599:, as it would expose his communications, and nearby Roman provinces, to attack. However, this strategic move was to Narseh's tactical disadvantage: the rugged Armenian terrain was favourable to the Roman army, whose strength was its infantry, but was unfavourable to cavalry operations, in which the Sassanid army excelled. Galerius entered Armenia in company with King Tiridates. Local aid also gave the Romans the advantage of surprise over the Persian forces, and, in two successive battles, Galerius secured victories over Narseh.
705:
44:
619:, and his wife. Detailed descriptions of the dispositions of the two armies have not survived, but sources unambiguously indicate that the Roman army unexpectedly came across Narseh's troops and caught the Persians unprepared whilst encamped, and describe the ensuing conflict as "a massacre." Presumably, the active aid of the local Armenian population allowed the Romans to approach and trap the Persians without being detected.
656:
Narseh was himself wounded in the battle and fled
Armenia into the Persian heartland, presumably in the hope of raising more troops; the booty taken by the victors was so great that it achieved legendary status and its transport back to Roman territory posed a logistical challenge. The battle was the
540:, with the Persian army destroyed as a fighting force. The Romans obtained an enormous amount of plunder from the defeated Persians, and captured Narseh's principal wife. The campaign concluded with a very favourable peace treaty for Rome, with Persia ceding considerable territory.
595:. Narseh did not advance from Armenia and Mesopotamia, allowing Galerius to take the offensive in 298 with an attack on northern Mesopotamia via Armenia. Narseh withdrew his army into Armenia, which would ensure that Galerius could not move south to attack the Persian capital,
638:
came and attacked the army of the king of Iran encamped in that same place , finding them negligently unconcerned and unsuspectingly at rest. Attacking during the daytime, they fell upon the
Iranian king, putting everything to the sword and sparing no one. Then they took the
1014:(4th-5th century) Faustus places the battle anachronistically in his chronicle, but his identification of the Persian king involved as Narseh, and his description of capture of the queen, makes it certain that he is referring to the campaign of Galerius.
626:
describes the habit of kings of the Near East to campaign while accompanied by their entire household. He ascribes the defeat that Narseh suffered to the severe limitation on the mobility of
Persian army that this habit caused.
647:
and the women with their possessions and goods into captivity — their women and treasures, provisions and equipage. Only the king was able to escape by a hairsbreadth and go free as a fugitive, thanks to a swift running
584:. According to historian Ursula Weber, "it is quite certain" that the whole of Armenia continued to a part of the Sasanian Empire in the 3rd-century, until it was later ceded to the Romans in 298/9 after the
802:"Galerius led one army into Armenia While Diocletian advanced into northern Mesopotamia. Narseh, who had concentrated his army in Armenia, was surprised by Galerius and decisively defeated
572:
in the peace of 287. Narseh then moved south into Roman
Mesopotamia, where he inflicted a severe defeat on Galerius, then commander of the Eastern forces, in the region between Carrhae (
608:
661:, that a simple Roman soldier had looted a highly decorated leather bag filled with pearls from the Persians; the soldier threw away the pearls as useless, but kept the bag.
214:
248:
818:
580:, Syria). Alternative views have the opening of the war in 296 or 297. Ammianus' history is not consistent with some other sources, including Narseh's
207:
1096:
799:
591:
Galerius was reinforced, probably in the spring of 298, by a new contingent of troops collected from the empire's best recruiting grounds in
200:
552:
may have served as the Roman base of operations. In an early
Armenian history it is stated that the battle was fought in the region of
611:
Coin of
Galerius as Caesar, his full name was Gaius Galerius Valerius Maximianus - rendered MAXIMIANUS NOBILissimus Caesar on the coin
494:
489:
568:
In 295 or 296, Narseh declared war on Rome. He appears to have first invaded western
Armenia, retaking the lands delivered to King
253:
324:
1033:
464:
290:
319:
280:
376:
1111:
1061:
1047:
760:, and Arzan. Peace was thus assured for some decades until its collapse with the military resurgence of Persia under
469:
1121:
548:
Though traditionally known as the Battle of Satala, the precise location of the battle is not known; the town of
396:
275:
721:
511:
418:
85:
1010:
285:
19:
This article is about the battle between the ancient Romans and the
Sassanid Empire. For the 530 battle, see
615:
During the second encounter, the Battle of Satala, the Roman forces seized Narseh's camp, his treasury, his
1116:
772:
258:
717:
457:
366:
767:
The Romans celebrated their victory by commemorative medallions and coin issues. In 304, Galerius had a
1039:
433:
381:
300:
295:
1001:
569:
268:
1101:
443:
401:
386:
312:
305:
237:
713:
585:
411:
361:
351:
329:
224:
115:
20:
668:, serving as a constant reminder to the Persians of the Roman victory. Galerius advanced into
1075:
728:
was acknowledged as also falling under Roman authority. Rome itself received a part of Upper
428:
356:
263:
745:
996:
658:
631:
406:
8:
581:
423:
35:
664:
Narseh's wife, Arsane, would live out the remainder of the war in Daphne, a suburb of
1057:
1043:
1029:
450:
438:
344:
339:
243:
833:
725:
371:
49:
537:
526:
142:
556:, at a village called Osxay. Basean (Phasiana) is usually placed to the east of
1038:
Boardman, John et al. (2005), The
Cambridge Ancient History, pp. 494–495.
