323:, but decided to return to Carthage and go on with his plan to assassinate Guntharic. Artabanes kept his plan in absolute secrecy for a long time, confiding only with his two closest Armenian friends: even his Armenian unit of hand-picked and completely loyal veteran soldiers was not aware of it until the very last moment. Such a perfect concealment was achieved, not least thanks to the fact that during both planning and implementation stages of this assassination the communication between the exclusively Armenian conspirators was in their mother tongue, an incomprehensible language for other ethnic elements of the imperial army in Africa.
365:
426:. In order to find out more of their intentions, Germanus met the conspirators in person, while a trusted aide of Marcellus was concealed nearby and listened in. Although Marcellus hesitated to inform Justinian without further proof, eventually he revealed the conspiracy to the emperor. Justinian ordered the conspirators imprisoned and questioned, but they were otherwise treated remarkably leniently. Artabanes was stripped of his offices and confined to the palace under guard, but was soon pardoned.
260:
510:. Most of the Franks fell, and in the confusion, the many captives escaped, taking much of the Franks' booty with them. Artabanes did not engage the main body of Leutharis' army however, since it far outnumbered his own force. He then marched south and joined Narses's main force, accompanying him in his campaign against the remaining Frankish army under
467:. Eventually he arrived in Sicily and took command of the Byzantine forces there. He besieged the Gothic garrisons left behind by Totila after he left the island and soon forced them to surrender. Over the next two years, he remained in Sicily. According to Procopius, the inhabitants of the mainland city of
326:
Upon his return to
Carthage, he justified his decision to turn back by insisting that the entire army was needed to quell the insurgents, and urged Guntharic to set forth himself. At the same time, he conspired with his nephew, Gregory, and a few other of his Armenian bodyguards to murder the usurper
298:
and seized the city gates. At the urging of
Artabanes and others, Areobindus decided to confront the rebel. The two armies appeared evenly matched, until Areobindus took fright and fled to a monastery seeking sanctuary. Thereupon the troops loyal to him also fled, and the city fell to Guntharic.
338:
who was the real mastermind of the plot). On the eve of the army's departure in early May, Guntharic hosted a great banquet, and invited
Artabanes and Athanasius to share the same couch, a mark of honour. Suddenly, during the banquet, Artabanes' Armenians fell upon Guntharic's bodyguards, while
302:
Areobindus was murdered by
Guntharic, but Artabanes secured guarantees of his safety and pledged himself to Guntharic's service. In secret, however, he began planning to overthrow him. Soon after, Artabanes was entrusted, alongside
223:, whose heavy taxes and cruel behaviour was greatly resented. Artabanes himself killed Acacius. Shortly after, in a skirmish between the rebels and the Byzantine army at Oenochalacon, Artabanes may have killed the Byzantine general
400:
Irritated over this affair, shortly after
Theodora's death (late 548/early 549) he became involved in the so-called "Armenian Plot" or "Conspiracy of Artabanes". The real instigator, however, was a relative of his, named
522:, he commanded the cavalry in the Byzantine left flank. They were concealed in the woods, as part of Narses's stratagem to attack the Franks in the rear and encircle them. Nothing further is known of him after that.
397:. The Empress compelled Artabanes to retain his wife, and not until after Theodora's death in 548 was the Armenian general able to divorce himself. By then, however, Praejecta had already been remarried.
231:
supplies two accounts, one attributing Sittas's death to
Artabanes and another to an otherwise unknown Armenian named Solomon). Artabanes's father tried to negotiate a settlement with Sittas' successor,
409:
on the throne instead. The conspirators thought
Germanus amenable to their plans, since he had been dissatisfied with Justinian's meddling in the settling of the will of his recently deceased brother
315:. Antalas's men fled before him, but Artabanes did not pursue them and turned back. According to Procopius, he considered leading his men to join the loyalist imperial garrison that held out at
393:. Despite these and his great popularity however, he was unable to achieve his ambition of marrying Praejecta: his wife came to the imperial capital and presented her case to the Empress
70:
175:, he became involved in a failed conspiracy against Justinian in 548/549, but wasn't punished severely after its revelation. He was soon pardoned and sent to
519:
463:. Artabanes failed to catch up with the expedition before it sailed for Sicily, and his own fleet was driven back and scattered by severe storms in the
413:, which had initially named Germanus as the major beneficiary as opposed to the former's sole daughter. The conspirators approached Germanus's son
346:, the widow of Areobindus and niece of Justinian, whom Guntharic was planning to marry, gave him a rich reward, while the emperor confirmed him as
935:
930:
304:
900:
905:
320:
256:
At some time around 544, perhaps as early as 542, Artabanes, his brother John and several other
Armenians deserted back to the Byzantines.
