The Levant Egypt North Africa Anatolia & Constantinople Border conflicts Sicily and Southern Italy Naval warfare Byzantine reconquest The Battle of the Orontes was fought on 15 September 994 between the Byzantines and their Hamdanid allies under Michael Bourtzes against the forces of the Fatimid vizier of Damascus, the Turkish general Manjutakin.

In 993/994, the Fatimid governor of Damascus, the Turkish general Manjutakin, besieged Apamea, and Bourtzes, the Byzantine doux of Antioch, came forth to relieve the city.

[2] His men succeeded in breaking through the Hamdanids, turned round and attacked the Byzantine force in the rear.

[3] Shortly after the battle, the Fatimid caliphate took control of Syria, removing the Hamdanids from power they had held since 890.

[2] This defeat led to the direct intervention of Byzantine emperor Basil II in a lightning campaign the next year,[4] and Bourtzes' dismissal from his post and his replacement by Damian Dalassenos.