Antalas

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Antalas or Anthalas
Chieftain of the Frexenses[1]
King of Dorsale realm

2nd (recorded) Chief of Frexes and Naffur Confederacy

Supreme leader of Moors
Reign517 - 548 CE
Coronation517 or before
PredecessorGuenfan
Bornc. 500
Western Byzacena
DiedAfter 548 CE
Probably western Byzacena
Era name and dates
Late Antiquity: before 517-after 548
DynastyFrexes
FatherGuenfan

Antalas (Berber languages: ⴰⵏⵜⴰⵍⴰ;Greek: Ἀντάλας; c. 500 – after 548) was a Berber tribal leader who played a major role in the wars of the Byzantine Empire against the Berber tribes in Africa. Antalas and his tribe, the Frexes initially served the Byzantines as allies, but after 544 switched sides. With the final Byzantine victory in his and his tribe once again became Byzantine subjects. The main sources on his life are the epic poem Iohannis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus and the Histories of the Wars of Procopius of Caesarea.

Horse of the Fraichich (Frexes) tribe

Life[edit]

Antalas was born c. 500, and was the son of a certain Guenfan, according to Corippus. He belonged to Frexes tribe of Byzacena (modern central Tunisia).[2][3] Corippus reports that Antalas career began at the age of seventeen, stealing sheep. He soon followers around him and became a brigand, fighting against the Vandals of Thrasamund in 516 where he is successful and gain a reputation that makes him succeeding his father Guenfan as new chief of the Frexes by 517.[4] By 530, he had become leader of the Berbers in Byzacena, and in the same year led them to a decisive victory against the Vandals being responsible of the Vandal General Hildimer's death and the King of the Vandals Hilderic's rule collapse.[5]

Antalas political and military career presence records.

Byzantine affairs and Vandals collapse[edit]

Following the Vandalic War (533–534) and the capture of the Vandalic Kingdom by the Byzantine Empire where he was himself witnessing and helping at the battle of Ad Decimum.[6][7] Antalas became an ally as foederati and this status was only an alliance for a common interest with the empire as independent foreign entity,[8] receiving subsidies and supplies in exchange through the foedus agreements and the Empreror Justinian himself would accept to pay an annual tribute to the Berber Prince Antalas called the "Annona" making a strong bond of alliance for 10 years from 533 until the winter of the year 543 when Solomon governor-general sent by the Empreror broke the treaty by his lack of trust towards Antalas who were back then in charge of Byzacena's Moorish population and aswell of the security of citizens even Romans ones.[9]

First armed conflict engagement with Byzantines[edit]

In 543, however, a revolt broke out among the Berbers of Byzacena, which resulted in the execution of his brother Guarizila and the cessation of the subsidies by the Byzantine governor, Solomon. This treatment alienated Antalas, and when the Leuathae rebelled in Tripolitania in the next year, he and his followers joined them. The united tribes began a military and diplomatic engagement with Solomon at Theveste, the forces of Solomon had the upper hand on the first battle and pursued the Berbers at the south of Dorsal mountains at the town of Kasserine back then called Cilium and it is there the Moorish coalition inflicted a heavy defeat on the Byzantines in the Battle of Cillium, where the known governor-general Solomon who had vanquished Yabdas in 540 himself was killed in 544 by the forces of Antalas making the Byzantine rule stability in Africa in great danger.[10][11][12]

Roman and Byzantine Africa, with the provinces of Byzacena, Zeugitana and Numidia

Second armed conflict engagement with Byzantines[edit]

With the death of the capable Solomon, his nephew Sergius, whose arrogant treatment of the Leuathae had prompted their rebellion in the first place, was appointed governor in Africa. Stotzas, a renegade Byzantine soldier who had led an unsuccessful rebellion a few years earlier, now joined Antalas from his refuge in Mauretania. Antalas wrote to the Byzantine emperor, Justinian I, asking for Sergius' dismissal, but in vain. Justinian only dispatched the patrician Areobindus in early 545 to share command with Sergius, but both were militarily incompetent and spent their time bickering with each other.[5][13] While Sergius remained inactive at Carthage, Antalas and Stotzas led their troops north and managed to trick Himerius, the commander of Hadrumetum, into leaving the town with his troops and rendezvous with another Byzantine commander, John. Himerius fell into the trap, and while his soldiers mutinied and joined Stotzas, he was forced to betray Hadrumetum to save his life.[14] Finally, in late 545 Areobindus ordered the reluctant John to advance and meet the joint army of Antalas and Stotzas, which was encamped at Sicca Veneria. John's troops were considerably outnumbered by the rebel forces, and in the Battle of Thacia his army was routed and he himself was killed, but not before mortally wounding Stotzas in a duel.[13][15]