511:
503:
352:
of Africa. Despite being already married to a relative of his, Artabanes eventually became engaged with
Praejecta. He sent her back to
308:
244:(r. 531–579). Crossing over to Persian territory, over the next few years Artabanes and those who followed him took part in Khosrau's
890:
805:
940:
795:
17:
245:
494:, until an envoy from Narses persuaded them to move up to the area of Parma again. In 554, Artabanes was stationed at
864:
840:
203:
in the eastern fringes of the
Eastern Roman Empire. His father was named John, and he had a brother also named John.
920:
406:
335:
268:
156:
311:, with an expedition against Antalas's Moors. He marched south, along with an allied Moorish contingent under
211:
In 538/539, Artabanes, at the time apparently still a young man, took part in the Armenian conspiracy against
448:
423:
118:
854:
279:. Shortly after their arrival, John died in battle at Sicca Veneria with the rebel forces of the renegade
910:
885:
895:
482:
invasion in the summer of 553, Narses ordered Artabanes and other generals to occupy the passes of the
196:
417:
first, and revealed to him the plot. Immediately, he informed his father, and he in turn informed the
925:
915:
832:
History of the Later Roman Empire: From the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian, Volume 2
236:, but was murdered by the latter. This act forced Artabanes and his followers to seek the aid of the
435:
267:
Along with his brother, Artabanes was placed in command of a small Armenian contingent and sent to
200:
180:
74:
797:
The Armenian Military in the Byzantine Empire: Conflict and Alliance under Justinian and Maurice
394:
168:
471:, which was being besieged by the Goths, repeatedly sent to him for help, but he did nothing.
402:
272:
88:
506:, which was returning from a plundering expedition into southern Italy and heading back to
163:
and restoring the province to imperial allegiance. He became engaged to Justinian's niece
8:
515:
414:
212:
184:
78:
372:
Soon afterwards, Artabanes was indeed recalled to Constantinople, replaced in Africa by
850:
356:
and himself asked from Justinian to be recalled from Africa, so that they could marry.
332:
860:
836:
801:
502:
troops. At Fanum, he ambushed and defeated the advance guard of the Frankish army of
443:
419:
176:
127:
364:
359:
348:
140:
59:
47:
43:
830:
283:. Artabanes and his men remained loyal to Areobindus during the rebellion of the
237:
152:
811:
353:
172:
100:
879:
373:
275:. There, the Byzantines were engaged in a protracted war with the rebellious
220:
151:(r. 527–565). Initially a rebel against Byzantine authority, he fled to the
486:
and harass the enemy advance; after a Byzantine contingent was defeated at
390:
112:
474:
In 553, he crossed over into mainland Italy, where he joined the army of
148:
405:, who proposed to assassinate Justinian, and elevate Justinian's cousin
826:
464:
316:
483:
456:
385:
343:
287:
241:
228:
216:
164:
160:
144:
856:
The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume III, AD 527–641
495:
491:
410:
328:
312:
295:
339:
Artabanes himself allegedly landed the killing blow on Guntharic.
468:
291:
280:
135:
360:
Artabanes at Constantinople and the conspiracy against Justinian
479:
475:
460:
452:
259:
233:
224:
263:
Africa, with the provinces of Byzacena, Zeugitana and Numidia.
487:
382:
376:. He received numerous honours from Justinian, and was named
276:
167:, but did not marry her due to the opposition of the Empress
105:
507:
499:
290:
in late 545. Guntharic, allied with the Moorish chieftain
155:
but soon returned to Byzantine allegiance. He served in
159:, where he won great fame by killing the rebel general
538:
536:
534:
490:, however, the other Byzantine generals withdrew to
531:
199:, a branch of which at the time was recognized as
183:, where he participated in the decisive Byzantine
116:
195:Artabanes was a descendant of the royal Armenian
877:
835:. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc.
