Babai ( Latin Babai ; died about 472 ) - the king of the Sarmatians or Yazygs (no later than 469 - about 472).
| Babai | |||||||
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| lat Babai | |||||||
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| Together with | Bevka | ||||||
| Birth | |||||||
| Death | about 472 | ||||||
Biography
The main narrative source about Babai is the work of the Gothic historian of the mid-6th century Jordan " On the Origin and Acts of the Geth " [1] [2] .
According to Jordan, Babai was the king of the Sarmatians, although according to modern historians, he most likely ruled the languages [3] . Babai shared power over these people with another king, Bevka [4] . The possessions of Babai and Bevka were located north of Singidun [2] , in the interfluve of the Danube and Tisza [3] . Perhaps their power extended to the city itself [5] .
The first accurately dated account of Babai dates back to 469. This year, Babai and Bevka joined the large anti-Ostrog coalition led by the King of the Danube Suev Hunimund . In addition to them, Skirs led by Edika and his son Gunulf , the rulers of King Flacciphea , the Gepids and other tribes also entered the union. The Emperor of Byzantium Leo I Mackella [3] [6] [7] also intended to support the Ostrogoths enemies. All of them were afraid of the growing strength of the Ostrogoths and the claims of their rulers for hegemony in the Subunavia [8] .
Having set off against the Ostrogoths, the Allied army camped on the banks of the Boliya River. Most often it is identified with the Ipel River , but a number of historians have expressed doubts about the correctness of this identification [3] . Here the enemies of the Ostrogoths were unexpectedly attacked by the army of the Ostrogothic king Theodemir and his brother Vidimir I. In the bloody battle that followed, the Ostrogoths won a complete victory. Many of the Allied soldiers died (probably, among the fallen was the king of the Skirs Edik). King Babai escaped. The fate of his co-ruler Bevka is not known, because after the defeat in Bolia, there is no information about him in historical sources [4] [6] .
In the next few years, the Ostrogoths of King Theodemir succeeded in becoming an influential force in the Podunavye : immediately after the battle, the Skyr tribe fell into pieces, as a result of a new campaign, the Sveva were subjugated, and peace agreements were concluded with Byzantium and the Gepids. Probably, all this time, the relationship between the rulers of the Sarmatians (Yazg) and the Ostrogoths remained hostile. Around 472, Babai ravaged Mediterranean Dacia and defeated the Byzantine commander Kamund. However, soon the six thousandth Ostrogothic army, led by Theodorich the Great, invaded his domain. In the battle, the Sarmatians were defeated. Babai himself fell on the battlefield, and his family, slaves and treasury went to the winners. Soon, Theodoric was captured and belonged to the Sarmatians Singidun. Probably, at that time the Ostrogoths were still Byzantine federates , since Theodoric promised to transfer this city to the emperor. However, the Ostrogoths did not keep their word and included Singidun in their domain [2] [3] [5] [6] .
Notes
- ↑ Jordan . On the origin and deeds of the Getae (§§ 273–279 and 282).
- ↑ 1 2 3 Martindale JR Babai // Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire / AM Jones , JR Martindale. - Cambridge University Press , 1980. - Vol. II: AD 395-527. - P. 207. - ISBN 0-521-20159-4 [2001 reprint].
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 Skrzhinskaya E. Ch. Comments on the “Getics” of Jordan (comments No. 189 and 690-700) // Jordan. Getics. - SPb. : Aletheia , 1997 .-- S. 228-231 and 348-350 .
- ↑ 1 2 Martindale JR Beuca // Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire / AM Jones , JR Martindale. - Cambridge University Press , 1980. - Vol. II: AD 395-527. - P. 229. - ISBN 0-521-20159-4 [2001 reprint].
- ↑ 1 2 Schukin M. B. The Gothic Way. - SPb. : Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University, 2005. - S. 299-300. - ISBN 5-8465-0137-0 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Tungsten H. Gotha. - SPb. : Juventa , 2003 .-- S. 378-382. - ISBN 5-87399-142-1 .
- ↑ Lotter F. Völkerverschiebungen im Ostalpen-Mitteldonau-Raum zwischen Antike und Mittelalter (375-600) . - Walter de Gruyter , 2003 .-- P. 110-113. - ISBN 978-3-1101-7855-5 .
- ↑ Wenskus R. Bolia // Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde . - Berlin / New York: Walter de Gruyter , 1978. - Bd. 3. - S. 213. - ISBN 3-11-006512-6 .