768:
474:
1090:
334:
837:
1106:
776:
753:
737:
515:
137:
105:
53:
800:
The
Cambridge Ancient History: Volume 12, The Crisis of Empire, AD 193-337
704:
757:
729:
479:
692:, Galerius and his victorious army returned to Roman territory via the
669:
623:
761:
693:
596:
519:
484:
192:
43:
688:, taking Narseh's capital, Ctesiphon. Having gazed on the ruins of
681:
673:
522:
154:
607:
689:
677:
665:
592:
557:
749:
733:
685:
573:
553:
549:
533:
159:
90:
81:
57:
874:
History of the Armenians by Faustus of Byzantium, Book 3.21.72
741:
616:
577:
649:
530:
657:
origin of a well-known anecdote, related by the historian
1054:
Rome and Persia in Late Antiquity: Neighbours and Rivals.
536:(Narses). The battle was an overwhelming victory for the
684:(Nusaybin) before 1 October 298. He then moved down the
816:
708:
Image of King Narseh on a coin minted during his reign
676:, winning continuous victories, most prominently near
817:
MAKSYMIUK, Katarzyna; HOSSEIN TALAEE, Parviz (2022).
1088:
895:
1028:Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1981.
724:as a Roman vassal, and the Georgian Kingdom of
208:
819:"Consequences of the Battle of Satala (298)"
716:, highly advantageous to Rome. It ended the
1052:Dignas, Beate and Winter, Engelbert (2007)
961:The Cambridge Ancient History, pp. 494-495.
48:Detail of Galerius attacking Narseh on the
720:; Tiridates was restored to his throne in
215:
201:
1056:, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
703:
606:
1008:Faustus of Byzantium (P'awstos Buzand)
912:
910:
858:
856:
854:
812:
810:
808:
1089:
870:
868:
222:
1073:
901:
196:
1018:
907:
851:
805:
16:298 battle of the Roman-Persian Wars
943:Dignas and Winter, p. 84 (footnote)
865:
13:
1097:Battles of the Roman–Sasanian Wars
1068:Diocletian and the Roman Recovery,
990:
14:
1133:
1074:Weber, Ursula (2016). "Narseh".
634:(in Armenian: P'awstos Buzand):
42:
985:
973:
964:
955:
946:
937:
928:
712:The battle was followed by the
643:as loot, the king's women, the
919:
886:
877:
793:
732:that extended even beyond the
1:
892:Ammianus Marcellinus 23.5.11.
787:
563:
325:Campaign of Severus Alexander
979:Dignas and Winter, pp. 86-88
934:Ammianus Marcellinus, 22.4.8
699:
630:According to the account of
514:, between the forces of the
7:
680:(Ras al-Ayn), and securing
543:
419:Julian's Persian expedition
397:Perso-Roman wars of 337–361
10:
1138:
1040:Cambridge University Press
736:- including the cities of
576:, Turkey) and Callinicum (
286:Trajan's Parthian campaign
254:Pompeian–Parthian invasion
18:
1066:Williams, Stephen (1985)
1026:Constantine and Eusebius.
602:
527:Sasanian Empire of Persia
301:Parthian war of Caracalla
249:Caesar's planned invasion
234:
178:
165:
148:
131:
63:
41:
33:
28:
1112:290s in the Roman Empire
1011:History of the Armenians
925:Dignas and Winter, p. 86
782:
570:Tiridates III of Armenia
838:10.34739/his.2022.11.08
458:Byzantine–Sasanian wars
291:Lucius Verus' campaigns
120:Roman sack of Ctesiphon
1122:3rd century in Armenia
709:
612:
525:and the forces of the
510:was fought in 298, in
276:Mark Antony's campaign
149:Commanders and leaders
21:Battle of Satala (530)
1077:Encyclopaedia Iranica
707:
610:
281:Armenian War of 58–63
179:Casualties and losses
997:Ammianus Marcellinus
659:Ammianus Marcellinus
632:Faustus of Byzantium
622:The Roman historian
1117:3rd century in Iran
1024:Barnes, Timothy D.
