Marash, Battle of

The Battle of Marash is fought in 953 near Marash (modern Kahramanmaraş) between the forces of the Byzantine Empire under the Domestic of the Schools Bardas Phokas the Elder, and of the Hamdanid Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawla, the Byzantines' most intrepid enemy during the mid-10th century.

Despite being outnumbered, the Arabs defeat the Byzantines, who break and flee.

Bardas Phokas himself barely escapes through the intervention of his attendants, and suffers a serious wound in his face, while his youngest son and governor of Seleucia, Constantine Phokas, is captured and held a prisoner in Aleppo until his death of an illness some time later.

This debacle, coupled with defeats in 954 and again in 955, leads to Bardas Phokas' dismissal as Domestic of the Schools, and his replacement by his eldest son, Nikephoros Phokas (later emperor in 963–969).