Battle of Achelous (917)

Battle Of Achelous (917)

Coordinates: 42°38′35″N 27°38′12″E / 42.64306°N 27.63667°E / 42.64306; 27.63667

Battle of Achelous
Part of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars

Seal of Simeon I
Date 20 August 917
Location Achelous river near Anchialus
Result Decisive Bulgarian victory
Belligerents
Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Simeon I of Bulgaria Leo Phocas
Strength
Unknown

60,000

 30,000 men

62,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown Very heavy
Byzantine–Bulgarian
Wars

Early wars

  • Ongal
  • 1st Anchialus
  • 1st Marcellae
  • Rishki Pass
  • 2nd Anchialus
  • Berzitia
  • 2nd Marcellae

Krum's campaigns

  • Serdica
  • Pliska
  • Versinikia
  • 1st Adrianople
  • Burdizon

Simeon I's campaigns

  • Boulgarophygon
  • Achelous (3rd Anchialus)
  • Katasyrtai
  • Pegae

Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria

  • 1st Arcadiopolis
  • Dorostolon

Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria

  • Trajan's Gates
  • 1st Thessalonica
  • Spercheios
  • Skopje
  • 2nd Thessalonica
  • Kreta
  • 3rd Thessalonica
  • Kleidion
  • Strumitsa
  • Bitola
  • Setina
  • Dyrrhachium

Uprising of Peter Delyan

  • 4th Thessalonica
  • 5th Thessalonica
  • Ostrovo

Second Bulgarian Empire

  • Lovech
  • Tryavna
  • 2nd Arcadiopolis
  • Serres
  • Varna
  • Klokotnitsa
  • 2nd Adrianople
  • Devina
  • Skafida
  • Rusokastro

The Battle of Achelous or Acheloos (Bulgarian: Битката при Ахелой, Greek: Μάχη του Αχελώου), also known as the Battle of Anchialus, took place on 20 August 917, on the Achelous river near the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, close to the fortress Tuthom (modern Pomorie) between Bulgarian and Byzantine forces. The result of the battle was a decisive Bulgarian victory which not only secured the previous successes of Simeon I but made him de facto a ruler of the whole Balkan Peninsula excluding the well-protected Byzantine capital Constantinople and the Peloponnese.

The battle of Achelous was one of the worst disasters that ever befell a Byzantine army, and conversely one of the greatest military successes of Bulgaria. Among the most significant consequences was the official recognition of the Imperial title of the Bulgarian monarchs, and the consequent affirmation of Bulgarian equality vis-à-vis Byzantium.

Read more about Battle Of Achelous (917):  Background, Preparations For Battle, The Battle, Aftermath, Significance

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