Guntharic's plan[edit]

After the defeat at Thacia, Sergius was relieved and Areobindus replaced him. At this time, the ambitious Byzantine dux of Numidia, Guntharic contacted the various Berber leaders in a bid to unseat Areobindus. Antalas was promised the rule of Byzacena that he already captured from Himerius with others cities after the victory against Solomon but it was probably a promise in order to make his rule legitimate at Romans eyes as new ruler of all Byzacena proved by another promise which is half the treasure of Areobindus and 1,500 Byzantine troops as his command. In order to increase pressure on Areobindus, the Berbers and the renegade followers of Stotzas approached Carthage. At the same time, Areobindus himself had secret contacts with another Berber leader, Cutzinas, leader of the Numidian Romanized Berbers. Cutzinas had promised to murder Antalas once battle was joined, but Guntharic revealed this plan to Antalas. In the event, due to Areobindus' timidity, a battle did not take place; in March Guntharic seized Carthage and murdered Areobindus.[13][16]

Attempt of reconciliation with the Roman Empreror and 3rd armed engagement[edit]

Now master of Carthage, Guntharic refused to honour his agreement with Antalas, and the latter withdrew his men into Byzacena. There, in an effort to reconcile himself with the emperor, he contacted the dux of Byzacena, Marcentius, who had fled to an offshore island, proposing to make common cause against Guntharic. Guntharic sent an army under Cutzinas and Artabanes against Antalas and defeated him.[17] Guntharic himself was murdered soon after (May 546) by a conspiracy headed by Artabanes, and Carthage and the army returned to the Empire's allegiance. Justinian now sent an experienced soldier, John Troglita, to impose order on the troubled African provinces.[18] Gathering his forces, Troglita marched out of Carthage into Byzacena. Antalas sent an embassy to the Byzantine general, but the latter rejected his demands and coldly dismissed the embassy whose chief was Maccus also chief of the deputies of Antalas described as a very smart man who spoke Latin fluently and had terrified the Roman general by telling him the fate of Solomon his other Roman comrade and promoting excessively the strength of Antalas in a strategy of intimidation for making the general renouncing the war.[19] Shortly after, he sent an emissary of his own, who placed Antalas before the choice of battle or immediate submission. Antalas refused to submit, and the two armies confronted each other near Sbeitla in Byzacena in late 546 or early 547. The battle resulted in a crushing Byzantine victory: the Berbers rebels camp suffered heavy losses, and the battle-standards lost at Cillium were recovered by the Byzantines and their Christians Romano-Berbers rulers allies from Numidia mostly Aurasium and Nementcha aswell as the Mastraciani lead by Cutzinas of Capsa.[20][21]

4th armed engagement and end of the war[edit]

Laribus also called Lares, city where Jean Troglita retreated after his defeat against the Libyans tribes who wanted to rejoin Antalas in Byzacena.

