with several ships. They clashed with Jaysh’s flotilla; the Byzantine vessels were captured and those who could save themselves fled. Tyre was then taken, ʿAllāqah was seized and flayed alive in Egypt, and Ḥusayn, the son of the governor of Mosul, Nāṣir al-Dawlah, was appointed over Tyre. Mufarrij(1), the amir of the Arabs, fled from Jaysh to the mountains of Ṭayyʾ(2).

Jaysh now advanced in pursuit of the Byzantine forces encamped at Apamea(3). He showed deference to the youths of Damascus, honored them, and bestowed robes of distinction upon their notable men(4). Proceeding to Ḥimṣ, he was reinforced by fresh troops and volunteers. There he was confronted by the accursed Dhuofis(5). The Byzantines charged, shattering the center of the Muslim army; the left wing, commanded by Maysur, the deputy of Tripoli, broke and fled, and the right wing of Jaysh’s forces also turned in flight. The Byzantines rode after them, killing about two thousand men and seizing the tents. Bishārah the Ikhshīdī, however, stood firm with five hundred horsemen, while the people inside Apamea raised their voices in supplication to Allah.

The Byzantine tyrant Dhuofis was on a mound, flanked by his two sons and ten horsemen. Aḥmad ibn Ḍaḥḥāk the Kurd charged at him on his steed. Thinking that Aḥmad had come to seek safe-conduct, Dhuofis was taken unawares; as soon as he drew near, Aḥmad thrust his spear into him and killed him. The inhabitants of Apamea shouted, “Behold, the enemy of Allah has been slain!” Panic seized the accursed host. The Egyptians rallied, pursued the enemy, and drove them into a narrow mountain pass beside Lake(6) Apamea. The tyrant’s son was captured, and about twenty thousand of their heads were sent to Egypt, along with two thousand