Siege of Onoguris

In 554 or 555, the Byzantine force of 50,000 fighting men under Martin besieged the Persian fort of Onoguris using wicker roofs (spaliones), ballistae, and other siege equipment. A captured Persian revealed the approach of a Persian relief force from Mocheresis and Cutais under the new field commander Nachoragan, who had just replaced the deceased Mihr-Mihroe. The idea of a full-scale attack against the force was rejected; instead, a 600-strong force, under Dabragezas and Usigardus, was sent to ambush the relief force, while the main Byzantine force engaged in the siege. Agathias describes the siege to be "more like a pitched battle".

The Persian relief force (or a vanguard?) was caught off-guard and was routed, but soon it became clear that the pursuing force was not the main Byzantine army. So The Persians, an all-cavalry force numbering 3,000, turned against them and routed the pursuers. As both parties reached the Byzantine line, the main Byzantine force was seized with panic and fled together with their commanders. The Persian garrison then sallied and further contributed to the Byzantines' wavering. As the Byzantine cavalry fled, the infantry was left behind, and the narrowness of the bridge over the Catharus River further hampered their flight, many of them being killed in the subsequent stampede. Bouzes and his cavalry noticed the situation, returned, covered their retreat, and prevented their total annihilation.^[3]

As the pursuing Persians reached Archaeopolis, they found the plain abandoned and momentarily demolished the Byzantine fortifications, looted their camp, and returned to the base.^[3]

• Byzantine–Sasanian War of 572–591
• Immortals (Sasanian Empire)