David Parnell Profile picture
Historian of the Romans (including the Byzantine Empire). Author of Belisarius & Antonina. Associate Professor @iunorthwest. Consulted for @EpicHistoryTV.
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Jul 4 19 tweets 6 min read
To celebrate my book's first birthday (released July 4 last year), I offer up a meditation on a curious little episode: the Vandal King Gelimer quoting the great refrain of Ecclesiastes: "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." #Roman #Byzantine 🧵
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Some background: At the command of Justinian (r. 527-565), the general Belisarius led a Roman army to crush the Vandals and restore North Africa and most of its surrounding islands to Roman control in a lightning campaign that lasted just six months (September 533-March 534). Image
Jan 24 4 tweets 2 min read
The Count of the Stable (Comes Stabuli, from which we derive "constable") was a late antique officer of the Roman imperial court responsible for levying horses and pack animals for government use. Although it sounds like a humble post, it was held by a number of famous Romans. 🧵 Artist's rendition of Roman stables as imagined by english-heritage.org.uk. I have been writing on the Comes Stabuli recently and was astonished to learn that occupants of the office included the future emperor Valens (r. 364-378) and the famous generals Stilicho (d. 408) and Aetius (d. 454). Diptych showing either Stilicho or Aetius, image from Wikipedia.
Nov 17, 2023 12 tweets 4 min read
Over the past few months I engaged in a variety of media (podcasts, blogs, book sites, etc) to get word out about my new book. This thread summarizes all that activity, both to keep it in one place and to give ideas to other academics with new books! Image I started with places that would let me write a few words about my book to catch the interest of other bibliophiles. The first was on a humble blog called "The Page 99 Test":
Aug 29, 2023 23 tweets 6 min read
Just how large was the Roman army during the reign of Justinian in the sixth century? Direct contemporary evidence is scarce. Modern estimates range from 150,000 to 326,000. Let's dive into the controversy. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History Soldiers on the imperial mosaic panel of Justinian in San Vitale. Photo by Steven Zucker. Let's start with the number all modern historians must reckon with. The Roman historian Agathias complains about the army during Justinian's reign: "there should have been a total effective fighting force of 645,000 men, but the number dropped to barely 150,000." Emperor Justinian on his mosaic panel in San Vitale. Photo by Steven Zucker.
Aug 23, 2023 19 tweets 5 min read
I recently listened to @byzantiumcast's interview with Adrian Goldsworthy (episode 273). In the discussion, Dr. Goldsworthy repeats the old canard that Justinian's armies in the West were "tiny." This is not accurate. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History A depiction of sixth-century Roman soldiers marching, footage from Attila Total War, as shown in an EpicHistoryTV episode. First, let's establish a baseline for typical campaign army sizes in the reign of Justinian in the East. For the Battle of Dara in 530, Belisarius commanded 25,000 soldiers. At Satala in 530, Sittas had 15,000. At Callinicum in 531, Belisarius had 20,000. A map of the Roman/Persian frontier highlighting Callinicum and Dara, from Greatrex 1998.
Aug 18, 2023 9 tweets 2 min read
Yesterday we looked at evidence that Belisarius loved Antonina. Today, the reverse side of the coin. Do we have evidence that Antonina loved Belisarius? It’s less substantial and obvious than the evidence for Belisarius’ love, but yes, we have some! 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History Image While in the Secret History Procopius is very direct about Belisarius’ infatuation with Antonina, he is more reticent about her feelings toward him. Instead, he focuses on Antonina’s supposed power to control Belisarius with spells, suggesting she ensorcelled him into loving her.
Aug 10, 2023 7 tweets 3 min read
Heraclius' second counteroffensive against the Persians in 627/628 AD was so successful that it drove the Persian elite to plot a coup against their king, Khusro II. In a remarkable step, the plotters actually sought Heraclius' support first. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History
Gold nomisma of Heraclius.
Silver drachm of Khusro II.
In 627, Heraclius and the Roman army invaded the Persian Empire via Lazica, then marched south across the Zagros to the Great Zab River and won a resounding victory over a Persian army at Nineveh on 12 December. Detail of Map 3 in Howard-Johnston 2021, showing the northern part of the Persian heartland.
