Battle of Bourgaon

Battle of Bourgaon
Part of Byzantine–Moorish wars
Date 535, during the summer Location Mount Bourgaon, modern central Tunisia Result Byzantine victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire	Berber rebels Mastraciani
Commanders and leaders
Solomon Theodorus	Cutzinas Esdilasas  (POW) Mesdinissas Iourphoutes
Strength
Unknown	50,000
Casualties and losses
None	50,000

The Battle of Bourgaon, or Mount Bourgaon was an engagement between troops of the Byzantine Empire and Berber rebels in North Africa. It marked the end of the first stage of the revolt.

Background

After the Byzantine annexation of the Vandalic Kingdom in 534^[1] a group of Berber chieftains in North Africa, rebelled against the Byzantines in hope of carving out their own kingdoms and taking back modern day Tunisia and Algeria from the new overlords. The most important of these chieftains were Kutzinas, Esdilasas, Mesdinissas, and Iourphoutes.^[2] In 534, they ambushed Byzantine commanders Aigan and Rufius, and killed them both. In 535, a Byzantine expedition defeated the Berber rebels at the Battle of Mammes. The Berbers retreated, and attempted to regroup at Mount Bourgaon, while the Byzantines pursued them.

Battle

Setting up their camp, Solomon observed the Berber positions. The Berbers were encamped on the mountain. The eastern slope of the mountain was very steep, while the western had a gentle slope. Thus the Berbers, not expecting the Byzantines to actually try and overtake them from the east, concentrated all their forces on the west.^[3] The Byzantine troops were demoralized when met with the larger number of enemies, but after a speech by Solomon, they gained their bravery back, and prepared for the fight.^[4] He sent his commander, Theodorus, with about 1,000 excubitors to take advantage of the Berber positions, and climb the eastern side of the mountain to ambush the Berbers.^[5] Not even telling his own troops to avoid being betrayed,^[6] the excubitors climbed up the mountain during the dead of the night without being noticed.^[5] By dawn Solomon moved his troops up to the outskirts of the mountain, and by morning the troops of Theodorus showed themselves as well. Both detachments started a relentless attack against the surrounded Berber troops who panicked and attempted to flee, but had nowhere to do so.^[7] The few that survived did so by trampling over the dead bodies of their comrades, and nearly all of the Berber warriors were caught, killed, or wounded.^[6][7] All of the Berber chieftains were able to flee except for Esdilasas, who was caught, and taken prisoner.^[6] According to Procopius, the Berbera suffered 50,000 casualties, while the Romans suffered none,^[4] although this was likely an exaggeration.

Aftermath

Following the battle and the decisive defeat of the Berbers, the chieftains scattered and fled. Cutzinas, the main leader of the revolt, fled to the Berber Kingdom of Arris led by king Iabdas, and continued to wage guerilla style warfare from there. In 536 Solomon attempted to defeat Iabdas, but had to retreat after suffering attrition and fearing betrayal.^[8] In 540 he was able to temporarily overtake the kingdom through a campaign which saw Iabdas flee his kingdom, but this was short lived, and soon a much major revolt formed led by Antalas.

References

1. Andrew Merrills and Richard Miles, The Vandals, 3.
2. Martindale, J. R. (1992-10-15). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire 2 Part Set: Volume 3, AD 527-641. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-20160-5.
3. MacDowall, Simon (2016-07-31). The Vandals. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-8022-1.
4. Caesarea, Procopius of (2016-04-26). Delphi Complete Works of Procopius (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. ISBN 978-1-78656-373-6.
5. Prokopios (2014-09-03). The Wars of Justinian. Hackett Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62466-172-3.
6. Syvänne, Ilkka (2021-07-31). Military History of Late Rome 518–565. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-4738-9530-0.
7. Procopius (2007-05-01). History of the Wars: Books 3-4 (Vandalic War). Cosimo, Inc. ISBN 978-1-60206-446-1.
8. Bury, J. B (1958). History of the later Roman Empire from the death of Theodosius I. to the death of Justinian. ISBN 978-0-486-20398-0. OCLC 41478187.