Byzantine Battles: Battle of Sebastopolis

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4 th century

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5 th century

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6 th century

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7 th century

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8 th century

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9 th century

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15 th century

Battle of Sebastopolis	year: 692
A victory of the Arabs ending a short period of Byzantine supremacy	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Arabs (Umayyads)	location: Sebastopolis (mostly identified with Sebaste in Cilicia, but also, it could be modern Sulusaray)	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: Pitched Battle	war: Early Byzantine-Muslim Wars	modern country: Turkey

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Justinian II Rhinotmetos)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	General Leontios	Muhammad ibn Marwan
Forces:	Unknown	Unknown
Losses:

Background story:

After the unsuccessful siege of Constantinople (674-678), the Arabs withdrew and almost immediately they were defeated in Lycia and Anatolia by the forces of Constantine IV. This reverse of fate forced Caliph Muawiyah to seek a truce with Byzantium. According to the treaty of 680, the Arabs had to evacuate the Aegean Islands and pay an annual tribute of 50 slaves, 50 horses and 3,000 pounds of gold.
When Justinian II, son of Constantine IV, became emperor, he managed to increase this amount and also he recaptured part of Cyprus.
The stabilization in the East allowed Justinian to turn his attention to the Balkans which were under the control of various Slavic tribes (and Bulgars). Justinian moved troops from Anatolia and in a large-scale military campaign (688-689) was able to dominate in the Balkans again. The subdued Slavs were resettled in Anatolia, where they were to provide a military force of 30,000 men.
Emboldened by the increase of his forces in Anatolia, Justinian now renewed the war against the Arabs.

The Battle:

Arab horsemen

The Byzantine army marched east against the Arabs.It was reinforced with a special corps of 30,000 Slavs under their leader Neboulos. The two armies met in Sebastopolis (perhaps Sebaste of Cilicia - there were several Sebaste in Asia Minor). The Umayyad army was under the leadership of Muhammad ibn Marwan. The leader of the Byzantines was the general of the Eastern Thema Leontios (who later usurped the throne). The Arabs were outraged by the breach of the treaty, and used pages of its text on their spears as banners.
During the battle, the Arabs bribed the Slavs and 20,000 of them sided with the enemy and turned against the Byzantines. This development cost a catastrophic defeat to the Byzantines.
The only known number for the battle is the 30,000 Slav auxiliaries who took part in it. Obviously it was not a small battle.

Noteworthy:

Emperor Justinian II massacred the remaining Slavs, including women and children, at the Gulf of Nicomedia

Aftermath:

After a short break the Arab threat was revived. The Arabs stopped paying the tribute and started to be aggressive again. So one of the rare periods that the Arabs were paying the Byzantines in exchange for peace, ended.

Byzantine Battles

Battle of Sebastopolis

692