battle fought july forces byzantine_empire battle series military confrontations powers control northern syria byzantine regional commander besieging arrival relief army damascus subsequent battle byzantines initially victorious lone rider managed kill throwing byzantine army panic fleeing byzantines pursued loss life troops defeat forced byzantine emperor personally campaign region year followed conclusion year truce states background september byzantine military governor northern syria suffered heavy defeat battle hands general victory shook byzantine position syria posed grave threat arab vassal prevent fall emperor intervened region forcing retire damascus capturing building new fortress emperor withdrew leaving new maintained aggressive stance forces raided tripoli success laid siege forced withdraw army came relieve fortress year repeated raids tripoli capturing time inhabitants tyre leadership sailor named rose revolt requested byzantine assistance south palestine leader ibn attacked siege relief expedition early summer learned catastrophic fire broken destroyed provisions marched city seize arrived withdrew approach permit vassal grow strong intended capture town emperor ostensibly allies byzantines left provisions brought collected inhabitants aiding resistance subsequent events presented authors including brief narrative extensive accounts christian arab armenian stephen arab accounts survive apparently drawing work 11th century historian detailed version preserved governor called aid according regent appointed command relief army naming governor damascus giving thousand men confronting byzantines deal revolt tyre rebellion byzantines attempted aid besieged tyre sending fleet beaten city captured june revolt suppressed returned damascus stayed days gather forces relief joined troops volunteers tripoli assembling force numbering men riders tribe according army comprised forces tripoli tyre damascus vigorously pursuing siege inhabitants reduced famine forced eat dogs bought price silver according gold piece battle armies met large plain surrounded mountains located near july according army left wing commanded governor tripoli centre infantry army baggage train located command right commanded according accounts byzantines charged army drove flight killing capturing baggage train remained held firm assault simply abandoned fight began looting battlefield point rider named ibn byzantine sources rode near battle standard height accompanied sons men believing battle won wanted surrender took precautions approached byzantine general suddenly charged lifted arm shield launched spear general wore blow killed death changed tide battle took heart shouting enemy god dead turned byzantines fell panic fled garrison forth completing byzantine sources numbers byzantine dead mentions dead remaining byzantines according taken prisoner included senior officers including famed georgian nephew sons constantine bought spent years captives cairo stephen gives slightly different account battle victorious byzantines surprised attack camp brothers sons killed general version commonly rejected modern scholars aftermath defeat forced personally lead campaign syria following year arriving syria mid september emperor army buried fallen field captured sacked raided tripoli mid december returned installed according self description ruler east role extensive military civilian authority entire eastern frontier concluded year truce
Battle of Apamea