Battle of Mammes

For the battle in 688, see Battle of Mamma.

Battle of Mammes
Part of Byzantine–Moorish wars
Location Valley of Mamma, south of modern Aïn Djeloula Result Byzantine Victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire	Berbers
Commanders and leaders
Solomon Symmachus	Cutzinas Esdilasas Mesdinissas Iourphoutes
Strength
Unknown	Unknown, but higher than Byzantine numbers[1]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	10,000 dead

The Battle of Mammes or Battle of Mamma was an engagement between troops of the Byzantine Empire and an army of Moors in 534.^[2][3][4] The Byzantines were led by Solomon.^[2][3] The Moors used a tactic that had worked well with Vandals, they made a circle of camels which scared Byzantine horses to such an extent that horse archery became impractical.^[2] The Moors also hid some of their own cavalry in some nearby mountains.^[2] Solomon anticipated the trap and sent men to the side of the circle not facing the mountains.^[2][5] Due to the Moor formation these were not able to do much damage and when the Moors charged the fighting turned against them.^[2] Solomon then decided to attack the other side of the circle, predicting it to be weakened to such an extent that the hidden cavalry could not spring into action in time.^[2] Solomon’s prediction was correct, the Byzantines quickly broke through.^[2] They killed hundreds of camels, enslaved the Moor women and children and according to Procopius slew 10,000 men.^[2][5] The situation was not yet stabilized and the Moors soon returned but were decisively defeated at Mount Burgaon.^[3]

See also

• Cutzinas
• Family tree of Byzantine emperors
• History of the Byzantine Empire
• Moorish wars

References

1. Tougher, Shaun (2020-11-12). The Roman Castrati: Eunuchs in the Roman Empire. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-16404-8.
2. Hughes, Ian (Historian) (2014). Belisarius : the last Roman general. Barnsley. ISBN 978-1-4738-2297-9. OCLC 903161296.
3. Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell), 1861-1927 (January 1958). History of the later Roman Empire from the death of Theodosius I. to the death of Justinian. New York. ISBN 0-486-20398-0. OCLC 41478187.
4. Sarantis, Alexander; Christie, Neil, eds. (2013). War and Warfare in Late Antiquity (2 vols.): Current Perspectives. Brill. p. 72. ISBN 978-90-04-25258-5.
5. Procopius. History of the Wars.