The Levant Egypt North Africa Anatolia & Constantinople Border conflicts Sicily and Southern Italy Naval warfare Byzantine reconquest The Battle of Nikiou took place between Arab Muslim troops under General Amr ibn al-A'as and the Byzantine Empire in Egypt in May of 646.

[1] Following their victory at the Battle of Heliopolis in July 640, and the subsequent capitulation of Alexandria in November 641, Arab troops had taken over what was the Roman province of Egypt.

The newly installed Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II was determined to retake the land, and ordered a large fleet to carry troops to Alexandria.

These troops, under Manuel, took the city by surprise from its small Arab garrison towards the end of 645 in an amphibious attack.

[2] Amr at the time might have been in Mecca, and was quickly recalled to take command of the Arab forces in Egypt.