Battle of Bagrevand (372)


Battle of Bagrevand, also called the Battle of Bagavan or the Battle of Vagabanta, was fought in 372, on the plain of Bagrevand, with the Roman-Armenian armies defeating the Persian forces.

Background

In 369 CE, Shapur II, Shah of the Persian Sassanid Empire, persuaded the Armenian King, Papas to change his allegiance. Under Shapur's influence Papas murdered the Cylaces and Artabanes and sent their heads to the shahanshah as a sign of loyalty. The Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, Valens, sent one of his generals, Arintheus, with an army into Armenia and Pap immediately reverted to his earlier loyalty to Rome.
In the winter 370 Shapur decided to settle the Armenian matter by force; he declared the Treaty of 363 to be void and began amassing an army to invade Armenia during the next spring.
Learning of the impending attack, Papas ordered a muster be held at Barevand. The Romans, under the command of Valens' generals Traianus and Vadomarius, had armies at Erhand and Baxish. They also marched for Bagrevand and build a fortified camp while they waited for the Armenians to assemble. Eventually, the Armenians mustered an army of 90,000 men. It was decided that the Sparapet Mushegh I Mamikonian would command the Armenian forces while the Romans remained under their own command.

Battle

The combined Armenian-Roman army met the Persian force not far from a village called Dzirav and were victorious. Apparently the Armenians broke the Sassanid battle lines and causing a route. Faustus of Byzantium gives considerable credit for the victory to sparapet Mushegh I Mamikonian. Movses Khorenatsi of Armenia and Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus noted that the Valens' generals did not actively participate in the battle, but rather were engaged in protecting the king. During the ensuing battles more Armenian territories were reclaimed from the Sassanids, including Arzanene and Corduene which were ceded to Persians by Jovian in 363.

Aftermath

Although he lost the Battle of Barevand, Shapur was determined not to give in. The Sassanid Shah launched several minor invasions and raiding parties into Armenian territory, before another major assault led to a second battle at Gandzak. At the Battle of Gandzak the Roman-Armenian army defeated the Sassanids for the second time that year. After the battle Shapur sent envoys and a truce was agreed upon. The truce would last for seven years.