// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the Carcassan say? I'm decomposing myself.
| Carcasan | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Ifuraces | |
| Rebel leader | |
| Reign | 547–548 |
| Predecessor | Ierna |
| Successor | Eventually Garmul |
| Died | spring 548 Thacia |
| Religion | Christianity |
 | This article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. (May 2026) |
Carcasan was a libyan ruler of Ifuraces tribes in Libya that resided in Tripolitania and commander of Antalas coalition army left wing recorded during the Corippus records of the battle of Sufetula made of tribes from great and little Syrtis[1] (Today's Sirte name is related to this old historical name) was active during the Berber insurrections in the Praetorium Prefecture of Africa in the mid-6th century.
He first appears in the reports of General John Troglita's campaign in the winter of 546/547, when he was defeated with Antalas and other Berber leaders by Byzantine troops thanks notably to the major contribution of Berbers federates.
In the spring of 547, after the death of the Laguatan chief Ierna and priest of Gurzil son of Imen, he united the scattered Berber tribes and was acclaimed as a leader by them. After consulting the oracle of Amon, he resumed the war against the Byzantines and inflicted a heavy defeat on them during the Battle of Marta while he was on the way to join the leader of the rebel army Antalas in Byzacena to then attack as far as Carthage capital of the Byzantine Prefecture of Africa and where they were able to deal several attacks weakening the Byzantines in Africa and according to Procopius "done horrible acts on it's inhabitants".[2][3][4]
In the spring of 548,[5] he and Antalas clashed again with John[6] and his allies Cusina, Ifisdaïas (and his son Bitiptes both already here before in the battle of sufetula), Iabdas (and his son Bezina). The Berber troops in revolt marched against John Troglita[7] and camped in the plain of Mammès. Carcasan, confident after his victory last year, wishes to confront John's army immediately, but he gives way to Antalas, who advocates a more cautious tactic as the Byzantines forces outnumber their forces due to the berbers chieftains allied to the empire, withdrawing and luring the Byzantines inland, forcing them to march away from their supply bases, and across the devastated country, with the aim of exhausting and demoralizing them. The Berber rebels put Antalas' tactics into practice which worked well and caused a mutiny in John's army despite he planned a line of supply throught sea, but when they camped in the plain of Caton's fields, in Latara, they decided to fight in pitched battle. In the ensuing confrontation, the Byzantines and their Berber allies were victorious and Carcasan, during a counterattack, was killed by Jean Troglita[8][9][10] himself according to Corippe (According the Iohannis, which is at first a propagandist poetry despite the poetic ability of Corippus to reveal the true story added with details on the Romans fault but it was also a glorious epic for the Roman Prefect and magister militum John Troglita).[11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Corippe, la Johannide (chant IV)". remacle.org. Retrieved 2026-04-25Antalas, for his part, prepares for battle and advances surrounded by his wings. He charges forward with ardor, confident in his steed, and, anticipating an infantry engagement, deploys his soldiers, united by their sturdy shields... The cavalry precedes him and spreads out across the plains. The Laguantes advance swiftly, and under the leadership of the fierce Ierna and the proud Bruten, cover the plains, the neighboring hills, the deep valleys, the forests, and the rivers... On the left wing, Carcasan stands with his troops and spreads his countless army, the Ifuraces, across the entire plain, leading them into battle. At his side command Melangus, Gontal, Guentan, Alacanza, the cruel Itungun, the swift Autilite, the valiant Gatubar, and the thousand chieftains whom the Syrtes have sent to fight.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ↑ "Procope : Histoire de la guerre des Vandales (livre II) chapitre XXVIII". remacle.org. Retrieved 2026-04-25He was replaced by John, Pappus's brother, who shared command with no one. This general, scarcely having arrived in Africa, defeated Antalas in open battle, and the Moors of Byzacena recaptured and sent to the emperor all the standards these barbarians had seized after Solomon's defeat and death. He then drove back the remnants of the vanquished army to the furthest reaches of Roman possessions in Africa. Next, the Lebatae, setting out with a large army from the depths of Tripolitania, entered Byzacena and joined Antalas's troops. John, having marched to meet them, was in turn defeated and forced to take refuge in Laribe, having lost a great number of his soldiers. From that moment on, the enemy, pushing their incursions as far as the walls of Carthage, committed horrific atrocities against the inhabitants of the country.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ↑ Pascal), Avezac (M d', Marie Armand (1842). Afrique: esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne (in French). Éditions Bouslama.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ L'Univers: histoire et description de tous les peuples ... (in French). F. Didot fréres. 1846.
- ↑ d'Avezac, Marie Armand Pascal (1844). Afrique esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne (in French). Firmin Didot frères.
- ↑ Eos (in French). Nakl. Towarzystwa Filologicznego. 1990.
- ↑ Avezac, Armand d' (1844). Afrique: esquisse générale de l'Afrique et Afrique ancienne (in French). Firmin Didot frères editeurs.
- ↑ L'univers: histoire et description de tous les peuples (in French). Firmin Didot. 1844.
- ↑ Les Berbers Etude sur la Conquete de l'Afrique par les Arabes par Henri Fournel: 1 (in French). A l'imprimerie Nationale. 1875.
- ↑ Pottier, René (1947). Histoire du Sahara (in French). Nouvelles Editions Latines. ISBN 978-2-7233-0859-5.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ↑ Afrique (in French). Editions Bouslama. 1842.