Atlas of Battles

siege, medieval

Siege of Dara

Siege of Dara was a siege conducted in AD 573 at Dara, in what is now Turkey. It was part of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591, which ran from AD 572 to AD 591. The recorded result: Sasanian victory. Recorded strength: 23,000 cavalry; 40,000 infantry against Unknown.

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Emperor Justinian's city walls of Dara
Emperor Justinian's city walls of Dara. Procopius, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtAD 573
WhereDara, Turkey37.183N, 40.933E
OutcomeSasanian victory
BelligerentsSasanian EmpireagainstByzantine Empire
Casualties and lossesUnknownandUnknown
Part ofByzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591AD 572 to AD 591

Where it sits in the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591

Siege of Dara, AD 573Siege of Nisibis, AD 573Battle of Apamea, AD 573Battle of Melitene, AD 576Tamkhusrau's Armenian Campaign, AD 577Maurice's Sasanian Campaigns, AD 578Battle of the Nymphios River, AD 582Battle of Solachon, AD 586Battle of Martyropolis, AD 588Battle of the Araxes, AD 589AD 573AD 589Siege of Dara, AD 573
10 placed engagements of the Byzantine–Sassanid War of 572–591 in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAD 573 (year precision)
PlaceDara, Turkey
37.183N, 40.933E
KindSiege, medieval
Strength23,000 cavalry; 40,000 infantryUnknown
Casualties and lossesUnknownUnknown
Commanders
  • Sergius (dux)
  • Ioannes (dux)
Siege of DaraSiege of DaraBattle of DaraSiege of NisibisSiege of NisibisSiege of NisibisSiege of NisibisSiege of NisibisDiyarbakırBatmanTall AfarZakhoMardinAl HasakahSiirtBitlis100 km37.183N, 40.933E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 573

Siege of Dara is one of 128 engagements of the 6th century in the atlas and one of 687 in present-day Turkey.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q16931414, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Dara (573), revision 1381250528, 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.