Aretion

Since Aretion is not easily identifiable with anyone attested in Byzantine sources, his original Greek name is unknown. Most Arab sources give his name as "Arṭabūn" (أرطبون), with a few (like Abu 'l Mahasin and Al-Waqidi) instead calling him "Areṭîūn" (ارطيون). Hendrik Arent Hamaker translated the latter into Latin as "Aretion". Alfred J. Butler believed that "Aretion" was the correct form and "Artabun" was a corruption. An alternate translation is "Artabanus". However, some historians (such as Michael Jan de Goeje) believe that "Artabun" may not be a name at all, but rather a corruption of the Roman title ''''. This allows Aretion to be identified with other attested figures. Walter Kaegi believed he "may be identical" with Vardan, whom Al-Azdi al-Basri names as a Byzantine general at the Battle of Ajnadayn. == Biography ==

Ajnadayn and Jerusalem Aretion was the governor of Jerusalem in 634, when an Arab army led by Khalid ibn Walid invaded much of Syria. After taking Bosra, they began marching south into Palaestina Prima. Under orders from Heraclius, Aretion placed garrisons in Jerusalem and Ramla, while he himself remained in Ajnadayn (near Bayt Jibrin) to lead its defence, alongside the emperor's brother Theodore and a general named Vardan. The caliph, Umar, ordered Amr ibn al-As to go and conquer Ajnadayn. For a long time, Aretion foiled the Muslims' attempts by simply refusing to leave his fortified position at Ajnadayn. ==Notes==