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Anno Domini 828, September-25
I spurred my horse forward while keeping my eyes fixed on a man running in desperation. I lowered the lance I carried and tried to line it up.
A Sarakenoi was on foot, fleeing and abandoning a long line of wagons loaded with essential food for the caliph who was besieging Antioch.
The wretch kept running while I closed the distance at full speed. Before he could even turn around I felt the lance pierce through him. The tip sank deep and the shaft shattered as the weight of the horse and the force of the impact did their work. His body remained impaled and lifeless on the dust.
Scenes like that were unfolding everywhere. We were attacking the caravan to remind the Sarakenoi what it meant to have no bread on the table.
As soon as the last of the guards fell beneath my riders we began to burn everything. It was only a matter of time before the patrols assigned to hunt us down caught up.
''Torches out we do not have much time'' I shouted as I pulled out flint and steel.
One of my men brought a torch. I struck the flint and a spark large enough caught the oil-soaked cloth. The flame spread quickly.
We set the wagons alight. Sacks of grain and flour began to burn. Enormous columns of black smoke rose into the sky.
It did not take long before we saw a cloud of dust approaching. The Abbasid response.
''Good everything ready we are leaving'' I shouted as I mounted again and waited for the others to follow.
We moved toward one of our hideouts. We rode fast but in heavy armor. The light Sarakenoi cavalry quickly began to close the distance. They were furious. They had been besieging Antioch for nearly a month and during that same month I had attacked their logistics constantly. We had not destroyed everything but we had destroyed enough to hurt.
We did not know exactly what was happening inside their camp but more than once we saw them tearing up roots or rummaging through abandoned houses looking for food. There was scarcity. Every shipment burned was food for thousands of soldiers. That was why they pursued us so relentlessly.
''Caltrops'' I shouted.
The men at the rear opened their bags and scattered the small metal traps along the road.
We kept riding at full speed. When we crested a hill I stopped for a moment to observe. Several enemy riders were scattered across the field. Fallen horses. Men screaming. Some trying to stand while others attempted to help those who had not broken their necks when their mounts stepped on the traps.
''Move there is another convoy coming from Mesopotamia and that one is large'' I said as I spurred my horse again.
We moved through their lines with little response. If they did not send a large force they could not stop us. And if they did we left more traps and vanished.
We burned another shipment. Killed several more. Then we returned to our hideouts and let the horses rest.
I drew water from the well. We boiled it, concealing the smoke, then let it cool slightly before adding vinegar and beginning to drink.
I no longer had reliable information from Shimon. Every shipment he had indicated we had intercepted or burned. I needed new reports before continuing this hunt.
We extinguished the fire carefully and slept in shifts, alert to every crackle, every change in the wind. The horses grazed near the well and drank calmly while we rested with our swords within reach.
At the first ray of sunlight we began the return to Antioch. We rode at full speed, diverting when necessary to avoid the many cavalry patrols scouring the area in search of us. The open terrain favored us. It was impossible to cover everything.
We advanced and rested in intervals until we reached the hills overlooking Antioch. Only a few minor clashes along the way, nothing that slowed us. The dust of the siege was already visible from afar.
Our arrival did not go unnoticed. The Abbasid forces were on alert. They had erected a second line of fortifications around their camp to prevent further night attacks like the ones we had carried out when they were still organizing the encirclement. Three times we entered among their tents. Three times their reserves burned.
The siege remained stalled, although they had managed to break through the outer perimeter walls. There were no crops left in that strip, so its defensive value was minimal. Even so, those remains complicated the advance of their machines, so they worked demolishing structures to bring towers and rams closer.
I noticed their camps were set farther from the walls than before. It was no coincidence. On the heights we had scorpions ready and behind the inner walls the trebuchets were not hurling massive blocks but a vast number of small stones. We were not trying to bring down structures but to disrupt formations.
After the Abbasids managed to divert the river to prevent it from flowing through the city and simply encircled it, they began filling the trenches with earth and attempted assaults with ladders from several points. That rain of projectiles turned every advance into chaos.
It seemed we had managed to cut the reinforcements from Damascus. Sigurd's raids were having effect. The Varangians plundered everything in their path while respecting the only condition I imposed. The Christian population fled in small groups toward the cities Sigurd had taken or directly into imperial territory. Some ships arrived with entire families who preferred to settle under Roman authority rather than remain in the Levant.
I did not know the exact situation inside the walls, but before the caliph's arrival I had almost completely evacuated the city and filled it with supplies, physicians, and medical reserves. Twelve thousand men remained inside, mostly themata along with my veterans. With the advantage of the walls and the defensive machinery, the siege remained balanced. From what I could observe from outside, they had made no significant progress, aside from thousands of dead Sarakenoi lying before the walls.
With nothing more to do there we rode toward Rosos. I needed to reestablish my information network and learn where they would attempt to send the next food shipments.
After avoiding several Abbasid patrols we reached the city. Rosos and Alexandretta had absorbed most of the evacuated population. Work continued without rest on new fortifications while they tried to house the people in provisional dwellings. Many still believed Antioch would hold and refused to abandon the Levant for imperial lands.
As we changed horses and loaded supplies to continue harassing enemy logistics one of my men approached with visible enthusiasm.
"Strategos the scouts report that an imperial army is approaching the region."
I stood still for a moment water still running down my face. "They finished the sieges… in a month they should not have been ready."
"We have no details of what happened in Cilicia but all indications are that they have concluded and are marching here."
I saddled up without wasting time and rode with a small escort toward Alexandretta. As we drew closer the size of the army became evident. Roman standards waved in the wind. I felt the pressure I had carried on my shoulders for weeks finally lift.
The scholai of Theophilos approached removed my sword as was customary and allowed me to proceed.
"Basil… from what I see you are still alive" said Theophilos when he saw me.
"That I am. Has Tarsus finally fallen?" I asked with interest.
"It fell. We brought down several sections of the wall and after multiple assaults we overwhelmed the defenders. No one was left alive. Some were sent to other fortresses to show them what awaited if they did not surrender. Adana and Mopsuestia capitulated when they saw the fate of Tarsus. Pompeiopolis continues to resist but the strategos of Cyprus managed to burn the Abbasid fleet in the harbor. That city will fall soon. I have already secured the Pyramos river."
I nodded slowly.
"I am not fond of killing every last man. I prefer chains. But if it served to break the resistance of the other cities then it fulfilled its purpose. I hope this does not provoke retaliation in Antioch. Some of my best men are there."
Theophilos watched me with a faint smile. "I am surprised to see you outside the walls. I thought you would be inside resisting alongside your men."
"I am attacking their caravans. The Abbasid camp is hungry. We have seen them digging in the dirt for roots and hunting any bird that crosses the sky. The granaries of Aleppo burned" I replied quickly.
"Then those jars of Greek fire were worth it" said Theophilos thoughtfully.
"They were. And my Varangians are harassing the south to prevent reinforcements from Damascus."
Theophilos nodded though his expression grew more reflective.
"I received reports of that Varangian fleet that passed through Constantinople. It is useful to have them on our side but keep them under control. I have received formal complaints about the extensive use of pagans under the command of a Roman strategos. We are at war and I will not cut off my own foot over scruples. We need men and if they wish to be the ones who die instead of Romans all the better."
I glanced at him as we rode.
"Then what will we do now? We can call more Varangians from the north and bring greater forces to defeat the Abbasids decisively" I said eager at the possibility of finally taking part in a pitched battle.
"If things are as you say the moment the Abbasids see our army they will want to negotiate. They are tired and hungry and may simply withdraw. With that we can likely establish terms with the caliph and end this war with our flanks secured. We will see what else we can do" Theophilos replied.
"So we are simply not going to fight?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"Why lose men when we already control the war? The Abbasids have lost their fortresses their troops are tired and hungry. We gain nothing from a battle except more leverage in negotiation and I do not intend to demand back all the territories of the Eastern Empire. We lack the capacity to administer them at once. First we must be satisfied with Cilicia and Syria and see what else we can take if negotiations fail. Then we might consider a great battle but if I can end it with a peace treaty that is best" said Theophilos cautiously.
"Certainly… I only thought we had them as the strategies suggest tired and without supplies. If we push them away from the Orontes they will be without water until they reach Aleppo and a battle under those conditions would be devastating for their morale" I replied.
"It is a good idea. But first we will negotiate" concluded Theophilos.
The unified forces of my men and the garrisons I brought to increase the numbers of the imperial army began marching toward Antioch. The Abbasid patrols quickly noticed us and rode back toward their camp to give warning.
We advanced without stopping until following the course of the river we finally reached the Abbasid siege camp. It was in the midst of being abandoned as the Abbasid forces formed a battle position on a flank of Antioch displaying the magnitude of their army. On the opposite side the forces of Theophilos began positioning themselves before the Abbasid host.
When it seemed a battle would begin both sides sent messengers and within minutes tents were prepared in the middle of the field where Theophilos and the caliph would attend.
"Tell me Basil… is there anything in particular you want me to negotiate here?" Theophilos asked while a group of his guards surrounded him.
"As a reward? I am very interested in the recovery of Jerusalem… or failing that some concession of land in Egypt so that my trading company may conduct business near the Sinai. That would allow me to recover part of my investment in soldiers and military equipment because equipping the local themata has not been cheap" I replied thoughtfully.
"I will see what I can do… though I do not understand why you want Jerusalem a holy city" said Theophilos.
"Protecting pilgrimage can be profitable" I replied with a faint smile.
"Indeed… I will see what I can obtain" concluded Theophilos.
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If there are spelling mistakes, please let me know.
Leave a comment; support is always appreciated.
I remind you to leave your ideas or what you would like to see.
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Here's my idea for the cover of the story I was talking about. I'll see if Sangy can draw it for me or if he's still too busy with his schedule, since he has a lot of drawings in production.