Siege of Dura-Europos

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Siege of Dura-Europos in 239 AD

| place = Dura-Europos, along the Euphrates, Syria

| partof = the Mesopotamian campaigns of Ardashir I

| date = April 20, 239 AD{{#tag:ref|[The thirteenth day of the month of Xandikus in the year 550, the Persians descended upon us] (April 20, 239 AD); from Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum.Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 7, Berlin 1934, 743b (from Dura-Europos): «Il tredicesimo giorno del mese di Xandikus dell'anno 550, i Persiani scesero verso di noi». The journal Historia i Świat also claims the same date,{{ Cite journal | last=Maksymiuk | first=Katarzyna | title=The capture Ḥaṭrā in light of military and political activities of Ardašīr I | doi=10.34739/his.2017.06.06 | journal=Historia i Świat | date=September 2017 | url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/363557078_The_capture_Hatra_in_light_of_military_and_political_activities_of_Ardasir_I | hdl=11331/2445 | hdl-access=free }} while we know for sure the siege happened in April of that year.{{harvnb|Wiesenhöfer|1986|loc=Vol. II, Fasc. 4, pp. 471–476.}}|group="note"}}Inscription {{AE|1948|124}}.

| combatant1 = Sassanid Empire

| combatant2 = Roman Empire

| commander1 = Ardashir I
Shapur I{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}

| commander2 = Julius Terentius{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}

| strength1 = Much larger army{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}{{sfn|Southern|2001|p=70}}

| strength2 = "A few thousand" men{{ Cite web | url-status=live | author=Joseph Despina | title=Dura Evropos, the earliest Christian church | language=greek | url=https://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/92-12.pdf | format=PDF | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170929204012/https://www.archaiologia.gr/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/92-12.pdf | archive-date=2017-09-29 | page=130 | issue=92 | date=September 2004 }} Article in [https://www.archaiologia.gr/%CE%B1%CF%81%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%BF-%CF%84%CE%B5%CF%85%CF%87%CF%8E%CE%BD/?fc=1141&is=1673 Archeology & Arts]. from the legions IIII Scythica and XVI Flavia Firma{{ Cite book | last=James | first=Simon | title=The Roman Military Base at Dura-Europos, Syria: An Archaeological Visualization | isbn=9780198743569 | date=2019 | publisher=Oxford University Press | pages=241–250 }}
Possibly also Cohors XX Palmyrenorum{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}

| result = Roman victoryHistoria Augusta, Maximus and Balbinus, 13.5.{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}X. Loriot, Les premières années de la grande crise du III siecle: de l'avènement de Maximin Thrace (235) à la mort de Gordian III (244), Aufstieg und Niedergang der Römischen Welt, II. 2 (1975), p. 657.{{sfn|Southern|2001|p=70}}

| image = Buildings_and_Streets_at_Dura-Europus,_Syria._(I)_(5532410875).jpg

| caption = Ancient streets and roads of the fortress of Dura-Europos.

| map_type = Syria

| coordinates = {{coord|34.747|40.730|region:SY|display=inline,title}}

| map_mark = Archaeological_site_icon_%28red%29.svg

| map_label = Dura-Europos

| map_marksize = 24px

| map_relief = yes

| map_caption = Location of the battle site within modern-day Syria.

| map_size = 270px

}}

{{Campaignbox Roman–Persian Wars}}

{{Campaignbox Roman–Sassanid Wars}}

The siege of Dura-Europos in 239 AD, or Ardashir I's siege of Dura-Europos, took place on April 20 between a large invading Sassanid force against a Roman garrison in the fortress along the Euphrates.

The siege

During the reign of Maximinus the Thracian, who succeeded the last emperor of the Severan dynasty, Alexander, the cities of the Roman province of Mesopotamia, Nisibis and Carrhae, were besieged and occupied by the Sasanids.Joannes Zonaras, Extracts of History, XII, 18.George Syncellus, Selezione di cronografia, 681. Not surprisingly, Herodian also suggests that the Sasanids remained quiet for three or four years after Alexander Severus' campaigns of 232, the final outcome of which was highly uncertain for the two sides.Herodian, History of the Empire after Marcus Aurelius, VI, 6.6.

In 239 AD, a new large-scale invasion by the Sasanian armies occurred later that year, which laid siege to the fortress-city of Dura Europos, a Roman outpost on the Euphrates River. The advance was repulsed.{{sfn|Millar|1993|p=150}}{{sfn|Southern|2001|p=70}}

Notes

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References

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Sources

  • {{ Cite book | last=Millar | first=Fergus | title=The Roman near East (31 BC - AD 337) | location=Cambridge, Massachusetts & London | date=1993 | author-link=Fergus Millar | isbn=978-0415239448 | publisher=Harvard University Press | url=https://books.google.it/books/about/The_Roman_Near_East_31_B_C_A_D_337.html?id=IA-YlZqHv90C&redir_esc=y }}
  • {{ Cite book | last=Southern | first=Pat | title=The Roman Empire: from Severus to Constantine | publisher=Routledge | date=2001 | author-link=Pat Southern | isbn=978-0415239431 | url=https://books.google.it/books/about/The_Roman_Empire_from_Severus_to_Constan.html?id=DWiyzw91atgC&redir_esc=y }}
  • {{ Encyclopaedia Iranica | last=Wiesehöfer | first=Joseph | author-link=Josef Wiesehöfer | title=ARDAŠĪR I i. History | url= https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/ardasir-i | date=1986 | ref={{sfnref|Wiesenhöfer|1986}} }}

Dura-Europos

Dura-Europos

Dura-Europos

Dura-Europos

Category:3rd century in Iran

Category:230s in the Roman Empire

Category:Dura-Europos

Category:Ardashir I

Dura-Europos