Battles of Viminacium

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Battles of Viminacium
The northern Balkans in the 6th century AD
The northern Balkans in the 6th century AD
date 599
place Kostolac , Serbia
output Eastern Roman victory
Parties to the conflict

Eastern Roman Empire

Avars

Commander

Prices

The sons of the Great Khan

losses

unknown

28,000

The battles of Viminacium were a series of three battles between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Avars . The Eastern Romans were able to achieve decisive victories, then they advanced to Pannonia .

In the summer of 599 the Eastern Roman Emperor Maurikios sent his generals Priskos and Komentiolos to the Danube front. The generals united their troops at Singidunum and marched together westward to Viminacium . The Avar Khagan had meanwhile learned that the Eastern Romans had broken the peace treaty that had previously been concluded. He crossed the Danube at Viminacium and invaded Moesia Superior with his troops , leaving a large part of his army under the leadership of four of his sons with the city, whose task it was to prevent the East Romans from crossing the river. Despite this garrison, the Eastern Romans managed to cross the river on rafts and set up camp on the left bank of the river while the two Eastern Roman generals were still in Viminacium, which was on an island in the river. According to the sources, Komentiolus either fell ill or mutilated himself there so that he no longer had to take part in the campaign. Priskos took command of both armies.

Although he did not want to leave the city without Komentiolos at first, Priskos was soon forced to appear in the army camp on the left bank, as the Avars attacked it daily. There was a first battle that cost the Romans only 300 men, while four thousand Avars died. In the next ten days there were two more major battles in which the strategies of the Priscos and the discipline and tactics of the Eastern Roman army were superior. In the first of the two, 9,000 Avars and Slavic allies were slain, in the second even 15,000, the majority of which, including the four sons of the Khagan , drowned in a lake into which they were driven by the Eastern Roman battle line.

Priskos pursued the fleeing Khagan and marched into the Avar core area in Pannonia , where he won further battles on the banks of the River Tisza , which brought the war to a victorious end and for a time lifted the Avar and Slavic threat on the Danube.

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