Aug 9, 2023 7 tweets 3 min read
Outnumbered, and with much of his empire under Persian control, Heraclius nevertheless had one strategic advantage in the mid 620s. His goal was simple: to ravage Persian lands. The Persians, on the other hand, had to peacefully hold Roman territory. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History Gold nomisma of Heraclius, held in the British Museum 1839,1224.476. The Persians had overrun Mesopotamia, Armenia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt between 604 and 619. It was a tremendous victory. But to hold these lands, the Persians had to balance garrisoning them with troops and also ruling with a light touch so as not to evoke revolt. The Fertile Crescent at time of Roman-Persian War. Map 3 in Howard-Johnston 2021.
Aug 7, 2023 12 tweets 3 min read
I recently finished reading The Last Great War of Antiquity by James Howard-Johnston, which was excellent. What struck me the most is how long Roman territories were under Persian occupation and how much the Romans expected their return. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #History Image Antioch, for example, was in Persian hands for 19 years (610-629), Jerusalem for 15 years (614-629), Alexandria for 10 years (619-629), and the great fortress city of Dara in Mesopotamia for a whopping 25 years (604-629). Map of Roman and Persian sites in the Fertile Crescent, from Howard-Johnston 2021.
Jul 31, 2023 9 tweets 3 min read
Justinian's two top generals in the 530s were Belisarius and Sittas. One went all over the Mediterranean, the other became a specialist in Armenian military affairs. Here, a brief comparison of two careers that were both similar and wildly different. #Roman #Byzantine #History
Probably Belisarius, from the San Vitale imperial mosaic panel. Photo by Steven Zucker.
Illustration of Sunicas at the Battle of Dara, but may stand in for Sittas here.
Early career: Both Belisarius and Sittas were young guardsmen (bucellarii) in the service of Justinian when he was a general in the 520s. They together led a pair of raids into Persian Armenia. Young soldiers, perhaps guardsmen, on the imperial panel in San Vitale. Photo by Steven Zucker.
Jul 29, 2023 8 tweets 2 min read
Very interesting! There are quite a few ways to determine that this is not a legitimate sixth-century coin. For me, a big one is that it is very unlikely Justinian would put Belisarius on a coin at all, much less in this fashion. Explanation in following tweets. 🧵 Justinian was proud of Belisarius' victories, and was careful to give his general credit - to a point. In all that we know of his celebrations of Belisarius' victories, Justinian was careful to emphasize that Belisarius was subordinate to him. Two examples: The imperial mosaic panel in San Vitale. Photo by Steven Zucker.
Jul 28, 2023 8 tweets 2 min read
In summer 530 AD, the general Sittas won an impressive victory over the Persians at the Battle of Satala, in what was then Roman Armenia. With 15,000 troops, Sittas defeated a Persian army of allegedly 30,000 men. #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 #History Khusro I at the head of Persian soldiers, an illustration by Milek Jakubiec for Epic History TV. Note the Battle of Satala was fought under the reign of Khusro's predecessor Kavad. Still, Persians! I have tweeted previously about the details of the battle, so I will just link the old thread here rather than repeating it:
Jul 27, 2023 11 tweets 3 min read
Sometime between 528 and 530 AD, Sittas, the new General of Armenia, led his army to defeat a nearby people named the Tzani. A battle is not surprising for a general, but next Sittas won over the Tzani "by many kind words and deeds." 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia #History A depiction of Belisarius by artist Milek Jakubiec for Epic History TV. Because we don't know what Sittas looked like, it can stand in for an image of Sittas just as well. The Tzani lived in northeastern Anatolia, north of Satala (modern Sadak) but south of Trebizond (modern Trabzon), in the Pontic Mountains. Although the Romans had ruled this region in theory since 64, the Tzani remained independent. Image
Jul 26, 2023 9 tweets 3 min read
In 528 AD, Justinian issued a law that created a new Army of Armenia and appointed his former bodyguard Sittas as the first Roman General of Armenia (magister militum per Armenian). He commanded about 15,000 soldiers. #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 #History Map showing field armies of the Roman Empire under Justinian, from Treadgold 1995. Last week, I tweeted about how a later law reorganizing the civil administration of Armenia prompted a revolt against Roman rule. But in 528, it seems there was no protest against the military reorganization. Why?
