The Location of Mindouos and Roman Fortification Activity on the Eastern Frontier in the Years 527–529
The Location of Mindouos and Roman Fortification Activity on the Eastern Frontier in the Years 527–529

Summary/Abstract: The location of the Roman fort of Mindouos and the battle in 528 that ended its construction, as reported by Procopius, have been the subject of debate. Recently Geoffrey Greatrex in his monumental commentary on Procopius’ Persian Wars has endorsed the suggestion of Christopher Lillington-Martin to locate the fort at the village of Kasriahmethayro a few kilometres to the south-east of Dara. The current study points to the weaknesses in this hypothesis, in particular its disregard for the important evidence about Roman fort building in 527 in the Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah of Mitylene, and the account of a Roman defeat recounted by Pseudo-Zachariah and Malalas in comparable terms that is most probably the same engagement as that recorded by Procopius. Analysis of Pseudo-Zachariah’s account entails consideration of the location of the Melabasa hills and Thamanon, for which the evidence of Theophylact Simocatta and Agathias is crucial. From this investigation it can be concluded that the Romans made two unsuccessful attempts to build forts in 527, on the Khabour near Thannuris and somewhere at the eastern end of the Tur Abdin in the Melabasa hills, while in 528 Belisarius and other commanders suffered a serious defeat south of the Tur Abdin. Contrary to Procopius, this defeat was not connected with a third attempt at fortification. Instead, Procopius’ version of Belisarius’ actions at Mindouos was deliberately reshaped to protect the reputation of his employer, in much the same way as his account of Belisarius’ defeat at Callinicum in 531. The study also sets the individual Roman actions in the years 527 to 529 within a wider strategic context.

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