451:in command of an expedition under way against
227:, sent by Justinian to quell the rebellion (
514:. At the decisive Byzantine victory in the
206:
849:
774:
762:
750:
734:
718:
702:
674:
658:
642:
626:
602:
590:
578:
566:
554:
542:
859:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
455:, which had recently been overrun by the
342:This deed won him great honour and fame:
793:
614:
363:
258:
14:
878:
596:
447:and sent to replace the aged senator
901:Byzantine people of Armenian descent
825:
778:
738:
722:
706:
690:
678:
662:
646:
630:
251:
906:Byzantine people of Iranian descent
478:as one of its generals. Facing the
429:
24:
936:People of the Gothic War (535–554)
25:
952:
931:People of the Roman–Sasanian Wars
368:Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565).
645:, pp. 125, 127, 576, 1048;
440:In 550, Artabanes was appointed
271:in spring 545 under the senator
768:
756:
744:
728:
712:
696:
684:
668:
661:, pp. 127–128, 1048–1049;
652:
636:
629:, pp. 126–127, 143, 576;
620:
608:
584:
572:
560:
548:
13:
1:
593:, pp. 108–109, 126, 575.
525:
378:magister militum praesentalis
190:
891:6th-century Byzantine people
7:
941:6th-century Armenian people
10:
957:
787:
557:, pp. 8–9, 125, 1162.
433:
117:
106:
569:, pp. 125, 255, 641.
331:suggests that it was the
104:
84:
66:
54:
39:
32:
794:Ayvazyan, Armen (2012).
765:, pp. 130, 789–790.
248:against the Byzantines.
207:Revolt against Byzantium
201:autonomous local princes
147:origin who served under
921:Generals of Justinian I
800:. Alfortville: Sigest.
725:, pp. 69, 255–256.
369:
264:
141:East Roman (Byzantine)
442:magister militum per
434:Further information:
367:
262:
705:, pp. 128–129;
581:, pp. 108, 643.
436:Gothic War (535–554)
185:victory at Casilinum
851:Martindale, John R.
753:, pp. 129–130.
516:Battle of Casilinum
498:with Byzantine and
18:Artabanes (general)
911:Byzantine generals
886:6th-century births
827:Bury, John Bagnell
370:
333:praetorian prefect
265:
896:Armenian nobility
807:978-2-9173-2939-9
693:, pp. 67–68.
681:, pp. 66–67.
420:comes excubitorum
252:Service in Africa
153:Sassanid Persians
94:
93:
27:Byzantine general
16:(Redirected from
948:
926:Byzantine Sicily
916:Magistri militum
870:
846:
822:
820:
819:
810:. Archived from
782:
772:
766:
760:
754:
748:
742:
732:
726:
716:
710:
700:
694:
688:
682:
672:
666:
656:
650:
640:
634:
624:
618:
612:
606:
600:
594:
588:
582:
576:
570:
564:
558:
552:
546:
540:
430:Service in Italy
349:magister militum
238:Sassanid Persian
179:to fight in the
139:538–554) was an
122:
121:
110:
109:
108:
60:magister militum
48:Sassanian Empire
44:Byzantine Empire
30:
29:
21:
956:
955:
951:
950:
949:
947:
946:
945:
876:
875:
867:
843:
817:
815:
808:
790:
785:
777:, p. 130;
775:Martindale 1992
773:
769:
763:Martindale 1992
761:
757:
751:Martindale 1992
749:
745:
737:, p. 129;
735:Martindale 1992
733:
729:
721:, p. 129;
719:Martindale 1992
717:
713:
703:Martindale 1992
701:
697:
689:
685:
677:, p. 128;
675:Martindale 1992
673:
669:
659:Martindale 1992
657:
653:
643:Martindale 1992
641:
637:
627:Martindale 1992
625:
621:
613:
609:
603:Martindale 1992
601:
597:
591:Martindale 1992
589:
585:
579:Martindale 1992
577:
573:
567:Martindale 1992
565:
561:
555:Martindale 1992
553:
549:
543:Martindale 1992
541:
532:
528:
438:
432:
362:
254:
209:
193:
46:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
954:
944:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
872:
871:
865:
853:, ed. (1992).
847:
841:
823:
806:
789:
786:
784:
783:
781:, p. 279.