Jul 25, 2023 9 tweets 2 min read
In 526 AD, two young guns, bodyguards of a general named Justinian, led a raid into Persian Armenia. Their names were Sittas and Belisarius, and they were "youths wearing their first beards." #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia #History Young soldiers, possibly guardsmen, on the imperial mosaic panel of Justinian in San Vitale. Photo by Steven Zucker. This raid is the first introduction in the History of the Wars of Procopius to both Sittas and Belisarius, who would go on to become Justinian's preeminent generals. Last week I tweeted about the death of Sittas. Now I'd like to look at his earlier career.
Jul 22, 2023 4 tweets 2 min read
Welcome new followers! Special shout out to followers from Armenia, who have found me via my recent tweets on sixth-century Armenian history. Allow me to introduce myself. I am a historian of the sixth-century Roman world and I tweet about all things Roman/Byzantine. The imperial mosaic of Justinian in San Vitale, Ravenna. Photo by Steven Zucker. My most recent publication is my brand new book, #BelisariusAndAntonina, which analyzes the relationship and careers of this famous sixth-century Roman general and his powerful and capable wife.
amazon.com/Belisarius-Ant…
Jul 21, 2023 13 tweets 4 min read
The general Sittas was slain in 539 by Artabanes of the Arsacid family, an Armenian who had a remarkable career. In an odd twist of fate, Artabanes later took Sittas' old job in the Roman army. This 🧵 is about Artabanes. #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 #History Alexander the Great, dressed as a 14th century Armenian warrior. Not sixth century, and not Artabanes, but still pretty. After killing Sittas and defeating the Romans at the Battle of Oinochalakon, Artabanes and the Armenian rebels withdrew to Persian Armenia. He defected to the Persians, and remained in Persian service for about five years. But in 545, he defected back to the Romans. Image
Jul 20, 2023 16 tweets 4 min read
In 539 AD, the Roman general Sittas began a campaign to put down a revolt in Armenia by force. This was his *worst* moment as a general, and it resulted in his death. This thread will be bloody by the end. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 #History Sounicas slays a Persian standard-bearer (530). So this is neither Sittas nor an Armenian. But it is at least period-appropriate. Before I get into the campaign, a reminder on how we got to this point. The emperor Justinian issued multiple laws to further bring Roman-controlled Armenia into the Roman Empire.
Jul 19, 2023 7 tweets 2 min read
In 536, Justinian issued another law (Novel 31), which divided Roman Armenia into four provinces and established civil administration, which of course came with everyone's favorite - regular taxation. Revolt followed. #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 The provinces of Anatolia in 565, including the 4 Armenias. From Treadgold 1997. In the History of the Wars, Procopius blames the ineptitude of the Armenian Akakios, whom Justinian appointed proconsular governor of First Armenia. But even with a great governor, the reforms of 536 were likely to push Armenia into revolt.
Jul 18, 2023 5 tweets 2 min read
In 536, Justinian issued a law (Novel 21), which applied Roman laws to Roman Armenia because he desired "that the province of Armenia should be perfectly well governed, and differ in no way from the rest of our realm." #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia 🇦🇲 Image In particular, Justinian required that in Armenia women as well as men be allowed to inherit from parents and older generations. This was Roman, but not Armenian tradition, at the time. Justinian ruled "there is to be no difference between Armenian and Roman practice." Image
Jul 13, 2023 8 tweets 3 min read
You know Belisarius, you know Narses. The most important general of Justinian that you don't know is Sittas, the emperor's specialist in operations in Armenia. 🇦🇲 Sittas somehow managed to both win the support and the hatred of Armenians. 🧵 #Roman #Byzantine #Armenia #History Image In 528 AD, Sittas became the first General of Armenia (magister militum per Armeniam) to be appointed by a Roman emperor. He was the first general of a brand new army, the Army of Armenia, which contained perhaps 15,000 men. Field armies of the empire under Justinian, map from Treadgold 1995.