Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, medieval

Battle of Spercheios

Battle of Spercheios was a battle fought in AD 997 at Spercheios, in what is now Greece. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Spercheios. It was part of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars, which ran from AD 680 to 1355. The recorded result: Byzantine victory.

See it on the globe Read the article

FoughtAD 997
WhereSpercheios, Greece38.961N, 21.931E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeByzantine victory
BelligerentsBulgarian EmpireagainstByzantine Empire
Casualties and lossesDevastating,; ~12,000 capturedandunknown
Part ofByzantine–Bulgarian WarsAD 680 to 1355

Where it sits in the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars

Battle of Ongal, AD 680Battle of Anchialus, AD 708Battle of Marcellae, AD 756Bulgarian campaigns of Constantine V, AD 756Battle of the Rishki Pass, AD 759Battle of Anchialus, AD 763Battle of Berzitia, AD 774Battle of Marcellae, AD 792Siege of Serdica (809), AD 809Battle of Pliska, AD 811Siege of Adrianople (813), AD 813Battle of Versinikia, AD 813Battle of Mesembria, AD 814Battle of Adrianople, AD 914Fall of Great Preslav, AD 971Battle of Spercheios, AD 997Battle of Thessalonica, 1004Battle of Kreta, 1009Battle of Thessalonica, 1014Battle of Strumica, 1014Battle of Bitola, 1015Battle of Setina, 1017Battle of Dyrrhachium, 1018Battle of Thessalonica, 1040Battle of Thessalonica, 1040Siege of Lovech, 1187Battle of Arcadiopolis, 1194Battle of Serres, 1196Siege of Varna (1201), 1201Battle of Adrianople, 1205Battle of Klokotnitsa, 1230Siege of Constantinople, 1235Battle of Adrianople, 1254Battle of Rhoupelion, 1255Battle of Bizye, 1256Battle of Devina, 1279Battle of Skafida, 1304Battle of Adrianople, 1331Battle of Rusokastro, 1332Battle of Adrianople, 1341AD 6801341Battle of Spercheios, AD 997
40 placed engagements of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAD 997 (year precision)
PlaceSpercheios, Greece
38.961N, 21.931E
KindBattle, medieval
Casualties and lossesDevastating,; ~12,000 capturedunknown
Commanders
  • Samuel of Bulgaria
  • Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria
  • Nikephoros Ouranos
Battle of SpercheiosBattle of SpercheiosBattle of KarpenisiSiege of MpekiOperation HarlingSiege of LamiaFirst Battle of LamiaBattle of KarpenisiOperation HarlingAthensPatraLarissaIoaninaAgrinioChalkidaKerkiraVolos100 km38.961N, 21.931E
Placed at Spercheios; the exact site is not recorded. 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 997

Battle of Spercheios is one of 186 engagements of the 10th century in the atlas and one of 529 in present-day Greece.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2712928, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Spercheios, revision 1370589775, 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.