Battle of the Masts
Battle of the Masts was a naval engagement fought in AD 655 at Lycia, in what is now Turkey. It was part of the Arab–Byzantine wars, which ran from AD 629 to 1050. The recorded result: Rashidun victory. Recorded strength: 200 ships against 500 ships; 1,000 ships (per Theophanes).
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Battle of Dhāt al-Ṣawārī.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons .
Fought AD 655
Where Lycia, Turkey 36.282N, 30.261E
Outcome Rashidun victory
Belligerents Rashidun Caliphate against Byzantine Empire
Casualties and losses heavy and Almost all
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 Cilician Campaign of Constantine IV, AD 684 Caucasian Campaigns of Leontius, AD 686 Battle of Sebastopolis, AD 692 Battle of Marash, AD 694 Heraclius' Syrian Campaign, AD 698 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 Umayyad invasions of Asia Minor, AD 720 Siege of Nicaea, AD 727 Battle of Akroinon, AD 732 Battle of Akroinon, AD 740 Umayyad invasion of Asia Minor, AD 741 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 Germanikeia Campaign, AD 778 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 779 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 780 Battle of Caesarea, AD 781 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 782 Battle of Kopidnadon, AD 788 Battle of Gulf of Attaleia, AD 790 Capture of Thebasa, AD 793 Battle of Anusan, AD 795 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 798 Battle of Krasos, AD 804 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 806 Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 807 Battle of Ancyra, AD 825 Battle of Charsianon, AD 831 Abbasid invasion of Asia Minor, AD 831 Capture of Loulon, AD 832 Siege of Arsamosata, AD 837 Battle of Anzen, AD 838 Sack of Amorium, AD 838 Abū Sa'īd's invasions of Asia Minor, AD 839 Battle of Taranto, AD 840 Battle of Sansego, AD 842 Battle of Mauropotamos, AD 844 Sack of Damietta, AD 853 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 Thughur Campaign of Basil I, AD 873 Battle of the Cilician Gates, AD 878 Battle of Podandus, AD 878 Germanikeia Campaign, AD 879 Battle of Cephalonia, AD 880 Battle of Stelai, AD 880 Siege of Euripos, AD 880 Campaign of Melitene, AD 882 Battle of Chrysoboullon, AD 883 Sack of Thessalonica, AD 904 Siege of Dvin, AD 927 Battle of Charpete, AD 938 John Kourkouas' Mesopotamian campaign, AD 942 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 Syrian campaigns of John Tzimiskes, AD 974 Syrian Campaigns of Bardas Phokas the Younger, AD 981 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 Capture of Messina, 1038 Battle of Rometta, 1038 Battle of Dranginai, 1040 Siege of Messina, 1041 Laodikeia Campaign, 1050 Siege of Medina, 1053 Siege of Manbij, 1075 AD 629 1075 Battle of the Masts, AD 655 107 placed engagements of the Arab–Byzantine wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.
Record
Date AD 655 (year precision) Place Lycia, Turkey36.282N, 30.261E Kind Naval engagement, medieval Strength 200 ships 500 ships; 1,000 ships (per Theophanes) Casualties and losses heavy Almost all Commanders Mu'awiya I Abd Allah ibn Sa'd
Battle of the Masts Battle of the Masts Operation Abstention Siege of Antalya Battle of the Eurymedon Battle of the Eurymedon Battle of Sillyon Operation Abstention Siege of Antalya Battle of the Eurymedon Battle of Sillyon Muğla 100 km 36.282N, 30.261E The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.
Battle of the Masts is one of 203 engagements of the 7th century in the atlas and one of 687 in present-day Turkey.
Sources
Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1278576 , released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Masts , revision 1376133621, 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.
