Yarmuk 636: Six Days, a Blocked Bridge and Byzantium's Loss of Syria

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In August 636, on a dusty plateau ringed by ravines up to 660 feet deep, a Rashidun army of about 36,000 faced Emperor Heraclius's coalition of Romans, Slavs, Franks, Armenians, and Christian Arabs, estimated by modern historians at 40,000 to 80,000. The Muslim supreme commander was Abu Ubaidah, who had just replaced Khalid ibn al-Walid on Caliph Umar's orders, yet he handed Khalid tactical control. Khalid split the army into 36 infantry and four cavalry regiments and formed an elite reserve, the Mobile Guard. Across the Byzantine lines, the Armenian commander Vahan struggled with rival generals, hungry troops, and feuds between Monophysite and Chalcedonian Christians.

For four days Vahan pressed the flanks to push the Muslims toward the ravines. On day two the left wing broke and fled to camp, where women led by Hind came out with tent poles and mocking songs and drove the men back. Khalid galloped his Mobile Guard along a front of about seven and a half miles to plug each breach. On day five Vahan asked for a truce; Khalid refused and sent Dirar with 500 riders by night to seize the only bridge across the ravine. On day six about 8,000 massed cavalry routed the Byzantine horse, the exposed infantry collapsed, and thousands fell from the cliffs. Heraclius left Antioch by ship, bidding Syria farewell.

• Heraclius took the True Cross with him when he fled Antioch for Constantinople.
• Muslim archers used bows about six feet long to blunt Byzantine cavalry charges from range.
• Day four became known as the Day of Lost Eyes after Byzantine horse archers blinded hundreds of veterans.
• Ikrima, a childhood friend of Khalid, led 400 cavalry in a charge in which every man was killed or mortally wounded.
• The battle opened the Levant, and soon Egypt, to Muslim rule.