siege siege carried retaliation heavy defeat army byzantine_empire arab army invaded byzantine territory laid siege city summer fact virtually extant greek arabic parallel sources respect different date initially siege success arab army faced great ensuing winter emperor sent relief army spring defeated inhabitants city forced surrender despite agreement terms city plundered largely destroyed according byzantine sources people captive deported leaving city deserted background byzantine emperor reigned broke truce existed byzantium following failed muslim attack byzantine capital constantinople byzantines secured great financial territorial advantages truce extended exploiting government involvement clearly emerging conflict consciously began series bring resumption warfare confident strength based previous successes responded kind finally claimed byzantines broken treaty invaded byzantine territory defeating imperial army battle aftermath arabs quickly regained control armenia resumed attacks border zone eastern second attempt conquer constantinople furthermore deposed beginning year period internal instability brought byzantine state knees arab campaign arab raids invasion certain took place raided defeated byzantine army general named near dating expedition unclear primary account places died commonly dated modern scholars according slave sister fled group christian rebels northern syria subdued general heard liberated entrusted military command later swore avenge death result launched attack aimed nephew ibn commander chronology expedition unclear byzantine chronicler puts possibly arab sources date respectively result siege variously dated arabs laid siege city employing siege engines bombard fortifications managed destroy wall unable enter city despite launching assaults defenders successfully drove siege continued winter arabs began suffer greatly shortage food began contemplating abandoning siege altogether spring restored byzantine throne assembled relief army generals sent byzantine record regular troops complemented armed peasants numerous lacking military experience point dire straits regular byzantine army partly result purge officer corps restoration partly losses suffered war relief army approached confronted arabs ensuing battle byzantines routed according byzantine generals attack byzantines lost thousand dead captives numbered thousands arabs captured byzantine camp took provisions brought city allowing continue siege inhabitants supplies began negotiations surrender arabs promised allow depart unharmed city siege months march according june according reports arabs broke promise enslaved entire population deported source confirms looting town arabs razed ground aftermath report divided forces campaigned byzantine territory chronology identity targets uncertain primary sources dates mean raids happened immediate aftermath year raided turned west far seized fortresses near according interpretation arabic sources marched west took troops raided constantinople arab raids continued years carried huge army besieging constantinople failure undertaking arab attacks continued concerned prestige outright conquest attacks early 8th century successful gaining control border districts region despite destruction byzantine strongholds like following decades arabs able permanently establish presence west came arab byzantine frontier centuries
Siege of Tyana