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Ascum (Greek: Ασκούμ) was a general of the Byzantine Empire, active early in the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–565). He was in command of the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum. His name is reported by John Malalas. Both Theophanes the Confessor and George Kedrenos render his name "Ακούμ" (Acum).

Biography

John Malalas writes that Ascum was a Hun and a godson of Justinian I. Some modern historians consider it possible that the "Huns" of the primary sources were actually Bulgars. Denis Sinor and Michael Withby described Ascum as a Hun, as did Hyun Jin Kim, who specifies he was a Caucasian Hunnic sub-king. Patrick Amory considers the name Ascum to be Germanic in origin, though with the Huns ethnicity and etymology rarely go hand in hand (the name of Attila himself is considered to be of Germanic origin).

Ascum first appears in 528, already holding the title of stratelates of Illyricum (Greek: ὁ τοῦ 'Ιλλυρικοῦ στρατηλάτης). His title in Latin would be magister militum per Illyricum.

In 528, Ascum joined forces with Constantiolus and Godilas against an invasion force of Huns/Bulgars. Having passed through Scythia (Scythia Minor) and Moesia (Moesia Secunda), the invaders were at the time raiding Thrace. The Byzantine army defeated one group of invaders.

Shortly after their victory, the Byzantine forces were ambushed and routed by a second group of invaders. Both Ascum and Constantiolus were captured in this battle. While Constantiolus was ransomed back to the Byzantines, Ascum "was carried off into captivity". He is not mentioned again and his eventual fate is unknown.

References

1. ^ Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), p. 136
2. Malalas, John; Croke, Brian (1986). The Chronicle of John Malalas. Australian Association for Byzantine Studies. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-9593636-2-3. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
3. Whitby, Michael (2021). The Wars of Justinian I. Pen and Sword. p. 259. ISBN 9781526760913. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
4. Sinor, Denis (1997). Studies in Medieval Inner Asia (in French). Ashgate. p. 84. ISBN 9780860786320.
5. Kim, Hyun Jin (2013). The Huns, Rome and the Birth of Europe. Cambridge University Press. p. 139. ISBN 9781107009066. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
6. Amory, p.484 : "Other Byzantine officers active in the Balkans and bearing Germanic names included Baduarius dux Scythiae, Ascum MVM per Illyricum ... and Chilbudius MVM per Thracias"
7. Jin Kim, Hyun (2015). The Huns. Taylor & Francis. p. 85. ISBN 9781317340911. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
8. Kálmán, Béla (1978). Virágos, Zsolt (ed.). The World of Names A Study in Hungarian Onomatology. Akadémiai Kiadó. p. 33. ISBN 9789630513999. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
9. Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), p. 163-164
10. Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), pp. 748

Sources

• Amory, Patrick (2003). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-52635-7.
• Martindale, John R.; Jones, A.H.M.; Morris, John (1992), The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Volume III: AD 527–641, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-20160-8

• Generals of Justinian I
• Huns
• Magistri militum
• Bulgars
• Byzantine prisoners of war
• Byzantine people of Hunnic descent