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Reconsidering Pērōz's Generalship at the Battle of Merv (484): Lessons Learned or Lessons Missed?

  • Published In: Journal of Military History, 2026, v. 90, n. 1. P. 9 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Theotokis, Georgios 3 of 3

Abstract

The Sassanids engaged in a series of conflicts with the Hephthalites between 474 and 484; the most significant culminated at the Battle of Merv in 484 with the death of King Pērōz I on the field of battle, plunging the Sassanid Empire into a protracted political crisis. This paper reconsiders Pērōz's generalship and the tactics at the Battle of Merv, focusing on the use of the battlefield trench by the Hephthalite Huns. By building up a picture of how accurate our primary sources are in their description of the battlefield and how detailed are the accounts about the preparations for the battle by the Hephthalite troops, it explains King Pērōz's decision to ignore lessons from previous battles against steppe armies and order a full-scale charge against the Hephthalite army. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Military History. 2026/01, Vol. 90, Issue 1, p9
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Military History and Science
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0899-3718
  • Accession Number:190396916
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Military History is the property of Society for Military History and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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