Siege of Pirisabora

Siege of Pirisabora
Part of Julian's Persian War
Date27–29 April 363[1]
Location
Result Roman victory[2]
Belligerents
Roman Empire Sassanid Empire
Commanders and leaders
Julian
Hormizd
Mamersides
Strength
65,000 2,500 (including citizens)

The siege of Pirisabora took place when the Roman Emperor Julian besieged the fortified city of Pirisabora under Mamersides in April 363.

After two days of fierce fighting, the Sasanians and the citizens abandoned the circuit walls and took up a defensive position in the acropolis. After some failed attempts, the Romans began to construct a siege tower, after which Mamersides reached a compromise with Julian to hand over the fort in exchange for a safe withdrawal. Julian subsequently pillaged and burned the abandoned city.

  1. ^ Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus: XXIV, ed. J. Den Boeft, J.W. Drijvers, D. Den Hengst, H.C. Teitler, (Brill, 2002), xxiii.
  2. ^ Philological and Historical Commentary on Ammianus Marcellinus: XXIV "... until the sight of a helepolis induced the Pirisaborans to surrender ... After Pirisabora was taken, the city was burnt"