Battle of Vescera

Part of the Muslim conquest of North Africa
and the Arab–Byzantine Wars

Date	682
Location	Thabudeos, Near Vescera
Result	Decisive Berber and Byzantine victory

Belligerents

Umayyad Caliphate

Byzantine Empire,
Berbers

Commanders and leaders

Uqba ibn Nafi †
Abu al-Muhajir Dinar †

Caecilius

Strength

3000

5000-7000

Casualties and losses

Very high

Low

The Battle of Vescera (modern Biskra in Algeria) was fought in 682 or 683 between the Berbers of king Caecilius and their Byzantine allies from the Exarchate of Carthage against an Umayyad Arab army under Uqba ibn Nafi (the founder of Kairouan). Uqba ibn Nafi had led his men in an expedition across north Africa, eventually reaching the Atlantic Ocean and marching as far south as the Draa and Sous rivers. On his return, he was ambushed by the Berber-Byzantine coalition at Tehouda (Thabudeos) south Vescera, defeated and killed. As a result of this crushing defeat, the Arabs were expelled from the area of modern Tunisia for a decade.

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