Angilas Angilas ( ) was a Byzantine taxiarch , active in the Lazic War ( 541 - 562 ) . The main source about him is Agathias . Biography . Angilas is first mentioned in 556 , as a taxiarch in Lazica . His title is only recorded in the Greek language . His Latin title may have been comes rei militaris . He is first recorded leading a tagma of Moors in the Siege of Phasis . His troops are described as peltast s and spear men ( ) , probably meaning they were only armed with shield and lance s . His troops were stationed at the " middle part " of the fortifications , alongside Theodore and Philomathius . Theodore led heavy infantry consisting of Tzani , Philomathius led Isauria n slinger s and dart - throwers The Tzani were a tribe of the Caucasus . Procopius reports that " From ancient times the Tzani have lived as an independent people " . Phasis was besieged by forces of the Sassanid Empire . Martinus , the overall commander of the Byzantine troops , had given instructions to the whole army to stay at their respective posts . They were to disregard attempts of the Sassanids to have them exit the fortifications and fight in the open . However , Angilas and Philomathius led about two hundred of their men in opening a town gate . They exited the town and attacked a force of Sassanids whose archers were harassing the defenders . Theodore at first attempted to restrain them . But then bowed down to " majority opinion " and followed them in attacking . He was reportedly reluctant to violate orders , but unwilling to be branded a coward by the soldiers . The Byzantine force was heavily outnumbered . Agathias reports that they " would almost certainly have been annihilated " . But they were saved by an error of the Dilimnites . The Dilimnites were a force of auxiliaries , originating in the mountains of Persia . " They fought on foot , armed each with a sword , a shield , and three javelins " . They decided against attacking the Byzantines from a distance . Instead they " calmly awaited their approach " and then easily performed an encirclement . But the encircled Byzantines started a desperate attack on the enemies positioned closer to the town walls . The Dilimnites " opened up their ranks and made way from them " instead of facing the furious attack . Angilas and the others escaped back to the safety of the city . Agathias remarks both on the futility of their action and on how " they had risked their lives to save their skins ! " Later in the siege , a number of panicked Sassanid troops had started a gradual retreat . Most of the Dilimnites left their positions to " relieve those who were being hard pressed " . Angilas and Theodore noticed that there were few troops left besieging their section of the fortifications . They led a sortie against the besiegers . The few Dilimnites left behind were either slain or forced to flee , " pressed in relentless pursuit " by the Byzantine force . The majority of the Dilimnites noted that their " kinsmen " were in peril . They abandoned their current positions in an attempt to face Angilas and Theodore . But their counterattack was disorganized and ineffective . The nearby Sassanid forces thought that the Dilimnites were retreating in haste . Said forces panicked and started fleeing " ignominiously in all directions " . The Dilimnites were left unsupported " and rushed to join them in flight " . Agathias regards them as the cause and victims of a " double misunderstanding " . Angilas and Theodore had succeeded in causing a general flight of the Sassanid forces . The rest of the Byzantine troops " sallied forth from behind the walls " and started pursuing the fleeing enemies . The entire left wing of the Sassanid army fell apart , leaving their intact right wing " fighting a vigorous rear - guard action " . The Persians reportedly lost at least " ten thousand fighting men " and most of their siege equipment by the time night fell . The Byzantine casualties " did not number more than two hundred " . The Byzantines set the siege equipment on fire . The servants of the porters of the Sassanid army reportedly mistook the smoke for a sign that the city had fallen . They started rushing towards the Byzantine lines . Nearly " two thousand men " were killed that night , others captured . Nachoragan , the Sassanid general , was already running out of supplies and winter was approaching . He broke off the siege and retreated the following day . His troops headed towards Kotais and Muchereisis . Sassanid reinforcements arrived too late to make a difference and also retreated . The fate of Angilas following the end of the siege is unknown .