Battle of Anglon

The Battle of Anglon took place in 543 AD, during the Byzantine (East Roman) invasion of Sasanian-ruled Armenia ("Persarmenia").

After receiving the news of a rebellion in Persia and an epidemic in King Khosrow I's army, the Byzantine armies in the East under the orders of Emperor Justinian I initiated a hasty invasion of Persarmenia. The outnumbered Persian forces in the region performed a meticulous ambush at the mountainous fortress of Anglon, decisively defeating the Byzantine forces in a siege-like confrontation.

The Sasanian ruler Khosrow I began an invasion of Commagene in 542, but retreated to Adurbadagan and halted at Adhur Gushnasp, intending to begin a campaign against Byzantine Armenia. The Romans had been negotiating with Khosrow I, until they received information about the epidemic of the so-called Plague of Justinian in Khosrow I's force and a rebellion in Persia by the prince Anoshazad. Seeing this as an opportunity, Emperor Justinian I ordered all Roman forces in the East to invade Sasanian Armenia.

Martin was the newly-appointed Master of Soldiers in the East (magister militum per Orientem) at the time, but according to primary sources did not have much authority over other generals. The Roman invasion force, which numbered 30,000 in total, was initially scattered:

Justus, Peranius, Domnentiolus, John, son of Nicetas, and John the Glutton stayed at Phison, near Martyropolis. They raided Taraunitis (Taron) and then retreated.

The target of the offensive was Dvin, the capital of Sasanian Armenia. The city was an important commercial center in the region, and it had ample supplies and was suitable for cavalry action. Besides, it was the place where the Christian envoys who were likely to switch to the Roman side came from. According to Syvänne, the Catholicos and his brother may have planned the operation together with Valerian.

Persian forces in Persarmenia numbered 4,000 and were under the command of Nabedes. They concentrated at the mountainous village of Anglon about 13 miles (21 km) from Dvin (probably identical to Ankes/Angegh/Angel, Dsakhgodn Canton, Ayrarat Province, Kingdom of Armenia) The Anglon village featured a namesake fortress perched on top of the precipitous mountain and surrounded by village houses which crowded in a narrow space. Nabedes prepared a defensive position for an elaborate ambush by blocking the entrances to the village with stones and carts, digging "a sort of trench", and setting up ambushes in the houses of the village outside the fortress, while marshaling an army below. Some were stationed in the fortress itself, constituting the last element of the ambush.

The Roman forces united only after crossing the Persian border, in the plain of Dvin. It probably numbered more than 20,000. Peter advanced first, probably as a vanguard. The Romans had been marching in strict formations, but as soon as they found out that the Persians are concentrated in Anglon, they spread out to plunder. According to Procopius, the Roman generals lacked a proper union among themselves (cf. #Analysis). One day's march from Anglon, a captured Persian spy told the Romans that Nabedes has fled. As the Roman forces proceeded into the rough terrain of Anglon, they probably assumed that Persians are hiding in the fortifications. Soon Roman scouts informed their commanders of the presence of a Persian army in the open. Upon receiving this news, the Roman army hastily formed a single-line formation. Martin's forces formed the center, Peter's forces formed the right, and Valerian's forces (probably joined by Narses and his Heruls and Armenians) formed the left. The formation was imperfect due to roughness of the terrain and the fact that it was formed on the spur of the moment. The Persians were arranged in a small space. Nabedes had ordered them not to begin fighting unless after being attacked.