582:Paikuli inscription
313:Roman–Sasanian wars
238:Roman–Parthian Wars
187:Unknown, very heavy
80:Unknown - possibly
1005:(late 4th century)
718:Roman–Sasanian war
710:
613:
226:Roman–Persian Wars
36:Roman-Persian Wars
1070:Batsford, London.
1034:978-0-674-16531-1
1019:Secondary sources
714:Treaty of Nisibis
503:
502:
191:
190:
127:
126:
116:Treaty of Nisibis
1129:
1081:
980:
977:
971:
970:Williams, p. 85.
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944:
941:
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932:
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826:Historia i Ĺšwiat
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814:
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773:Arch of Galerius
586:Peace of Nisibis
508:Battle of Satala
229:
227:
217:
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50:Arch of Galerius
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29:Battle of Satala
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25:
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1128:
1127:
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991:Primary sources
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862:Williams, p. 84
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143:Sasanian Empire
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111:
94:
88:
47:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1135:
1125:
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1119:
1114:
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1104:
1102:290s conflicts
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1016:
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1006:
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989:
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952:Barnes, p. 18.
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781:
769:triumphal arch
701:
698:
654:
653:
604:
601:
565:
562:
545:
542:
501:
500:
498:
497:
495:War of 602–628
492:
490:War of 572–591
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475:Anastasian War
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467:
465:War of 421–422
454:
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377:Caesarea (260)
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327:
309:
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259:Cilician Gates
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1062:9780521849258
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1048:0-521-30199-8
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1002:Roman History
998:
995:
994:
976:
967:
958:
949:
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931:
922:
916:Barnes, p. 18
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883:Barnes, p. 17
880:
871:
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855:
839:
835:
831:
827:
820:
813:
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778:
775:) erected in
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764:in the 330s.
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405:
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387:Carrhae (296)
385:
383:
382:3rd Ctesiphon
380:
378:
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370:
368:
365:
363:
360:
358:
355:
353:
352:Nisibis (252)
350:
346:
343:
341:
338:
336:
333:
331:
330:Nisibis (235)
328:
326:
323:
322:
321:
318:
317:
316:
315:
314:
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304:
302:
299:
297:
296:2nd Ctesiphon
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78:
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67:
66:
62:
59:
55:
51:
45:
40:
37:
32:
27:
22:
1084:
1076:
1067:
1053:
1025:
1009:
1000:
986:Bibliography
975:
966:
957:
948:
939:
930:
921:
897:
888:
879:
841:. Retrieved
829:
825:
795:
777:Thessalonica
766:
746:Martyropolis
711:
663:
655:
644:
640:
629:
621:
614:
590:
567:
547:
516:Roman Empire
507:
505:
456:
455:
429:Maiozamalcha
391:
367:Dura-Europos
311:
310:
236:
138:Roman Empire
132:Belligerents
89:(modern-day
54:Thessaloniki
34:Part of the
832:: 145–154.
738:Tigranokert
730:Mesopotamia
480:Iberian War
412:2nd Singara
402:1st Singara
357:Barbalissos
320:Mesopotamia
269:Mt Gindarus
264:Amanus Pass
1091:Categories
902:Weber 2016
788:References
624:Lactantius
564:Background
538:Roman army
518:under the
470:War of 440
424:Pirisabora
84:region of
762:Shapur II
700:Aftermath
694:Euphrates
597:Ctesiphon
593:Illyricum
485:Lazic War
451:Bagrevand
434:Ctesiphon
750:Balalesa
674:Adiabene
544:Location
523:Galerius
520:Tetrarch
166:Strength
155:Galerius
76:Location
722:Armenia
690:Babylon
682:Nisibis
678:Resaina
666:Antioch
645:bambish
558:Erzerum
529:led by
512:Armenia
444:Samarra
439:Maranga
362:Antioch
345:Misiche
340:Resaena
306:Nisibis
244:Carrhae
184:Unknown
174:Unknown
108:victory
86:Armenia
1060:
1046:
1032:
843:15 May
758:Daudia
734:Tigris
726:Iberia
686:Tigris
603:Battle
574:Harran
554:Basean
550:Satala
534:Narseh
392:Satala
372:Edessa
171:25,000
160:Narseh
99:Result
91:Turkey
82:Basean
71:298 AD
58:Greece
822:(PDF)
783:Notes
754:Moxos
742:Saird
670:Media
641:banak
617:harem
578:Raqqa
407:Amida
335:Hatra
106:Roman
1058:ISBN
1044:ISBN
1030:ISBN
845:2023
672:and
650:pony
531:Shah
506:The
68:Date
1107:298
834:doi
52:at
1093::
1042:,
999:,
909:^
867:^
853:^
830:11
828:.
824:.
807:^
779:.
756:,
752:,
748:,
744:,
740:,
696:.
588:.
560:.
56:,
1080:.
904:.
847:.
836::
771:(
652:.
216:e
209:t
202:v
93:)
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
