Byzantine Battles: Battle of Emesa

▶

4 th century

▶

5 th century

▶

6 th century

▶

7 th century

▶

8 th century

▶

9 th century

▶

10 th century

▶

11 th century

▶

12 th century

▶

13 th century

▶

14 th century

▶

15 th century

Battle of Emesa	year: 635-636 Dec 635–Mar 636
The Arabs captured the Byzantine city of Emesa in Syria	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Arabs	location: Modern Homs in western Syria, close to Lebanon	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: City Capture	war: Arab Conquest of Syria	modern country: Syria

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Heraclius)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	Harbees	Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, Khalid ibn al-Walid
Forces:	8,000	15,000
Losses:	4,000	235

Background story:

After a decisive victory at the Battle of Ajnadayn, the Muslims conquered Damascus after a long siege, in September 634.
Abu Ubaidah decided to take Emesa first, and thus clear his rear flank from the enemy before undertaking more serious operations in northern Syria.

The Battle:

Al-Khalid in a recent movie poster

The Muslim army marched to Emesa with Khalid ibn Walid's mobile guard in the lead (Khalid was demoted at the time). On arrival at the city, a short battle was fought with the Byzantine garrison of Emesa. The Muslims forced the Byzantines to withdraw into the fort and close the gates.
Emesa was a fortified circular-shaped city with a diameter of less than a mile, and it was surrounded by a moat. The Muslims camped outside the city walls and stayed there during the winter.
Towards the end of the winter, Khalid made a fake withdrawal of his army from Emesa giving the Byzantines the impression that he was raising the siege. Harbees, the city’s governor, immediately led 5,000 Byzantine warriors out of the fort to chase the Muslims. He caught up with them a few miles from Emesa but the Arabs turned on them and his force was soon encircled and annihilated.
After this, the locals offered to surrender on terms and Abu Ubaidah accepted the offer. The inhabitants paid the Jizya at the rate of one dinar per man. Peace returned to Emesa but it was not a Roman city anymore.

Noteworthy:

1– At some point Khalid commented that “These Romans were the bravest I had ever met.”
2– After a few years, Khalid fell from grace and was dismissed. He retired in Emesa where he died in 642.

Aftermath:

Soon after the surrender of Emesa, the Muslims set out once again for the north, intending to take the whole of Northern Syria. They stopped when they found out about the concentration of a large Byzantine army at Antioch.

Byzantine Battles

Battle of Emesa

635-636