Battle of Callinicum

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The Battle of Callinicum took place on Easter Saturday, 19 April 531, between the Byzantine Empire and Sasanian Empire during the Iberian War. Following the Persian defeat at the Battle of Dara, the Persian army, under the command of Azarethes, invaded Syria and advanced toward Antioch by taking a different route in an attempt to regain the initiative in the war. The invasion caught the Byzantines off guard, but General Belisarius pursued the Persians with a smaller force, accompanied by allied Ghassanids, to block their advance. His army was subsequently strengthened by reinforcements. Belisarius was reluctant to engage the Persians due to the quality of his troops and instead aimed to drive the Persians off the Byzantine territories through demonstration of force. However, his troops insisted on giving battle, and the two armies met near Callinicum on Easter Sunday at the right bank of the Euphrates River. At the battle, the Byzantines were defeated after their allied Ghassanid cavalry...

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