767:
755:
743:
741:, p. 260.
727:
711:
695:
683:
667:
651:
649:, p. 146.
635:
633:, p. 146.
619:
607:
605:, p. 126.
595:
583:
571:
559:
547:
545:, p. 125.
529:
527:
524:
431:
428:
361:
358:
354:Constantinople
277:Moorish tribes
253:
250:
208:
205:
192:
189:
173:Constantinople
171:. Recalled to
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
68:
64:
63:
56:
52:
51:
41:
37:
36:
33:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
953:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
883:
881:
874:
868:
866:0-521-20160-8
862:
858:
857:
852:
848:
844:
842:0-486-20399-9
838:
834:
833:
828:
824:
814:on 2019-02-10
813:
809:
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780:
776:
771:
764:
759:
752:
747:
740:
736:
731:
724:
720:
715:
709:, p. 68.
708:
704:
699:
692:
687:
680:
676:
671:
665:, p. 67.
664:
660:
655:
648:
644:
639:
632:
628:
623:
617:, p. 30.
616:
615:Ayvazyan 2012
611:
604:
599:
592:
587:
580:
575:
568:
563:
556:
551:
544:
539:
537:
535:
530:
523:
521:
518:, along with
517:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
472:
470:
466:
462:
458:
454:
450:
446:
445:
437:
427:
425:
422:
421:
416:
412:
408:
404:
398:
396:
392:
389:and honorary
388:
387:
384:
379:
375:
374:John Troglita
366:
357:
355:
351:
350:
345:
340:
337:
334:
330:
324:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
300:
297:
294:, marched on
293:
289:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
261:
257:
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247:
243:
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230:
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222:
221:First Armenia
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204:
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186:
182:
178:
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158:
154:
150:
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125:
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69:
65:
62:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
42:
38:
31:
19:
873:
855:
831:
816:. Retrieved
812:the original
796:
770:
758:
746:
730:
714:
698:
686:
670:
654:
638:
622:
610:
598:
586:
574:
562:
550:
473:
441:
439:
418:
399:
386:foederatorum
381:
377:
371:
347:
341:
325:
301:
285:dux Numidiae
284:
266:
255:
210:
197:Arsacid line
194:
134:
130:
123:
96:
95:
67:Battles/wars
58:
149:Justinian I
143:general of
880:Categories
818:2014-10-19
526:References
465:Ionian Sea
336:Athanasius
327:(although
321:Marcentius
317:Hadrumetum
273:Areobindus
191:Early life
181:Gothic War
40:Allegiance
829:(1958) .
779:Bury 1958
739:Bury 1958
723:Bury 1958
707:Bury 1958
691:Bury 1958
679:Bury 1958
663:Bury 1958
647:Bury 1958
631:Bury 1958
512:Butilinus
504:Leutharis
484:Apennines
457:Ostrogoth
424:Marcellus
344:Praejecta
288:Guntharic
246:campaigns
242:Khosrau I
229:Procopius
217:proconsul
165:Praejecta
161:Guntharic
107:Ἀρταβάνης
97:Artabanes
85:Relations
79:Casilinum
50:(briefly)
34:Artabanes
520:Valerian
496:Pisaurum
492:Faventia
480:Frankish
449:Liberius
444:Thracias
411:Boraides
407:Germanus
395:Theodora
329:Corippus
313:Cutzinas
309:Ulitheus
296:Carthage
169:Theodora
145:Armenian
128:Parthian
113:Armenian
788:Sources
403:Arsaces
292:Antalas
281:Stotzas
240:ruler,
213:Acacius
131:Artawân
126:, from
124:Artawan
119:Արտաւան
89:Arsaces
863:
839:
804:
500:Hunnic
476:Narses
469:Croton
461:Totila
453:Sicily
415:Justin
391:consul
319:under
269:Africa
234:Bouzes
225:Sittas
215:, the
157:Africa
71:Africa
488:Parma
459:king
383:comes
177:Italy
101:Greek
75:Italy
861:ISBN
837:ISBN
802:ISBN
508:Gaul
307:and
305:John
55:Rank
219:of
136:fl.
882::
533:^
380:,
187:.
133:,
115::
111:,
103::
77::
73:,
869:.
845:.
821:.
99:(
20:)
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