All Battles 
Emperors 
Battle of Sardis |
year: 743May 743 |
| Victory of Constantine V against the usurper emperor Artabasdos | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
|
enemy: (Civil War)
|
location: Modern Sart (Sartmahmut before 2005) in Turkey's Manisa Province, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia
|
accuracy:
●●●●●
|
|
battle type: Pitched battle |
war: Military Revolts |
modern country:
Turkey |
| ▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Constantine V Kopronymos) | ▼ The Enemies | |
| Commander: | Emperor Constantine V | Usurper emperor Artabasdos |
| Forces: | Unknown | Unknown |
| Losses: |
| Background story: |
| The Armenian Artavasdus (hellenized as Artabasdos or Artabasdos) was governor of the Armenic Thema and had helped Leo, the governor of the Anatolic Thema, to overthrow the new Emperor Theodosius III, in 717. This agreement was sealed with the engagement of Leo's daughter Anna to Artabasdos, and the marriage took place after Leo III (the Isaurian) ascended the throne. Artabasdos was awarded the rank of kouropalates and became count of the Opsikion Thema. In June 741 or 742, after the accession of Leo's son Constantine V on the throne, Artabasdus resolved to seize the throne and attacked his brother-in-law while the latter was traversing Asia Minor to fight the Arabs on the eastern frontier. While Constantine fled to Amorion, Artabasdos seized Constantinople amid popular support and was crowned emperor. Artabasdos abandoned his predecessor's religious policy of Iconoclasm and restored Orthodoxy. He was also recognized by Pope Zacharias. However, Constantine was able to gain the support of the Anatolic and Thracian themata and counter-attacked. |
The Battle: |
 Byzantine warrior Later the same year Constantine defeated Artabasdos’ son Nicetas, and on November 2, 743 Artabasdos' reign came to an end as Constantine V entered Constantinople and apprehended his rival. |
Aftermath: |
| Artabasdus and his sons were publicly blinded and relegated to the monastery of Chora on the outskirts of Constantinople . |
|
|