Talk:Battle of Bourgaon/GA1

GA review

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Nominator: A.Cython (talk · contribs) 17:56, 14 August 2026 (UTC)

Reviewer: Djmaschek (talk · contribs) 04:44, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

Initial review comments

@A.Cython: I plan to review this article. Out of curiosity, I was trying to find the modern location of Mount Bourgaon and the name that came closest was Djebel Bargou south of the town of Bargou. The name Bourgaon could conceivably be a French spelling/pronunciation of Bargou. It is roughly in the location shown by the infobox map. I have Nick Holmes' book Justinian's Empire, and this battle can be found on page 286. Djmaschek (talk) 04:44, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

Thank you for reviewing this. I am looking forward to your comments. I am a bit embarrassed that I have not gotten the book by Nick Holmes. I should get it soon. Let me know at which page Holmes include this information about the name so I include it in the article. A.Cython(talk) 21:19, 4 September 2026 (UTC)

Nick Holmes mentions Mount Bourgaon and the battle that was fought there. But the apparent link between Djebel Bargou and Mount Bourgaon is from my observation only, though it seems to be in the right geographic position. It would be interesting to know if this is correct, but I'm just guessing. Unless you can find a written source that specifically stated that Bourgaon = Bargou, this would be research, which is not allowed in Wikipedia. Djmaschek (talk) 03:23, 5 September 2026 (UTC)

@Djmaschek: Thank you for your review comments and giving me the chance to revisit the article. Your comments were very helpful. I believed I addressed your comments. If I missed something please let me know.A.Cython(talk) 01:17, 7 September 2026 (UTC)

@Djmaschek: Courtesy ping A.Cython(talk) 02:25, 15 September 2026 (UTC)

@A.Cython: Sorry. I've been out-of-town for four days and unable to work on this. Djmaschek (talk) 03:12, 15 September 2026 (UTC)

Review 1

@A.Cython: I do not see any typos or syntax errors. My comments are below. Djmaschek (talk) 04:33, 5 September 2026 (UTC)

• Introduction: You use the word "foothills" while Holmes says that the Berbers were halfway up the mountain. If your sources say "foothills" then you have to go with that. (Open Google, type in Bargou, Tunisia. Click maps and Bargou appears. Zoom out and click satellite view to see the mountains. You will see a camera icon "Djebel Bargou Peak" to the southeast of Bargou. Plain is to the west, mountain to east. Of course, Bargou may not be Bourgaon.)
  •  Done I do not recall where did I read "foothills", so I removed it.
  • Comment: I could not find a source pointing to the mountain's location. I added a source that explicitly states that the location is unknown and an explanatory note is added. The source provides in a note the following:
  • Pringle, Denys (2001) pp. 357–358 Tissot's identification of Βουργαών with the Djebel bou Ghanen rests on no secure foundation (1888 (1), 34-36). Courtois puts forward the plausible suggestion that the battle is the same as the otherwise unrecorded battle of Autenti, to which Corippus makes a passing allusion; the context suggests that the battle of Autenti was earlier than that of Cellas Vatari (537) and that John Troglitas was present at both: te Cellas Vatari miro spectabat amore // te Autenti saeuos mactantem uiderat hostes (Ioh., III, 318-319). Autenti, though unidentified, is placed by the Antonine Itinerary 75 miles (111 km) from Thaenae and 30 miles (45 km) from Sufetula (Itin. Ant., 46, 5). This suggests a location in the mountainous region on the east side of the Oued el-Hadjel (Courtois 1955, 349 n. 13; cf. Tissot 1888 (2), 644; Maier 1973, 108). In the seventh century Autenti seems to have had a bishop (Maier 1973, 108).

• Infobox: I would not add the comments about exaggeration unless one of your sources says that. A better idea would be a footnote next to 50,000 saying, "Casualties may be exaggerated (Procopius, p. ##)."
  •  Done per your suggestion

• Prelude: "Byzantine General Belisarius, after his victory in the Vandalic War..." Since this is a GA class article, I think that this deserves an opening paragraph of about 3 sentences describing the key events of the Vandalic War. You can make current paragraph 1 into paragraph 2 without changing anything.
  •  Done added

• Prelude: Esdilasas needs a blue link. It is my understanding that you are allowed one in the introduction, one in the infobox, and one in the text/body.
  •  Done added

• Battle: Holmes has a few more details, but you can add those later. Holmes says that Procopius alleges that many prisoners were taken and sold as slaves in the Carthage market. Since you have Procopius as a source, you ought to add that.
  •  Done added

• Battle: Since this is GA class, it would be appropriate to add as many details as your sources mention.
  •  Done added
    • GA class. Djmaschek (talk) 03:37, 15 September 2026 (UTC)