Carcasan

{{Short description|6th-century Berber leader of the Ifuraces}}

Carcasan was a Berber leader of the Ifuraces, one of the Marmarid tribes that resided in Tripolitania and was active during the Berber insurrections in the Praetorium Prefecture of Africa in the mid-6th century. He first appears in the reports of General John Troglita's campaign in the winter of 546/547, when he was defeated with Antalas and other Berber leaders by Byzantine troops. In the spring of 547, after the death of the Laguatan chief Ierna, he united the scattered Berber tribes and was acclaimed as a leader by them. After consulting the oracle of Amon, he resumed the war against the Byzantines and inflicted a heavy defeat on them during the Battle of Marta{{Cite book |last=Pascal) |first=Avezac (M d', Marie Armand |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lbo1AQAAMAAJ&dq=Carcasan&pg=RA3-PA100 |title=Afrique: esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne |date=1842 |publisher=Éditions Bouslama |language=fr}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yAkdAQAAMAAJ&dq=Carcasan&pg=RA5-PA100 |title=L'Univers: histoire et description de tous les peuples ... |date=1846 |publisher=F. Didot fréres |language=fr}}

In the spring of 548,{{Cite book |last=d'Avezac |first=Marie Armand Pascal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xSFCAAAAcAAJ&dq=Carcasan&pg=PA100 |title=Afrique esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne |date=1844 |publisher=Firmin Didot frères |language=fr}} he and Antalas clashed again with John{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KQxZAAAAMAAJ&q=Carcasan |title=Eos |date=1990 |publisher=Nakl. Towarzystwa Filologicznego |language=fr}} and his ally Cusina. The Berber troops in revolt marched against John Troglita{{Cite book |last=Avezac |first=Armand d' |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9YMiZ37LZHkC&dq=Carcasan&pg=RA4-PA100 |title=Afrique: esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne |date=1844 |publisher=Firmin Didot frères editeurs |language=fr}} and camped in the plain of Mammès. Carcasan, confident after his victory last year, wishes to confront John's army immediately, but he gives way to Antalas, who advocates a more cautious tactic, withdrawing and luring the Byzantines inland, forcing them to march away from their supply bases, and across the devastated country, with the aim of exhausting and demoralizing them. The Berber rebels put Antalas' tactics into practice, but when they camped in the plain of Caton's fields, in Latara, they decided to fight in pitched battle. In the ensuing confrontation, the Byzantines and their Berber allies were victorious and Carcasan, during a counterattack, was killed by Jean Troglita{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Te43AQAAMAAJ&dq=Carcasan&pg=RA4-PA100 |title=L'univers: histoire et description de tous les peuples |date=1844 |publisher=Firmin Didot |language=fr}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e314oA5YQqQC&dq=Carcasan&pg=PA103 |title=Les Berbers Etude sur la Conquete de l'Afrique par les Arabes par Henri Fournel: 1 |date=1875 |publisher=A l'imprimerie Nationale |language=fr}}{{Cite book |last=Pottier |first=René |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ii4dYwOtdXAC&dq=Carcasan&pg=PA149 |title=Histoire du Sahara |date=1947 |publisher=Nouvelles Editions Latines |isbn=978-2-7233-0859-5 |language=fr}} himself according to Corippe.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a-PaDtv_TGwC&dq=Carcasan&pg=RA3-PA100 |title=Afrique |date=1842 |publisher=Editions Bouslama |language=fr}}