The battle took place following a series of Arab raids around Gaza. The Byzantine commander (dux and candidatus) Sergius assembled a small detachment of soldiers (due to shortness of troops), and led that mounted army from his base at Caesarea some 125 kilometers south to the vicinity of Gaza. From there he proceeded against an Arab force that was likely numerically superior and commanded by Abu Umamah al-Bahili. The opposing forces met at the village of Dathin on February 4, 634 AD, not far from Gaza. The Byzantine were defeated and the candidatus Sergius himself was killed, together with 300 of his soldiers.