Battle of Arcadiopolis (970)

Not to be confused with the Battle of Arcadiopolis (1194).
Battle of Arcadiopolis
Part of Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria and the Hungarian invasions of Europe
DateMarch 970[1]
Location
Arcadiopolis (mod. Lüleburgaz, Turkey)
Result See result
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire

Kievan Rus'

Commanders and leaders
Bardas Skleros
Peter		 Unknown
Strength
10,000–12,000[2][3] 10,000–30,000[4][5]
Casualties and losses
20–55 or heavy[6] Heavy

The Battle of Arcadiopolis was fought in 970 between a Byzantine army under Bardas Skleros and a Rus' army, the latter also including allied Bulgarian, Pecheneg, and Hungarian (Magyar) contingents. In the preceding years, the Rus' ruler Sviatoslav had conquered northern Bulgaria, and was now menacing Byzantium as well. The Rus' force had been advancing through Thrace towards Constantinople when it was met by Skleros' force. Having fewer men than the Rus', Skleros prepared an ambush and attacked the Rus' army with a portion of his force. The Byzantines then feigned retreat, and succeeded in drawing off the Pecheneg contingent into the ambush, routing it. The remainder of the Rus' army then suffered heavy casualties from the pursuing Byzantines. The battle was important as it bought time for the Byzantine emperor John I Tzimiskes to settle his internal problems and assemble a large expedition, which eventually defeated Sviatoslav the next year.

  1. ^ Stephenson 2000, p. 51.
  2. ^ Treadgold 1997, p. 508.
  3. ^ Haldon 2001, p. 98.
  4. ^ Talbot & Sullivan 2005, p. 159.
  5. ^ Hupchick 2017, p. 235.
  6. ^ Svyatoslav's invasion of Thrace and the Battle of Arkadiopolis