Battle of Talas (36 BC)

In 49 BC e. during the civil war in the state of Hunnu, one of the pretenders to the throne, Zhizhi-shanyuy (Hutuusi) was defeated in the struggle for the throne by his brother Huhanye- shanyuy (friendly to China) and fled with his hunnu comrades (about 3,000 people) to the western border state, where he entered into an alliance with the power of Kangyu, won a number of victories in local military clashes with Usuns and Davan (Ferghana Valley) . Then he built a wooden fortress in the Talas Valley. It is known that 500 workers built it in 2 years ^[2] . It was surrounded by an earthen rampart, a moat and a double picket fence with a watchtower. Zhizhi-shanyu also intervened in the internal feuds of the Kangyu people, which ensured the sluggish intervention of his allied Kangyuy in this war.

At that time, Chen Tang, an exiled officer, was exiled as a junior officer in the Chinese "Western Territory." He managed to organize a military expedition against Zhizhi, while collecting an army of Chinese and local residents. One of the reasons for the campaign was the assassination of the Chinese ambassador sent to Zhizhi in 48 BC. e. Having passed through the territory of Usuni , allied to China, the army entered the Chui valley , here withstood the raid of the Kangyu cavalry and besieged Zhizhzhi-shanyu in its fortress.

At first, the Huns and their allies tried to push the enemy away from the walls of the fortress, on the tower of which a five-color banner fluttered ^[3] . The foot soldiers built “like fish scales” covered two gates. But the Chinese, using their crossbows , drove the enemy into the fortress. A hail of arrows paralyzed the defenders of the walls and towers. Zhizhi himself was wounded by an arrow in his nose and retired to his chambers, where he died in the evening. At night, the Kangyu cavalry approached the fortress, but left after a languid demonstration. Allied forces meanwhile blocked the moat and destroyed the stockade, preparing to storm the citadel. The next day, the fortress was taken by storm, despite the strong resistance of the defenders ^[4] .

After the capture of the fortress, Zhizhi-shanyu's wife, his eldest son, and 1,518 people, apparently the Huns, were beheaded. 145 people were captured alive and more than a thousand surrendered to the mercy of the winners ^[5] . The Chinese did not become entrenched in Kangyu. Chen Tang brought the head of the shanyu to the capital and, after much debate in the government, received forgiveness and reward.

There is a hypothesis ^[6] , based on the interpretation of information from the History of the Early Han , that a detachment of the Romans , using traditional Roman weapons and tactics, participated in this battle on the side of Zhizhi. Two indirect evidence speaks in favor of this version: the mention that the gates of the fortress were covered by a detachment of foot soldiers built “like fish scales” (which closely resembles the Roman “turtle” ), and the description of the fortress (earthen rampart, double picket fence, watch towers) indicating on the influence not of Greek or Parthian , but Roman fortification. A probable source for the acquisition of the detachment is the legionnaires of the Crassus army, who surrendered after the Battle of Carra and were sent by the Parthians to serve on the eastern border.

In the state of Hunnu, the civil war ended with the victory of the allied China, Huhanie-shanyu.

• Gumilev L.N. Talas battle 36 B.C. e. Publish to Gumilevica
• Debs G. G. Military contact between the Romans and the Chinese in ancient times. Publication on the XLegio Portal