Battle by the Anastasian Wall (559)

The Anastasian Wall Battle or Battle at the Anastasian Wall, which took place at the end of winter – beginning of spring 559, was a pivotal battle between the Byzantine army commanded by Dux Sergius^[1] and a Kutrigur Bulgars^[1] army commanded by Zabergan in the 558-559 AD Kutrigur campaign against the Byzantine Empire.^[2][4] The battle took place at the east side of the Anastasian Wall, about 40 km west of Constantinople.

During the winter of 558, a Kutrigur army crossed the frozen Danube and invaded Moesia and Thrace. It then split into three, heading towards Constantinople, Thracian Chersonesus and Thermopylae. Zabergan, leading a group of 7000 cavalry,^[5] crossed the Anastasian wall at the beginning of spring 559.^[6]

A Byzantine force sent by emperor Justinian and made up of the Imperial Guard, regular troops and mobilized citizens clashed with the Kutrigur cavalry at the east side of the Anastasian Wall but were defeated.^[7] During the battle, Patricius Sergius was captured; Zabergan had him executed.^[1]

After this victory, Constantinople became under threat, with Kutrigur forces overrunning settlements on the outskirts of the city during the spring of 559. Drypia^[8], Nymphs (Nymphas)^[9] and Hitos (Chitus)^[10] were captured and the Kutrigurs briefly entered Sykai.^[1][11] The Kutrigur force at this moment stood about 15 km from the Gate of St. Roman, with Zabergan making his fortified camp at Melantias, just 20 km of Constantinople. The panicked Roman population took shelter behind the Walls of Constantinople.^[7][6]

Belisarius, recalled from retirement by Justinian, then led a force of 300 veterans and took camp just a few kilometers from the Kutrigurs in Melantias. Zabergan attempted to take the Byzantines by surprise, but was in turn taken by surprise and defeated at the Battle of Melantias.

With the Byzantine victory, the threat for the capital was removed. The Kutrigur army withdrew from Constantintople, plundering Decatum^[12][13] and Thrace before re-crossing the Danube and returning to their homeland.