, and avenging its recent defeats by the Romans and Saracens. After thoroughly subduing the Lakhmid Arabs rebellion in the south, he directed his attention towards Rome, his main enemy, in 337.[6][7] The sacking of a Sasanian city and the deportation of its population may have led to the intervention of Shapur II.[8] He began by recapturing Armenia. and then advanced in his first campaign against Constantius II in the following year, however, the Roman defensive lines resisted and the Persian forces made limited progress.[9]
Battle
editThe Roman troops initially retreated and broke into the Persian camp.[10] They inflicted heavy casualties including Shapur's son Prince Narseh.[11] However, the Persians counter-attacked and drove the Romans away with heavy losses.
Outcome and aftermath
editThe death of Shapur's son did not facilitate an amicable settlement of the conflict, and the war dragged on for several years. Shapur, notwithstanding the extent of his victory, proved unable to utilize the event to any further advantage. Two years later, he became bogged down in another siege of Nisibis, but was then obliged to break off the war to meet the threat of nomadic barbarian invasions in Sogdiana in the far east.[12] The war resumed in 359 CE, but ended with no conclusive result. In 363 it was taken up energetically by Julian, who was successful but died during the campaign. After his death, the Roman army suffered a decisive defeat. His successor, Jovian, was forced to cede extensive Roman territory in the treaty of Dura, and thus Shapur's ambitions were accomplished.
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ The battle of Singara was technically a Roman victory because they held the field of battle, but Roman casualties made it a pyrrhic victory.[3]
References
edit- ^ Dmitriev, Vladimir (2015-03-21). "The 'Night Battle' of Singara: Whose Victory?". Historiai Swiat. Rochester, NY: 68. SSRN 2648954.
- ^ Barnes, T. D. (1980). "Imperial Chronology, A. D. 337-350". Phoenix. 34 (2 (Summer)): 163. doi:10.2307/1087874. JSTOR 1087874.
- ^ a b Harrel 2016, p. 78-82.
- ^ From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views: A Source History "344 (summer) Both Romans and Persians suffered heavy casualties at the battle of Singara."
- ^ From Constantine to Julian: Pagan and Byzantine Views: A Source History "344 (summer) Both Romans and Persians suffered heavy casualties at the battle of Singara."
- ^ Edwards, Iorwerth Eiddon Stephen; Gadd, Cyril John; Bowman, Alan; Boardman, John; Hammond, Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière; Garnsey, Peter; Walbank, Frank William; Cameron, Averil; Astin, A. E. (2005-09-08). The Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 12, The Crisis of Empire, AD 193-337. Cambridge University Press. p. 471. ISBN 9780521301992.
- ^ electricpulp.com. "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
Until the death of Constantine in 337, there was relative peace with the Romans, but the conversion of Armenia to Christianity and the Roman rulers' backing of Armenia caused Šāpur II to begin a campaign against them.
- ^ Harrel, John (2016-02-29). The Nisibis War: The Defence of the Roman East AD 337-363. Pen and Sword. p. 78. ISBN 9781473848337.
- ^ electricpulp.com. "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
Šāpur II laid siege to Nisibis three times, and there was constant warfare, which did not go in favor of either side. The Roman defensive system of fortresses and limes hindered Šāpur's campaign in the region, but some forts, such as the town of Bezabde near Nisibis, fell to him.
- ^ Dodgeon, Michael H.; Lieu, Samuel N. C. (1994). The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars (AD 226-363): A Documentary History. Psychology Press. p. 188. ISBN 9780415103176.
- ^ Taylor, Donathan (2016-09-19). Roman Empire at War: A Compendium of Roman Battles from 31 B.C. to A.D. 565. Pen and Sword. p. 166. ISBN 9781473869110.
- ^ "ŠĀPUR II – Encyclopaedia Iranica". www.iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2019-06-20.
The encroachment of the nomadic tribes in Central Asia forced Šāpur II to turn his attention to the East (Chronicle of Arbela, p. 85), and the war with Rome ended in stalemate by 350.