Battle of Mammes

The Battle of Mammes, or Battle of Mamma was an engagement in either 534 or 535, in the Valley of Mamma, south of modern Aïn Djeloula, between the Byzantine Empire and Berbers rebels.^[a]

The Berbers used a circle of camels to disrupt Byzantine cavalry. The Byzantines dismounted and attacked from the weaker flank, breaking their lines. The Byzantines won decisively, reportedly slaughtering 10,000 Berbers and enslaving women and children trapped at the center of the camel ring.

Byzantine General, Belisarius after his victory in the Vandalic War in Africa had to return to Constantinople to deal with rumors against him in the royal court of Justinian I. Belisarius anticipated that the Berbers, who had remained quiet largely out of fear of him, would revolt upon his departure. He placed most of his bucellarii under Solomon's command and instructed him to put down the rebellion. The Berbers rebelled on the news of Belisarius' departure.^[7]

The Berbers invaded Byzacena and defeated the local Byzantine garrison, ambushing and killing its commanders Aigan and Rufinus the Thracian, which damaged the morale of the Byzantine troops. After diplomatic entreaties over the winter failed, and with his forces bolstered to some 18,000 men following the arrival of reinforcements,^[3] in spring 535, Solomon led his troops into Byzacena. The Berbers, under their chiefs Cutzinas, Esdilasas, Iourphouthes and Mesidinissas had encamped at a location called Mammes, on the borders of Mauretania and next to some mountains. He built a camp opposite the Berbers and prepared for battle.^[8]

Before the battle, Solomon, attempting to encourage his troops in a speech, said,

... most of them have no armour, and those who have shields, small ones which are not well made, holding them up are not able to turn aside what strikes against them. And after they have thrown those two small spears, if they do not accomplish anything, automatically they turn to flight.^[9][10]

The Berbers relied heavily on camels as light cavalry, exploiting their ability to frighten enemy horses. They had previously used this tactic effectively against the Vandals by forming a circle with their camels, twelve ranks deep at an earlier battle. This tactic rendered horse archery nearly useless. Foot soldiers stood among the camels, while the baggage train, women, and children were placed at the center.^[8][11] The same formation was deployed against the Byzantines. Berber troops were lightly armed with shields, swords, and javelins. They concealed additional cavalry in the nearby mountains.^[8]

Solomon anticipated a trap, he placed his men to the side of the defensive circle not facing the mountains to avoid being attacked from his rear.^[8][9] At the beginning of the battle, the Berber tactics were effective since the Byzantine horse archers were unable to aim.^[8] An initial Byzantine cavalry charge was repulsed when the horses shied from the camels. So, Solomon directed his infantry to press the Berbers in front.^[12] Solomon ordered his cavalry to dismount and protect themselves with their shields. He also took 500 men and moved around the circle closest to the mountains and attacked from there.^[13] Solomon expected the defenses from that side to be weak and that a decisive attack would make rapid headway.^[13] Solomon's prediction was correct, the Byzantines swiftly broke through, cutting down two hundred camels in the process. The Berbers, shaken by this sudden development, abandoned their positions^[13] and fled, suffering heavy losses.^[12]

The Byzantines enslaved the Moorish women and children, who were trapped in the middle of the circle, and according to Procopius slew 10,000 men. Much of the loot captured was brought back to Carthage.^[13][9] Afterwards, Solomon focused on dealing with the Berber tribes raiding Byzacena. The Berbers would be decisively defeated at Mount Burgaon, marking the end of the first stage of the Berber revolt.^[13]

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