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BATTLE // January 1, 0633

Battle of al-Anbar

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Overview

The Battle of Al-Anbar was between the Muslim Arab army under the command of Khalid ibn al-Walid and the Sasanian Empire. The battle took place at Anbar which is located approximately 80 miles from the ancient city of Babylon. Khalid besieged the Sassanian Persians in the city fortress, which had strong walls. Scores of Muslim archers were used in the siege. The Persian governor, Shirzad, eventually surrendered and was allowed to retire. The Battle of Al-Anbar is often remembered as the "Action of the Eye" since Muslim archers used in the battle were told to aim at the "eyes" of the Persian garrison.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of al-Anbar was fought as part of the early Muslim conquest of Persia, in which Khalid ibn al-Walid led a Rashidun force of approximately 9,000 against a Sasanian garrison reported at 30,000 at the fortified city of Anbar, roughly 80 miles from ancient Babylon. Despite the disparity in force sizes, the battle resulted in some 7,000 Sasanian casualties and the eventual surrender of the Persian governor Shirzad, who was permitted to retire. The fall of Anbar represented the reduction of a significant Sasanian stronghold in the Mesopotamian theater and extended Rashidun reach deeper into Persian-held territory during the opening phase of the conquest campaign.

Tactics

Khalid ibn al-Walid the Sasanian , which held a city fortress with strong walls. Rather than attempting to storm the directly, he deployed scores of Muslim archers with orders to aim specifically at the eyes of the Persian defenders. This concentrated archery at the garrison's personnel was the defining tactical feature of the engagement and contributed to the capitulation of governor Shirzad, who subsequently surrendered the fortress. The battle is recorded in historical memory under the name 'Action of the Eye' in reference to this archer tactic.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Rashidun Caliphate9,000
    medium
  • Sasanian Empire30,000
    medium

Sasanian Empire fielded a 3.3 : 1 numerical advantage

Casualties

  • Sasanian Empire7,000
    medium23% loss rate
Order of battle →Casualties in detail →

Commanders (2)

Rashidun Caliphate

Sasanian Empire

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Last verified July 2026
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