John Troglita

John Troglita ( _la. Ioannes Troglita) was a 6th century Roman general. His exploits against the Sassanid Persians in the East and especially against the Moorish rebels in North Africa are the subject of the last Latin epic poem of Antiquity, the "Iohannis" or "de Bellis Libycis" of Flavius Cresconius Corippus.

Early career

John Troglita is first mentioned as having participated in the Vandalic War (533–534) under Belisarius, as leader of a troop of "foederati". He remained in Africa after Belisarius' departure, serving in Byzacena against the Moors ("Mauri") under Solomon. Under Solomon's successor Germanus, he commanded the right wing of the army at the battle of Scalae Veteres, against the renegade Stotzas. [Procopius, "De Bello Vandalico" II.XVII.7]

At some point after 538 he was sent to the Eastern frontier, where he was appointed "dux Mesopotamiae", one of the most important military commands of the region. From this position, in 542, he achieved several small successes against the Persians: he led his army in a successful night attack against the Persian force besieging Theodosiopolis, and then defeated another Persian army besieging Dara, capturing its general, Mihr-Mihroe. [J.A.S. Evans, "The Age of Justinian: The Circumstances of Imperial Power", Routledge 1996, p. 166]

Command in Africa

In spring 546, the latest military revolt in the troubled province of Africa took place, under general Gontharic, who intended to declare himself independent of Constantinople. Although he was soon murdered by the Armenian Artabanes, the need for a new and capable leader was apparent. [Procopius, "De Bello Vandalico" II.XXV–XXVIII] Fresh from his successes in the East, and having already had experience in the region, John was appointed by Justinian as "magister militum Africae".

The suppression of the Moorish revolt

In December 546, when John reached Carthage, the situation was dire. The forces available to him, under Marcentius in Byzacene and Gregorius in Carthage, were limited and of poor quality. Therefore, John first tried to use diplomacy to win part of the Moorish tribes over. His efforts achieved some success as Coutzinas joined him with several thousand cavalrymen, while Iabdas, the chieftain of the "Aurasii" (the tribes of the Aures Mountains) decided to pursue a course of neutrality. The other tribes of Byzacena and Numidia however united in a confederation, aiming to expel the Romans from their last strongholds along the coast. Nevertheless, John continued to negotiate with the tribes, buying time to prepare his own forces for a counterstrike.

When his preparations were complete, John with his army issued forth from Carthage, joined up with Marcentius, and, taking the tribes completely by surprise, relieved the beleaguered cities in a swift campaign. The Moors withdrew again to the mountainous interior, and under the leadership of Antalas, gathered their forces near Sbeitla (ancient Sufetula). The Mauri achieved an early success when they ambushed a Roman reconnaissance force. John advanced with his army in relief, but the Moors quickly withdrew to their camp, which they fortified by digging trenches. Unable to carry out a direct assault, the Roman army likewise erected a fortified camp, and the two adversaries shadowed each other for several days in unease. At long last, after another attempt at peaceful surrender had been rejected by Antalas, the two armies met in battle. Our main source Corippus describes the battle in Homeric fashion as a series of duels, but it is clear that it was a long, indecisive and bloody conflict. Eventually the Romans prevailed and drove back the Moors, breaking through their defences and storming their camp. In the aftermath of the battle, many prisoners were released, and among the treasures captured were the military standards lost by Solomon at Cillium in 544. [Procopius, "De Bello Vandalico" II.XXVIII.45]

A few months later however, the "Leuathae", the largest tribe in Tripolitania, rose up under their leader Carcasan, and John marched out to meet them. The Moors initially withdrew into the arid interior, hoping to shake him off, but John's army, accompanied by a caravan with water and provisions, followed them into the desert. Both armies suffered from thirst, hunger and disease. Eventually, they met near Marta, on the plain of Gallica. According to Corippus, John was reluctant to engage in battle, ["Iohannis", VI.478–481] but was forced by his men to fight, a phenomenon frequent during the Late Empire, when army discipline had become lax. In the event, the battle turned into a disaster, and the Romans were routed. ["Iohannis", VI.497–773] John fled to Iunci and thence to Laribus, where he started mustering a new army. ["Iohannis", VII.110–149] Antalas immediately rose up again and joined the Leuthae, and throughout the remainder of 547 they raided across the province, even reaching the vicinity of Carthage itself.

In the spring of 548, John, having regrouped his forces and secured the assistance of several tribes, most importantly of Coutzinas, set out to meet them. The Moors again withdrew before his advance, hoping to draw him into the interior, far from his supply bases, and starve his army out. Through espionage John became aware of their intentions, and instead camped at Iunce, near the sea. After suppressing a mutiny amongst his men, he marched towards the plain called the Fields of Cato, where the Moors had camped. Intent on drawing them out into an open battle, John feigned reluctance to fight. ["Iohannis", VIII.164–179] His plan worked, and the ensuing battle was a resounding Roman victory. Seventeen Moorish chieftains, including Carcasan, fell, while Antalas was captured, in a victory that marked the end of the long Moorish Wars. ["Iohannis", VIII.627–636] Byzacena, Numidia and Tripolitania were finally secured, and a period of peace inaugurated.

Later activities

Troglita, now a "patricius", [Jordanes, "Romana" 385] remained in command in Africa for at least further 4 years, beginning the difficult work of reconstruction. Troglita was perceptive enough to understand that the complete eviction of the Mauri from the interior of the provinces, and the complete restoration of the province to its ancient bounds, was impossible. Instead of antagonizing the tribes, he pacified them through diplomatic means. In exchange for becoming the Empire's "foederati", the tribes were granted autonomy, and annual monetary grants ("pacta") to their leaders cemented this agreement. At the same time, the network of fortifications erected by Solomon was repaired and strengthened, securing Roman control of vital routes and strategically important areas.

John's success in restoring peace to Africa can be seen from the fact that in 551, when Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, captured Sardinia and Corsica, John was able to spare enough forces and send a fleet to reclaim them, albeit without success. [Procopius, "De Bello Gothico" IV.XXIV.33–37] The exact date of John's death is unknown, but most likely he died in 552 or soon after, and was buried in Carthage. [Charles Diehl, "L' Afrique byzantine" (1896), p. 381]

References

Sources

* Flavius Cresconius Corippus, "Iohannis"
* Procopius, "De Bello Vandalico", [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_the_Wars/Book_IV#I Volume II.]
*