Sittas

Sittas
Died	538
Allegiance	Byzantine Empire
Rank	magister militum
Battles/wars	Iberian War

Sittas (Greek: Σίττας; died 538) was a Byzantine military commander during the reign of Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565). During the Iberian War against the Sassanid Empire, Sittas was given command of forces in Armenia, similar to the status of Belisarius in Mesopotamia. He won a victory over the Sassanids at Satala.

Sittas was the husband of Comito, the elder sister of the Empress Theodora, and possible father of the later empress Sophia.

Sittas's origin is obscure. Byzantinists have suggested his name was Gothic or Thracian, but his theoretical descent from either the Goths or the Thracians is not mentioned in primary sources. He enters history in the reign of Emperor Justin I (r. 518–527) as a doryphoros ("bodyguard") in the guard of Justinian, then magister militum per Orientem.

In 527, Sittas and Belisarius were given command of an invasion of Persarmenia. They were successful in looting the area and capturing a significant number of Armenian prisoners. They attempted to invade the rest of the Marzpanate of Armenia later in the year but were defeated by Aratius and Narses. The latter should not be confused with Narses, another Byzantine general under Emperor Justinian.

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