Atlas of Battles

campaign, medieval

Comentiolus' Avar Campaign

Comentiolus' Avar Campaign was a campaign fought in AD 586 at Dobruja, in what is now Bulgaria. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Dobruja. It was part of the Avar–Byzantine Wars, which ran from AD 568 to AD 626. The recorded result: Byzantine victory. Recorded strength: 6,000 cavalry (Comentiolus' army); Unknown number of men in Thrace against Greater than the Byzantines.

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FoughtAD 586
WhereDobruja, Bulgaria42.000N, 26.000E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeByzantine victory
BelligerentsByzantine EmpireagainstAvar Khaganate
Part ofAvar–Byzantine WarsAD 568 to AD 626

Where it sits in the Avar–Byzantine Wars

Siege of Sirmium, AD 580Maurice's Balkan campaigns, AD 582Comentiolus' Avar Campaign, AD 586Avar sieges of Singidunum, AD 592Siege of Thessalonica, AD 597Siege of Thessalonica, AD 604Siege of Thessalonica, AD 617AD 580AD 617Comentiolus' Avar Campaign, AD 586
7 placed engagements of the Avar–Byzantine Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAD 586 (year precision)
PlaceDobruja, Bulgaria
42.000N, 26.000E
KindCampaign, medieval
Strength6,000 cavalry (Comentiolus' army); Unknown number of men in ThraceGreater than the Byzantines
Casualties and lossesModerate (mostly from Castus' column); 500+ killed in ThraceVery Heavy; Most of the Khagan's army wiped out at Astike
Commanders
  • Comentiolus
  • Bayan I
Comentiolus' Avar CampaignComentiolus' Avar CampaignBattle of MardiaBattle of Mont HemusBattle of KlokotnitsaBattle of AdrianopleBattle of BeroiaBattle of Mont HemusBattle of KlokotnitsaBattle of BeroiaBurgasTekirdağTurnovoXanthiPlovdivSlivenLüleburgazKavala100 km42.000N, 26.000E
Placed at Dobruja; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 586

Comentiolus' Avar Campaign is one of 128 engagements of the 6th century in the atlas and one of 126 in present-day Bulgaria.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q139408332, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Comentiolus' Avar Campaign (586), revision 1376493441, read 2026-11-15, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.