A Roman-Armenian victory over the Sasanian Persians in 371 that shaped the balance of power in Greater Armenia during the late Roman-Persian Wars.
Key Facts
- Year
- 371 AD
- Location
- Bagavan, district of Bagrevand, Greater Armenia
- Combatants
- Joint Roman-Armenian force vs. Sasanian army
- Outcome
- Roman-Armenian victory
- Primary sources
- Ammianus Marcellinus; Faustus of Byzantium
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The ongoing Roman-Persian Wars and Sasanian ambitions in Greater Armenia created persistent conflict between the Sasanian Empire and the allied Roman-Armenian forces. Tensions over control of Armenia, a strategically vital buffer region, led to a direct Sasanian military incursion into the district of Bagrevand.
In 371, near the settlement of Bagavan in Greater Armenia, a combined Roman and Armenian army engaged a Sasanian force in pitched battle. The encounter is recorded by Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus and Armenian historian Faustus of Byzantium, with the joint Roman-Armenian force emerging victorious.
The Roman-Armenian victory at Bagavan checked Sasanian expansion into Greater Armenia and reaffirmed Roman and Armenian authority in the region. The battle is noted in both Roman and Armenian historical traditions, though later Armenian sources sometimes conflate it with a separate engagement near Gandzak.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent