Misimians appeared on the historical scene in the 6th century in connection with a revolt against the Byzantines. If they had not done so, we would have known nothing about them.
The Misimians belonged to the Apsilian tribal union. They lived in the foothill and mountainous part, occupying the territory between the Kodori and Inguri rivers. In the west, they bordered the Apsilae in the area of the main fortress of Apsilia — Tzibila. In the east, the border with the Lazi passed near the Misimian fortress of Buchloon (modern Pakhulan) on the Inguri. The cause and the revolt itself are vividly described by the Byzantine historian Agathias, who continued Procopius's narrative.
The Mission of Sotterichus. In 554 AD, the Byzantine official Sotterichus arrived in Misiminia, bringing money annually paid by the empire to neighboring peoples (in this case, the Alans) for guarding the mountain passes.
After Sotterichus's arrival, the Misimians learned that he intended to transfer their fortress of Buchloon to the Alans, so as not to carry money to Alania, thereby bypassing the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Unwilling to allow this, the Misimians sent two of their most noble men — Khada and Tuana — who demanded that he leave their country. Outraged, Sotterichus ordered the envoys to be beaten with sticks, declaring that "one cannot allow the subjects of the Colchians (Lazi), who obey the Romans, to rage so fiercely against the Romans." From this, it is clear that a system of vassalage existed at that time. And only in this way should one understand the subjection of the Misimians (and Apsilae) to the Lazi. It was through the Lazi that Byzantium conducted its policy in Colchis, creating for them the illusion of supremacy.
The Misimian Revolt. Such an insult (the beating of envoys with sticks) naturally provoked indignation among the Misimians. That same night, they suddenly attacked Sotterichus's camp, killed him and all his entourage — that is, they treated them as enemies, not as masters or guests. They also seized all the property of the slain and the imperial treasury — about 28,800 nomismata. After this, the Misimians turned for immediate help to the Persian commander Nahogoran. And soon a 60,000-strong Persian army invaded Lazica, neighboring Misiminia. Therefore, the Byzantines could not immediately suppress the revolt. But when the Persians were forced to withdraw from Lazica, in late spring of 555 AD, the Byzantines sent a 4,000-strong detachment of infantry and cavalry into Misiminia. With the onset of summer, the army entered neighboring Apsilia. Subsequently, the Byzantine advance was halted due to the appearance of large Persian detachments in Misiminia, which included many mercenaries from the Hun-Sabirs.
The Byzantines were in no hurry to force events and tried to buy time, as the combined forces of the enemy were quite impressive. This standoff between the two armies continued until winter. The Persians, avoiding battles in the mountains during the winter cold, left Misiminia. This allowed the Byzantines to advance to the main fortress of Apsilia — Tiberia (Tzibila of Procopius), which separated the country of the Misimians from the Apsilae.
To avoid bloodshed, the Byzantines decided to incline the Misimians to peace. And since they were "close in way of life" and language to the Apsilae, the Byzantines sent envoys to them — "the most reasonable men from among the Apsilae." Meanwhile, regarding the Lazi, Svans, and Misimians, Agathias not accidentally emphasized that "their language is different, as are their customs." But the Misimians did not want to make peace. They relied on their own strength and the impassable terrain. The Apsilian envoys, despite their kinship with them, were put to death.
The Byzantine commander decided on an active offensive against the Misimians, and their army advanced deep into Misiminia, toward the most fortified fortress of Tzakhar. The Misimians turned this fortress into their main stronghold in the fight against the Byzantines. Around this fortress was located a settlement of the Misimians, not protected by a fortress wall, but situated in a rocky area. Cliffs and steep rocks made any access to it extremely difficult.
The Byzantine command in Lazica placed at the head of the detachment operating against the Misimians an experienced military commander, the Cappadocian John Dakik, while the commander Martin fell ill and remained in Tzibila.
The siege of Tzakhar for a long time yielded no results. Finally, the Byzantines managed to track down a path by which the besieged Misimians descended to the river for water. At night, they carefully made their way to the fortress along this path, killed the guards, and burst into the settlement, where a terrible slaughter took place. The settlement was put to fire and sword. Agathias himself reproached the Byzantines for their cruelty. The flames over Tzakhar were observed with great pleasure from Tzibila by the commander Martin. Such was his agreement with Dakik. But the joy of an easy victory was premature, for at night the Misimians suddenly made a sortie from the fortress, attacked the Byzantines, and completely routed them. In this difficult situation for the Misimians, the Persians provided them with no help. Exhausted by the long siege, the Misimians capitulated. Dakik agreed to conclude peace with them, demanded hostages and the return of the imperial treasury captured from Sotterichus. The Misimians fulfilled all the conditions, and a peace agreement was concluded.
The Byzantine punitive expedition cost the Misimians dearly. During the military operations, they lost "no less than 5,000 men, even more women, and even more children." At that time, on the verge of complete destruction, the Misimians were converted to the Christian religion. The fortress of Buchloon, which sparked the Misimian revolt, remained in the hands of the Alans for a long time.
The Tsebelda expedition managed to locate Tzakhar at the site of the Pskal fortress, located on the left bank of the Kodori, which archaeologically belongs to the main monuments of the Tsebelda (Apsilian) culture (commonality of fortress layouts depending on the terrain, as well as the main associated archaeological material). The Pskal fortress is precisely within sight of Tzibila, and only from there could the Byzantine commander Martin observe the fire at Tzakhar. The close connection between the Apsilae and Misimians is also indicated by the "Life of Saint Maximus the Confessor," according to which the fortress of Pusta (modern Aplushta in the Tsebelda Valley) was located in the regions of Apsilia and Misiminia.
Materials:
Bgazhba O. Kh., Lakoba S. Z. History of Abkhazia from Ancient Times to the Present Day. 2007