Battle of Emessa |
year: 635-636Dec 635–Mar 636 |
The Arabs captured the Byzantine city of Emessa in Syria | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
enemy: Arabs
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location: Modern Homs in western Syria, close to Lebanon
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accuracy:
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battle type: City Capture |
war: Arab Conquest of Syria |
modern country:
Syria |
▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Heraclius) | ▼ The Enemies | |
Commander: | Harbees | Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah, Khalid ibn al-Walid |
Forces: | 8,000 | 15,000 |
Losses: | 4,000 | 235 |
Background story: |
After a decisive victory at the Battle of Ajnadayn, the Muslims conquered Damascus after a long siege, in September 634. Abu Ubaidah decided to take Emessa first, and thus clear his rear flank from the enemy before undertaking more serious operations in northern Syria. |
The Battle: |
Al-Khalid in a recent movie poster Emessa was a fortified circular-shaped city with a diameter of less than a mile, and it was surrounded by a moat. The Muslims camped outside the city walls and stayed there during the winter. Towards the end of the winter, Khalid made a fake withdrawal of his army from Emessa giving the Byzantines the impression that he was raising the siege. Harbees, the city’s governor, immediately led 5,000 Byzantine warriors out of the fort to chase the Muslims. He caught up with them a few miles from Emessa but the Arabs turned on them and his force was soon encircled and annihilated. After this, the locals offered to surrender on terms and Abu Ubaidah accepted the offer. The inhabitants paid the Jizya at the rate of one dinar per man. Peace returned to Emessa but it was not a Roman city anymore. |
Noteworthy: |
1– At some point Khalid commented that “These Romans were the bravest I had ever met.” 2– After a few years, Khalid fell from grace and was dismissed. He retired in Emesa where he died in 642. |
Aftermath: |
Soon after the surrender of Emesa, the Muslims set out once again for the north, intending to take the whole of Northern Syria. They stopped when they found out about the concentration of a large Byzantine army at Antioch. |
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