Ludovico Parmentum had been the captain of the Byzantine guard at Henna for four years. He was chosen for the post by general Attilio Vergine and his name had even been mentioned by the emperor himself, so he took great pride in his assignment and his responsibilities in protecting the hilltop town.
But these were not tranquil years. The Muslims had sacked a number of Christian cities on Sicily, including a dramatic defeat of the Byzantines in Panormus, killing scores of his fellow soldiers and rebuilding the ancient town and renaming it Bal’harm. He heard that Messena had fallen to the invaders and then Modica, and after them Leontini and Ragusa. Most tragic of all was the battle at Butera, where the Muslims not only defeated the Byzantine army but butchered thousands of the men who defe
