Battle of the Hellespont

The Battle of the Kallipolis was discharged during the struggle between the Roman Emperors Constantine and Licinius in 324 at Kallipolis in the Hellespont. Commander of the fleet of Constantine had his eldest son Crispus, commander of the enemy fleet, a man named Abantus or Amandus.

Prehistory

The battle took place during the last civil war between Constantine and Licinius, who sealed the dissolution of the Roman Tetrarchy. The two emperors had already fought several times, but in the meantime entered into a troubled peace. 324 it was finally still to decide when Constantine attacked the east of the empire under Licinius. After his defeat at the Battle of Adrian Opel to Licinius took over Byzantium in Asia Minor back. He left a strong garrison in the back barely ingestible Byzantium, which was also supplied in case of siege over the sea. That's why he let his fleet guarding the Bosphorus. Constantine had to gain command of the sea to go to Asia. While Constantine began the siege of Byzantium, his son should attain command of the sea.

Battle Record

About the battle progressed, the two available sources - an anonymous work on the life of Constantine, the Origo Constantini, and the pagan historian Zosimus - at odds. The Origo reported Crispus had the fleet of Abantus inflicted a crushing defeat, whose ships are partly destroyed, partly taken into possession. He could only just manage to escape the disaster. According to Zosimus Crispus led a fleet of 80 ships to the Hellespont, where the enemy commander Abantus contrary presented him with 200 ships. Abantus tried due to the larger fleet size to surround the fleet of Crispus. However, in those waters, the great ships were at a disadvantage because they could not operate as good as the Liburni of Crispus. So Crispus was able to make better use of his ships. A defeat of the Abantus was prevented only by the nightfall, in both fleets retreating into their ports. The following day, the fleet of Abantus was destroyed by a storm. Crispus was undisturbed advance to Byzantium.

Follow

With this victory Constantine Byzantium could take and translate to Asia, where he began his preparations for the next battle with Licinius ( Battle of Chrysopolis ). Following the battle, Constantine had won the autocracy. Licinius was interned in Thessaloniki and later murdered.