Battle of the Gates of Trajan
Gate of Trajan, BulgariaThe Battle of the Gates of Trajan was a battle between Byzantine and Bulgarian forces in the year 986. It was the largest defeat of the Byzantines under Emperor Basil II. After the unsuccessful siege of Sofia he retreated to Thrace, but was surrounded by the Bulgarian army under the command of Samuil in the Sredna Gora mountains. The Byzantine army was annihilated and Basil himself barely escaped.