In the summer, however, Antalas King of the Frexes and supreme leader of the Moorish coalition joined the Berbers of Tripolitania and subordinate right arm Carcasan King of the Ifuraces chief of Antalas army western wing[22] by going to the south after the Battle of Sufetula[23] and the Tripolitanians on their way to join Antalas, inflicted a heavy defeat on Troglita even if he had the support of Cutzina at the Battle of Marta in 547 and Jean was forced to retreat at Laribus in Numidia described few miles away from Sicca Veneria, which will gives Antalas all of Byzacena and others territories given up to him and his Moors and it will gives him the motivation to raise another Frexes army thanks to Carcasan victory when that avenged the previous defeat at Sufetula which was a roman revenge, as General of the Syrtes Carcasan after the murder of Ierna leader of Laguatans at Sufetula in 546 or early 547, he became the only supreme leader of Marmids, Syrtes and all others groups as the great confederacy of Nasamones and Garamantes and seem also to have been the right arm of Antalas leader of the coalition.[23][24] After their victory, the Berbers raided even to the outskirts of Carthage.[21][25] In the next year (548), Antalas again joined the Tripolitanians Berbers, under their leader Carcasan and they invaded had invaded Byzacena. In contrast to the impetuous Carcasan, Antalas advocated a more cautious scorched earth tactic when Troglita marched forth to meet them and they chose to fight near mountains giving up the coastal region. Nevertheless, when the two adversaries met later in the summer in the Battle of the Fields of Cato, the result was a decisive Byzantine victory only thanks to the Berbers of Numidia notably the chiefs of the Aurasius (Aures) Iaudas, Cutzina, Isfadaïas and others chiefs that had united a huge Numidian Romano-Berber force who were previously for some before allied to Antalas, they were even more numerous than the Byzantines forces themselves as Jean Troglita main forces represented a tiny minority compared to their Berbers allies forces:[23] Carcasan fell after not having listened the advices of Antalas and this broke the Syrtes and Frexes coalition,[23] and the Berber revolt was crushed as Antalas and the surviving leaders submitted to Troglita. Nothing further is known of him after that.[21][26]

However this is what was claimed to be mentioned by Procopius and the 8th book of the Iohannis of Corippus is claimed to be "lost" which makes some questions and hypothesis especially as the 7th book talks about the counter attack of Antalas and Carcasan and the victory of Carcasan in the battle of Marta mentioning that both chiefs were preparing to destroy the last remainings of Romans army who fled at Laribus after their defeat at Marta giving up all Byzacena and Zeugitana to the Moors.[27][28]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Camps 1988.
  2. ^ Desanges, J. (1998-02-01). "Frexes". Encyclopédie berbère (in French) (19): 2935. doi:10.4000/encyclopedieberbere.1970. ISSN 1015-7344.
  3. ^ Camps 1988, p. 706-708.
  4. ^ Boutammina, Nas E. (2020-11-05). Sur la piste des Berbères (in French). BoD - Books on Demand. ISBN 978-2-322-25652-5.
  5. ^ a b Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, p. 86.
  6. ^ https://books.openedition.org/efr/docannexe/image/1421/img-1-small700.jpg
  7. ^ Modéran, Yves (2003). "Chapitre 8. Les Maures de l'intérieur au temps de la reconquête byzantine". Les Maures et l'Afrique romaine (IVe-VIIe siècle). Bibliothèque des Écoles françaises d'Athènes et de Rome. Publications de l’École française de Rome. pp. 315–415. doi:10.4000/books.efr.1421. ISBN 978-2-7283-1003-6.
  8. ^ Diehl, Charles (1896). L'Afrique byzantine: histoire de la domination byzantine en Afrique (533-709) (in French). E. Leroux.
  9. ^ Diehl, Charles (1896). L'Afrique byzantine: histoire de la domination byzantine en Afrique (533-709) (in French). E. Leroux.
  10. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 86, 1175–1176.
  11. ^ Bury 1958, p. 145.
  12. ^ Taylor, Don (2016-09-19). Roman Empire at War: A Compendium of Battles from 31 B.C. to A.D. 565. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-6910-3.
  13. ^ a b c Bury 1958, p. 146.
  14. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 86, 599–600.
  15. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 86, 641.
  16. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 86–87, 108–109.
  17. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 87, 818.
  18. ^ Bury 1958, pp. 146–147.
  19. ^ Beau, Charles Le (1828). Histoire du Bas-Empire (in French). F. Didot.
  20. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 87, 647.
  21. ^ a b c Bury 1958, p. 147.
  22. ^ Pascal), Avezac (M d', Marie Armand (1842). Afrique: esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne (in French). Éditions Bouslama.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ a b c d Richardot, Philippe (2009). "La pacification de l'Afrique byzantine 534 - 546". Stratégique (in French). 93-94–95-96 (1-2–3-4): 129–158. doi:10.3917/strat.093.0129. ISSN 0224-0424.
  24. ^ Morizot, Pierre (2021-04-23). Romains et Berbères face à face (in French). Errance. ISBN 978-2-87772-858-4.
  25. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 87, 647–648.
  26. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992, pp. 87, 648–649.
  27. ^ Journal des savants, Page-216 (in French). Geuthner. 1828.
  28. ^ Journal des savants, Page-217 (in French). Geuthner. 1828.

Sources[edit]

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