Rome-Berbers Wars of 782-790 (5 août 782 – 17 sept. 790)

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With the Romans distracted elsewhere the Bulgars had once again attacked Moesia, and Berbers were assaulting Africa. Anastasius sent his sons to deal with both threats. His younger son, Theodosius went to Africa with soldiers from Asia, and Arab allies.

The Berbers were getting more organized, and had begun pushing against Roman Mauretania, culminating in the loss of Tingis in 786. Theodosius marched out to retake the city with fifteen thousand men, but was met by a Berber force and defeated, retreating back in Carthage rather than risk another battle. Without hope of reinforcement, Theodosius took an indeterminate move, called upon the Goths.

Though the Goths by now were in the middle of a long military and political decline. Theodosius did however convince the growing merchant cities of the Eastern coast that their trade with the European coast past the straight would be in grave jeopardy if the Berbers remained in control of Tingis.

They provided him with cash, supplies, and soldiers from among the Gothic populace under their rule. Theodosius departed Carthage again, this time with twelve thousand Romans and fifteen thousand Gothic mercenaries. This time he met a Berber army near Caesarea, and the outnumbered Berbers, numbering only about nine thousand, were unable to hold the Roman forces back. The Berbers were scattered, and the Romans moved on Tingis without further opposition. Inside the city the Berber garrison tried to hold out, but when Gothic ships blockaded the harbor they knew the cause was hopeless. Six thousand Berbers surrendered to the Romans, and were sold into slavery, in violation of the terms.

It didn’t matter however since the loss of six thousand men in Tingis, and the breaking of the nine thousand at Caesarea the Berbers didn’t think it worth continuing. They contacted Theodosius, and negotiated a truce in 790.

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