03
BYZANTINE
WINGSGROW
RAGGED
Bylateafternoonthe
Byzantinewingsareunable
to keeppacewiththecentre
division.TheTurkisharchery
hasslowedtheadvance
of theByzantinewings
andmadetheirformations
increasinglyraggedasthey
trydesperatelyto keeppace
withtheByzantinecentre.
Map: Rocio Espin
04
ROMANOS
ORDERS
COUNTERMARCH
Romanosordershisarmyto
haltitsadvancein thelate
afternoon.Believingthathis
armyfacesannihilationif it
hasto campforthenighton
openground,heordersa
generalretreat.Theimperial
standardsarereversed,which
is a signalto histroopsto
countermarchto Manzikert.02
TURKS
LURE
BYZANTINES
Fromtheoutsetof the
battle,theTurkishcentre
withdrawssteadilyto
thesoutheastrefusing
to engagein a close
combat.A strongwind
fromthenorthblowsdust
intotheTurks’eyes,but
it doesnotaffecttheir
performancegreatly.05
BYZANTINE
RIGHTWING
MISINTERPRETAND
RETREATINPANIC
Thetroopsof theByzantine
rightwingmisinterpret
thereversedstandardsto
meanthatRomanoshas
beenslain.Panicspreads
throughtheirranks.They
fleenorthin thevainhope
of reachingthesafetyof
theirfortifiedcamp.01
MEASURED
ADVANCE
Romanosordersthe
Byzantinearmyto advance
overtheparched,barren,
androckyground.His
objectiveis to closewiththe
enemysothattheByzantine
armycanbringto bearthe
fullweightof itsheavier
armsandarmouragainst
themorelightlyequipped
Turkishhorsemen.04
05
06