The wars have been an ingrained part of the human history, thus humans witnessed brutality associated with the war and experienced the consequences of war throughout the history time to time. The causes for wars can be miscellaneous like disputes over territory, resources, and religion, civil unrest and many other plethora of reasons.
Brutal Tactics used in Wars
All the wars are savage and cold-blooded. Yet there are infamous wars which involved extreme cruelty and brutal tactics, so these wars are indelible from the military history. And there are records of brutal tactics that military personals have used from the times of antiquity to modern days. For instance, gas attacks were carried out in world war 1. Firebombing attacks were carried out on Japan by the USA military during the world war 2. A siege is blocking a country from the access to outside world which would result in stoppage of supply of food, so the enemy would starve to death. The Axis powers blocked the city of Leningrad in the Soviet during world war 2.
War
Conquering with genocides is another brutal tactic. Mongols are known for using this tactic. After a conquest of a territory they would carry out carnage on local populace. During Roman empires’ rule the soldiers wore sandals called ‘caligae’. On the underside of sandals, nails were affixed. If there were survivors in a war they would be trampled to death by Romans. Likewise, in wars brutal tactics have always been in the use irrespective of the time period.
A brutal tactic of mutilation the enemy was practiced in 11th century during the Byzantine’s empire. Moreover, the act of mutilation was terrifying and frightful and was one of the most brutal tactics used in history.
Byzantine Empire
In 476DC the Western part of the Roman empire fell while the Eastern part survived for another 1000 years. A powerful civilization was developed in Byzantine empire. It flourished with rich art, architecture and literature. From 7th to 12th centuries they had one of the most powerful military forces in the world. Byzantine emperors were determined not to undergo the plight of Western Roman Empire which was subjected to political violence, assassinations of emperors and infighting. They took measures to maintain the stability of the empire and keep their rivals at bay, at times using brutal tactics. Throughout 1000 years of its rule, Byzantine empire was constantly at war.
Byzantine Empire
Brutal Military tactics used by Byzantines
Mutilation was a brutal military tactic used by Byzantines. Mutilation was carried out by cutting off the tongue, nose, ears and castration. So, there are numerous records of people being blinded, castrated and their noses being cut off during Byzantine period. The most frequent punishment was blinding the enemy. They were blinded by inserting hot porker in eyes, by pouring a boiling element such as vinegar in eyes or gouging out the eyeballs. Secondly, it was castration that the Byzantines used mostly against the enemy, followed by the mutilation of nose.
Brutal Military tactics used by Byzantines
That practice was quite effective as Byzantine empire lasted for 1000 years. But the empire was not completely free from upheavals.
The Reasons for using Mutilation as a Military Tactic
Byzantines opted for mutilation of enemy instead of killing them. Their rivals won’t be able to lead armies anymore after they are blinded. So, they won’t challenge the authority of the empire. The disfigured people lost authority to rule countries. In the Roman era, there was a conviction that the Roman emperor was the representative of god, which was continued to be present in peoples mind in Byzantine period. So, a mutilated person would be considered unworthy of ruling, and it was a disqualification to rule.
The Reasons for using Mutilation as a Military Tactic
There’s one incident recorded that the mutilation did not bring the expected outcome.
The Emperor Justinian II
The Emperor Justinian was the last Byzantine emperor belonging to Heraclius dynasty. He is known for his atrocity. He was deposed due to his cruel rule in an uprising. His nose was cut off, giving him a disfigured face, which would make him unsuitable to rule by Byzantine standards. He later got a gold prosthetic nose for himself. Despite his disfigured face, he seized his throne back after ten years of exile.
The Emperor Justinian II
Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars are best known for using this brutal tactic of mutilation.
Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
It was with Bulgars settlement in Balkan peninsula that the centuries long military conflicts started. In the 5th century the Bulgars settled in the Balkan peninsula which was a part Byzantine Empire. After 680 AD the Bulgarian emperor expanded his territory towards southwest. The war between Byzantine and Bulgarian continued, with the upper hand changing from one side to other, time to time until Ottoman invasion of Bulgaria in 1393 and the Byzantine in 1453.
Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
The Battle of Kleidion
Military conflicts took place between the Byzantine emperor, Basil II and the Bulgarian emperor Samuel for nearly half a century. Its climax reached in the latter part of 10th and the early years of 11th century. Basil II was determined to get rid of threats from Burglars permanently. The military warfare occurred on 29th July, 1014 in the valley between the mountains of Belasitsa and Ograzhden, which was situated near the current day Bulgarian village called Klyuch. In this war Basil II, the Byzantine emperor emerged victorious. And his aim of destroying the first Burglar empire was successful.
The Battle of Kleidion
Basil II
The Basil II who is also known as the “slayer of the Bulgars” ruled the Byzantine empire from 976 to 1025. Basil II was one of the most powerful and strongest Byzantine emperors. He ascended to throne after subjugation of number of rivals. Basil II seized the power of territories like Balkans, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Georgia after number of military conquests. He didn’t have a successor, so his achievements did not retain after his demise. He has gone down in history for his military victory over Bulgarian army and his brutal tactics used for the triumph in 1014.
Basil II
Basil II blinding Burglar Soldiers
Theophylactus Botaniates was Basil II’s most preferred general. He was given the task of destroying the rest of Bulgarian army. But in contrary Botaniates and his army were killed in an ambuscade.
Basil II was furious at the loss. So, he directed his army to the capture of 15000 burglar soldiers. Subsequently they were blinded by gouging out their eye balls. Every 100th soldier’s only one eye was gouged out, so they can direct others to Bulgaria.
Basil II blinding Burglar Soldiers
There are reports that indicate 30000 eyeballs were gouged out in a day which could be measured up as 200 litre if put in a barrel.
Tsar Samuel
The blinded army reached the capital of Bulgaria, Preslov. It is said that Tsar Samuel underwent a heart attack at the sight of his blinded army. He succumbed to his illness after a few days.
In 1018, after four years of Samuel’s death, Bulgaria was under Byzantine emperor as the successors of Samuel could not combat Byzantine military forces. So, fifty years old Byzantine -Bulgarian war came to an end.
Tsar Samuel
Brutal tactics have been used in war fares from the ancient times to the modern days. Also, they might bring superficial success and win their cause. But brutal tactics are definitely crimes against the humanity.
