Greetings all,
Today we commemorate with sadness the Byzantine defeat at the hands of Bulgarian forces in the battle of the Gates of Trajan, fought on August 17th in 986 AD:
It was the largest military loss for the Empire under Basil II. The Byzantine army had tried to take the city of Sredetz without success, and were forced to withdraw due to a lack of supplies.
Other Bulgarian units had fortified mountain passes near the remains of a fort built during the reign of the Emperor Trajan and blocked the retreat, which turned into a rout. Basil II barely escaped with his life. This narrow escape may even have contributed to his later harshness in finishing the Bulgarian War.
The old fort gates where the battle was fought may still be visited in Bulgaria.
-Marcus Cassius Julianus
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