Comentiolus

Comentiolus (Greek: Κομεντίολος, Komentiolos; died 602) was a prominent Eastern Roman (Byzantine) general at the close of the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Maurice (r. 582–602).

[2] The next year, after a truce with the Avars had been arranged, he was appointed in charge of a regiment (taxiarchia) operating against the Slavic tribes that raided Thrace and had penetrated as far as the Long Walls of Anastasius, Constantinople's outer defensive system.

[4] By 589, Comentiolus appears to have served as magister militum in the province of Spania (southern Spain): an inscription bearing his name has been found in Carthago Nova, but it may have been erected by a namesake.

[6] In the spring of 590, however, while at his headquarters at Hierapolis, he received an unexpected guest: the legitimate Persian king, Khosrau II (r. 590–628), who had fled to Byzantine territory to seek support against the usurper Bahram VI Chobin (r. 590–591).

[7] After a heavy defeat caused by his neglect to properly array his forces for battle, his army was scattered and he himself fled to Constantinople, where he faced charges of treason.

[8] His subsequent record is not very distinguished, but according to Michael Whitby this may be more due to the negative bias of Simocatta, the main primary source for the period, towards him and his co-general Peter, rather than because of inability or inaction on his part.