1. Historical framework

The battle at Sardis between the emperor Constantine V and Artabasdos, usurper of the throne, constituted a military event with political causes and consequences. Chronologically it is placed within the first period of the Iconoclastic controversy and it is connected with the political and religious situation inside the Byzantine Empire. Constantine V, the so-called Kopronymos, was a capable manager of the political and military affaires, but he was not favored by the historical circumstances, because he had to face, a year after his accession to the throne, Artabasdos, the man in charge of the theme of Opsikion and his sister’s husband. Wanting to seize the throne, Artabasdos took advantage of the dispute between Iconoclasts and Iconodules and supported the Iconodules’ party, which was dominating in his region. On the 27th of June 742¹ Constantine V was at Krasos of Opsikion, near Dorylaeum, with one part of his army, on the road to the borders, when he called a meeting with Artabasdos about the military operations against the Arabs. Artabasdos suddenly made an attack against Constantine’s forces and forced the emperor to flee to the theme of Anatolikon, where his father Leo III Isaurian served as a general (strategos). Afterwards, the rebel won over the patrikios and magistros Theophanes Monotes, to whom Constantine had entrusted Constantinople. Theophanes summoned the citizens in Hagia Sophia and he announced them the alleged death of the emperor. The people of Constantinople acclaimed Artabasdos as the new emperor. Nikephoros, son of Monotes and general of the theme of Thrace, occupied the city-walls, preparing the ground for the arrival of Artabasdos.²

2. The battle

The battle at Sardis is chronologically connected with the events unfolded after Artabasdos’ entry to Constantinople. At the same time with the rebel’s actions, Constantine V proceeded to his own actions for the reversal of the political situation. After his defeat by Artabasdos at Krasos, the emperor took refuge to the theme of Anatolikon, with which the imperial family maintained traditionally good relations. From there he succeeded in controlling the largest, richest and most fertile part of Asia Minor’s land, whereas the theme of Thrakesion was on his side. Artabasdos disposed the support of Opsikion, of Armeniakon and of the European territories of the Empire. The usurper appointed co-emperor his son Nikephoros and general of the theme of Armeniakon his other son, Niketa. His final aim was to accomplish the encirclement of Constantine, with the parallel movement of his army from NW Asia Minor and of Niketas’ army from the east. However, Artabasdos’ plans were not materialized, because Constantine V, understanding his opponents’ plan, decided to move fast in order to avoid the possibility of been simultaneously attacked by both directions. On May 743 Artabasdos invaded with his troops from Opsikion to the region of Thrakesion, to collect manpower and to plunder the territories under the control of the legitimate emperor. At Sardis of Lydia the troops of the usurper, moving from the region of Kelvianon, confronted Constantine’s forces. The outcome of the battle was victorious for Constantine, who captured plenty of prisoners and forced Artabasdos to flee towards Kyzikos, from where he took refuge in Constantinople.³

3. Consequences

The immediate consequences of the battle at Sardis were to avert from the unification of both the armies of Artabasdos and of Niketas, and to force Artabasdos to an inevitable flight to Kyzikos and from there to Constantinople in order to rearrange his forces. After the defeat at Sardis, the battle at Modrine of Bithynia (modern Mudrunu in Turkey) followed (August 743), between Constantine and Niketas’ troops.⁴ The outcome of the battle was once more victorious for Constantine V, who succeeded to inflict a crucial blow against the rival forces. In general, the outcome of the battle at Sardis, combined with the victory at Modrine, rendered Constantine V the ruler of Asia Minor (with the exception of the theme of Armeniakon, where Niketas, although weakened, continued to maintain troops), providing the legitimate emperor with the possibility to besiege Constantinople. The final defeat of Artabasdos and of his supporters and the resume of power by Constantine (2 November 743) are attached to the outcome of the battle at Sardis, which contributed to the Iconoclast Isaurians remaining on the throne of Constantinople, and to the continuation of the controversy between Iconodules and Iconoclasts.

4. Judgments of the contemporaries to the events

The two sources that have recorded these events, the Chronographia of Theophanes and the Short History of patriarch Nikephoros, are thrifty in details related to the battle. The two implicated adversaries are described with objectivity, even if Artabasdos is considered a rebel in some other points of the historical narration. None of the two authors takes the part of either Constantine or Artabasdos, but both of them seem to keep a distance from the events they recount. The facts are presented within the framework of the wider political and military developments of the Empire.