battle, notable, medieval
Battle of Anzen
Battle of Anzen was a battle fought on 22 July AD 838 at Anatolia, in what is now Turkey. It was part of the Arab–Byzantine wars, which ran from AD 629 to 1050. The recorded result: Abbasid victory. Recorded strength: 25,000–40,000 against 20,000–30,000.
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Map of the Byzantine-Arab conflict in Asia Minor in 837 and 838 AD, with the raid by Theophilos in Mesopotamia and the retaliatory campaign by Caliph Mu'tasim which culminated in the Sack of Amorium.. Cplakidas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons .
Fought 22 July AD 838
Where Anatolia, Turkey 40.390N, 36.090E
Outcome Abbasid victory
Belligerents Byzantine Empire against Abbasid Caliphate
Where it sits in the Arab–Byzantine wars Battle of Mu'tah, AD 629 Siege of Germanicia, AD 638 Battle of Caesarea, AD 654 Battle of the Masts, AD 655 Siege of Constantinople, AD 674 Battle of Sebastopolis, AD 692 Battle of Marash, AD 694 Battle of Sis, AD 704 Siege of Tyana, AD 707 Battle of Amorium, AD 708 Siege of Constantinople, AD 717 Battle of Adrianópolis, AD 718 Siege of Nicaea, AD 727 Battle of Akroinon, AD 732 Battle of Akroinon, AD 740 Battle of Keramaia, AD 746 Battle of Melas River, AD 759 Siege of Kamacha, AD 766 Battle of Syca, AD 771 Siege of Ancyra, AD 776 Battle of Caesarea, AD 781 Battle of Kopidnadon, AD 788 Battle of Gulf of Attaleia, AD 790 Capture of Thebasa, AD 793 Battle of Anusan, AD 795 Battle of Krasos, AD 804 Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 807 Battle of Ancyra, AD 825 Battle of Charsianon, AD 831 Capture of Loulon, AD 832 Siege of Arsamosata, AD 837 Battle of Anzen, AD 838 Sack of Amorium, AD 838 Battle of Taranto, AD 840 Battle of Sansego, AD 842 Battle of Mauropotamos, AD 844 Siege of Samosata, AD 859 Battle of Chonarion, AD 860 Capture of Farurriyah, AD 862 Battle of Lalakaon, AD 863 Siege of Ragusa, AD 866 Battle of Bathys Ryax, AD 872 Battle of Kardia, AD 872 Battle of the Gulf of Corinth, AD 873 Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 878 Battle of Podandus, AD 878 Battle of Cephalonia, AD 880 Battle of Stelai, AD 880 Siege of Euripos, AD 880 Battle of Chrysoboullon, AD 883 Sack of Thessalonica, AD 904 Siege of Dvin, AD 927 Battle of Charpete, AD 938 Battle of Germanikeia, AD 949 Battle of Bouqa, AD 949 Siege of Theodosiopolis, AD 949 Battle of the Lycus, AD 950 Battle of Darb al-Kankarun, AD 950 Battle of Gerace, AD 952 Battle of Marash, AD 953 Siege of Hadath, AD 955 Battle of Arghana, AD 956 Battle of Raban, AD 958 Siege of Naples, AD 958 Battle of Andrassos, AD 960 Sack of Aleppo, AD 962 Siege of Rometta, AD 963 Battle of the Straits, AD 965 Siege of Antioch, AD 968 Siege of Antioch, AD 970 Battle of Alexandretta, AD 971 Battle of Amida, AD 972 Siege of Aleppo, AD 994 Battle of the Orontes, AD 994 Battle of Apamea, AD 998 Siege of Tripoli, AD 999 Battle of Azaz, 1030 Sieges of Berkri, 1034 Capture of Palermo, 1036 Siege of Edessa, 1036 Siege of Messina, 1041 Siege of Medina, 1053 Siege of Manbij, 1075 AD 629 1075 Battle of Anzen, AD 838
83 placed engagements of the Arab–Byzantine wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.
Record
Date 22 July AD 838
Place Anatolia, Turkey40.390N, 36.090E
Kind Battle, medieval
Strength 25,000–40,000 20,000–30,000
Commanders Theophilos (emperor) Theophobos Manuel the Armenian Khaydhar ibn Kawus al-Afshin Omar al-Aqta
Battle of Anzen Battle of Anzen Battle of Zela Battle of Zela Siege of Amaseia Battle of Cabira Battle of Bathys Ryax Battle of Zela Battle of Zela Siege of Amaseia Battle of Cabira Battle of Bathys Ryax Samsun Sivas Ordu Bafra Corum Yozgat 100 km 40.390N, 36.090E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.
Battle of Anzen is one of 169 engagements of the 9th century in the atlas and one of 622 in present-day Turkey.
Sources
Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1639273 , released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Anzen , revision 1370432202, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.