Bonus (Sirmium)

Bonus (Greek: Βῶνος or Βόνος) was a Byzantine general, active in the reign of Justin II (r. 565–578). He is known to have been situated at Sirmium, spending his career defending the Byzantine Empire against the Avars. He might have been a magister militum per Illyricum. The main source about him is Menander Protector.

Biography

Bonus is first mentioned c. 561, while in the service of Justin, son of Germanus. Bonus was tasked with defending the Danube limes against the Avars. He is mentioned at the time as a protostates (Greek: πρωτοστάτης τοῦ θητικοῦ και οἰκετικοῦ). His title might have been equivalent to a majordomo.

He resurfaces in 568-570 as a general. His exact position in the military hierarchy is uncertain, but the location of his activities at Sirmium, while still being in charge of the Danube limes, suggests the position of magister militum per Illyricum.

The spring of 568 found the Avars besieging Sirmium. Bonus was in charge of the defense within the walls and was wounded in combat. When negotiations started between the defenders and the besiegers, Bonus was initially unable to attend the meetings. The Avars started suspecting that their opponent was dead, forcing Bonus to appear to them in person. The Avars eventually agreed to lift the siege in exchange for a "gift" (payment). Bonus sought the approval from emperor Justin II.

Sirmium

Sirmium was a city in Pannonia, an ancient province of the Roman Empire. First mentioned in the 4th century BC and originally inhabited by the Illyrians and Celts, it was conquered by the Romans in the 1st century BC and subsequently became the capital of the Roman province of Pannonia Inferior. In 294 AD, Sirmium was pronounced one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire. It was also the capital of the Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum and of Pannonia Secunda Province. Sirmium was located on the Sava river, on the site of modern Sremska Mitrovica in Vojvodina province, northern Serbia. The Republic of Serbia declared its site an Archaeological Sites of Exceptional Importance in 1990. The modern region of Syrmia (Srem) is named after it.

Sirmium had 100,000 inhabitants and was one of the biggest cities of its time. Colin McEvedy, however, put the population at only 7,000, based on the size of the archaeological site.Ammianus Marcellinus called it "the glorious mother of cities".