Siege of Dara (573)

Siege of Dara (573)
Part of Byzantine–Sasanian War of 572–591

Ruins of the fortifications of Dara
Date573
Location
Dara
(modern-day Oğuz, Mardin, Turkey)
Result Sasanian victory
Belligerents
Sasanian Empire Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Khosrow I
Izadgushasp
Fariburz
Bahram Chobin		 Sergius †
Ioannes (POW)[1]
Strength
  • 23,000 cavalry
  • 40,000 infantry
[2]

The siege of Dara was raised by the Sasanian king Khosrow I in 573 during the Byzantine–Sasanian War of 572–591. The fortified city fell after 4 months.[3]

The Sasanians cut through a hill to divert the city's water supply,[4] and used captured Roman ballistae from the abandoned Roman Siege of Nisibis (573).[5]

The news of the fall of Dara, long a major Byzantine stronghold in Upper Mesopotamia, drove Emperor Justin II insane.[3] Bahram Chobin was commander of the cavalry force in the siege, and was promoted to the spahbed of the North after this victory.[6]

  1. ^ Martindale 1992, p. 675.
  2. ^ Greatrex & Lieu 2002, p. 147.
  3. ^ a b Nicholson, Canepa & Daryaee 2018.
  4. ^ Whitby, Michael (1 January 2013). Siege Warfare and Counter-Siege Tactics in Late Antiquity (ca. 250–640). Brill. p. 446. ISBN 978-90-04-25258-5.
  5. ^ War and Warfare in Late Antiquity (2 vols.): Current Perspectives. BRILL. 2013-08-23. ISBN 9789004252585.
  6. ^ Shahbazi 1988, pp. 514–522.