Nicholas Epigingles (), better known by his Latinized surname Picingli, was a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

general active in

southern Italy Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions. The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...

and the

Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...

. As ''

strategos ''Strategos'' (), also known by its Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized form ''strategus'', is a Greek language, Greek term to mean 'military General officer, general'. In the Hellenistic world and in the Byzantine Empire, the term was also use ...

'' of the '' thema'' of

Longobardia Longobardia (, also variously Λογγιβαρδία, ''Longibardia'' and Λαγουβαρδία, ''Lagoubardia'') was a Byzantine term for the territories controlled by the Lombards in the Italian Peninsula. In the ninth and tenth centuries, i ...

, he led the Byzantine contingent of the Christian league in the

Battle of Garigliano The Battle of Garigliano was fought in 915 between Christian forces and the Saracens. Pope John X personally led the Christian forces into battle. The aim was to destroy the Arab fortress on the Garigliano River, which had threatened central It ...

in 915. He was killed fighting against the

Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...

, probably in the

Battle of Acheloos The Battle of Achelous or Acheloos (, ), also known as the Battle of Anchialus,Stephenson (2004), p. 23 took place on 20 August 917, on the Achelous river near the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, close to the fortress Tuthom (modern Pomorie) between ...

on 20 August 917.

Life

Nicholas was appointed as ''

'' of

sometime after the summer of 911 (his predecessor Ioannikios is last mentioned in May), most likely however after June 913. He is known to have corresponded with Niketas Paphlagon, probably in the 10th century, as well as with the

Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox Church. The ecumenical patriarch is regarded as ...

Nicholas I Mystikos Nicholas I Mystikos or Mysticus (; 852 – 15 May 925) was the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1 March 901 to 1 February 907 and from 15 May 912 to his death on 15 May 925. His feast day in the Eastern Orthodox Church is 16 May. Ὁ � ...

, particularly during the latter's regency in 913–914. In his letters, Nicholas reports the dismal condition of the fortresses in southern Italy, which he attributes to his predecessor's negligence, while the Patriarch encourages him to persevere and confront the Arabs who were raiding the province from their base at the Garigliano River near

Gaeta Gaeta (; ; Southern Latian dialect, Southern Laziale: ''Gaieta'') is a seaside resort in the province of Latina in Lazio, Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is from Rome and from Naples. The city has played ...

. Nicholas consequently participated in a league of the Christian princes of southern Italy, including

Pope John X Pope John X (; died 28 May 928) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from March 914 to his death. A candidate of the counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, and was in ...

and the Lombard princes

Alberic I of Spoleto Alberic I (died c. 925) was the Lombards, Lombard Duke of Spoleto from between 896 and 900 until 920, 922, or thereabouts. He was also Margrave of Camerino, and the son-in-law of Theophylact I, Count of Tusculum, the most powerful man in Rome. Lif ...

Landulf I of Benevento Landulf or Landulph, Italian Landolfo and Latin Landolfus, Landulphus, etc., is a masculine given name of Germanic (possibly Lombardic) origin. It may refer to: Landulf * Landulf I of Benevento * Landulf II of Benevento * Landulf III of Benevent ...

, and

Guaimar II of Salerno Guaimar II (also ''Waimar'', ''Gaimar'', or ''Guaimario'', sometimes called Gybbosus, meaning "Hunchback") (died 4 June 946) was the Lombard prince of Salerno from 901, when his father retired (or was retired) to a monastery, to his death. His fath ...

. The rulers of

and

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

, '' hypatus''

John I John I may refer to: People Religious figures * John I (bishop of Jerusalem) * John Chrysostom (349 – c. 407), Patriarch of Constantinople * John I of Antioch (died 441) * Pope John I of Alexandria, Coptic Pope from 496 to 505 * Pope John I, P ...

and ''

dux ''Dux'' (, : ''ducēs'') is Latin for "leader" (from the noun ''dux, ducis'', "leader, general") and later for duke and its variant forms (doge, duce, etc.). During the Roman Republic and for the first centuries of the Roman Empire, ''dux'' coul ...

'' Gregory IV respectively, both technically Byzantine vassals, were given the title of ''

patrikios The patricians (from ) were originally a group of ruling class families in ancient Rome. The distinction was highly significant in the Roman Kingdom and the early Republic, but its relevance waned after the Conflict of the Orders (494 BC to 287 B ...

'' during the negotiations. In August 915 (or 916) the Christian allies moved against the Arab stronghold at Garigliano. With the Byzantine fleet blockading the Arabs from the sea, the Christians besieged the stronghold for three months, until the starving Arabs tried to break through and escape. The battle was a

decisive victory A decisive victory is a military victory in battle that definitively resolves the objective being fought over, ending one stage of the conflict and beginning another stage. Until a decisive victory is achieved, conflict over the competing object ...

for the Christian league that restored a measure of security to southern Italy. After his victory Nicholas received a letter from the Patriarch, where the latter congratulated him and expressed his joy, adding that although he would like to reward him, in his present circumstances he could only pray for him. From commentaries on a series of manuscripts of the works of

Plutarch Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

, it is known that Nicholas died in battle against the

; the commentaries compare his death to that of Lucius Aemilius Paullus at the

Battle of Cannae The Battle of Cannae (; ) was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Ancient Carthage, Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and ...

. M. Manfredini, the editor of these manuscripts, identified the battle with the disastrous Byzantine defeat at the

on 20 August 917.

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Picingli, Nicholas 9th-century births 917 deaths Year of birth uncertain 10th-century Byzantine generals Byzantine governors of Longobardia Byzantines killed in battle Patricii Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars