3410 Eyewitness to war: Ammianus Marcellinus and the Siege of Amida AD 359 - Part 2
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The legions of Magnentius and Decentius in Amida had been raised by the former usurper Magnentius (a general who usurped against Constantius in Gaul between 350 and 353) in his name and that of his brother. They were therefore a remnant of those disloyal troops, hence their stationing (a banishment) in the east. Their conduct at Amida would restore both their honour and reputation. Dur: 21mins File: .mp3
Hello and welcome to the History Network.org podcast. If you'd like to become a patron of the podcast then just pop along to patreon.com/thehistorynetwork and sign up to be a patron there thanks to all our patrons who make this podcast possible. The History Network.org podcast. Season 34, episode 10. I witness to war, Amiano's Marcellinus and The Siege of Amida, AD 359, part 2. This episode was written by Murray Dom. Murray is an ancient and medieval military historian from New Zealand living in Australia. He has written more than 100 articles on various aspects of ancient and medieval military history as well as other historical topics from all periods. Ranging from the history of opera to the runic alphabet and recipients of the Victoria Cross. He is the author of Macedonian Phalanchide versus Persian warrior, Athenian hoplite versus Spartan hoplite and Lutra 371 BC. All from Osprey Publishing he is a regular on the ancient warfare podcast as well as a regular writer for us here. The legions of magnentius and dissentius in Amida had been raised by the former usurper, magnentius, the general, who usurped against Constantius in Gaul between 350 and 353. In his name and that of his brother, they were therefore a remnant of those disloyal troops, hence their stationing, a banishment in the east. Their conduct at Amida would restore both their honour and reputation, the more familiar epithet of the 10th Legion was fratensis or fratenis of the Sea Strait after a battle fought in the 36 BC near the Strait of Messina. Although there is no need to doubt amiensis' accuracy in ascribing this slightly different or additional epithet, or tenses is later used the Legion in the Nutisha Dignitatum. The superventoris and the preventoris may have been light cavalry or perhaps light infantry since they are included within country legions listed here. They may also have been mixed or zero units, several units of them are named in the Nutisha Dignitatum. Amiensis adds that there were also in the town the greater part of the Comitis Sagittarii household archers. Amiens therefore names seven legions and he does indeed reiterate that there were seven legions present in the city. The exact status and numbers of some of the units he names are unclear however, he gives the total population of the besieged city as a hundred and twenty thousand. Certainly there were men from three legions, the fifth thirteenth and tenth, as well as the usurper legions of magnetius and desentius. How strong these units would become important as the siege went on. The Persians immediately made an attack on the walls of Amida but it was repulsed. Amiensis describes shapur leading his troops in person at this point but seems to describe a headdress, a diadem, a golden image of a ram's head set with precious stones, which was not Persian but that of one of the Persians allies. We see the headdress depicted on the coins of Kidarite rulers, especially perils, who ruled at this time but he is not named directly by Amiensis as one of Shapur's allies. Soon after, Amiensis tells us of the cries of the Persians, calling out Sun, Sun and Pirasen interpreted as king of kings and victor in wars rather than cries to shapur. However, these may have actually been the cry of Piras' name, Shahan Shah Piras. This observation was made by Kodadad Rezakani 2017 and it is entirely possible that Piras was an ally of shapur at this time. He was from the same area to the east of the Sasanian border as the other allies named the Albanians and Cheonites, and Amiensis may have mistaken who was leading the troops at this moment. The attack on the next day was led by Grumbati's, perhaps suggesting successive attacks by allies to prove their loyalty, and we are told that shapur took part personally in an assault later, something he really did. So it seems unlikely that he would lead the first assault. Grumbati's assault was thrown into disarray when a ballista bolt from the walls killed his son. A fierce fight over the son's body took place and lasted until nightfall. His body was then burnt in accordance with Chionite practice and it was decided that there should be seven days of mourning. After that period of mourning, Grumbati has declared that the city should be taken and burnt due to propitiate the spirit of his son. The city was therefore placed under siege rather than taken by assault which had so far been attempted. Amiensis tells us that it was surrounded by a fivefold line of shields and Persian horsemen filled every visible place around the city. The Chionites took up station where the son of their king had fallen. The Galani were on the south,
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