Read the _History_ of Theophanes of Byzantium[256] in ten books. The
first book begins with the war against the Persians, which broke
out after the treaty concluded between Justinian and Chosroës was
renounced by Chosroës himself and Justin the successor of Justinian,
at the end of the second year of his reign. The history begins at
this point, and goes down to the tenth year of the war. In the first
book the author also mentions that he has written another work on the
history of Justinian; indeed, it is evident that he added other books
to these ten. In this book he narrates how the treaty was annulled.
Justin sent Comentiolus to demand the return of Suania from Chosroës,
who promised to give it back, but did not keep his promise. At this
time there was also a severe earthquake throughout Mesopotamia, a
prelude to the calamities that were to come.
The Turks, formerly called Massagetae, and by the Persians
Kirmikhiones, who live to the east of the Tanaïs (Don), at this time
sent an embassy with gifts to the emperor Justin, beseeching him
not to receive the Avars. Justin accepted the gifts, received the
ambassadors kindly, and dismissed them. When the Avars subsequently
approached Justin, requesting permission to inhabit Pannonia and
desiring to conclude peace, he refused, owing to the agreement he had
made with the Turks.
During the reign of Justinian, a certain Persian, a visitor to
Byzantium, explained to the emperor the art of rearing silkworms,
hitherto unknown to the Romans. This Persian, who had come from
the land of the Seres,[257] concealed the eggs of the silkworms in
a hollow cane and conveyed them to Byzantium. At the beginning of
spring, the eggs were placed upon mulberry leaves, on which the worms
fed when hatched, afterwards turning into moths, which spun the silk.
When king Justin afterwards showed the Turks how the worms were bred
and how silk was made, he greatly surprised them, since at that
time they had possession of the markets and harbours of the Seres,
formerly held by the Persians. Ephthalanus, king of the Ephthalites,
from whom the tribe derived its name, having defeated Perozes and
the Persians, drove them out of their territory and took possession
of it, being themselves shortly afterwards in turn defeated and
dispossessed by the Turks. Zemarchus, an ambassador sent by Justin
to the Turks, entertained them at a magnificent banquet and having
been received with every kindness returned home. Chosroës thereupon
marched against the Aethiopians (formerly called Macrobii,[258] and
at that time Homerites), who were on friendly terms with the Romans;
with the aid of Miranes,[259] the Persian general, he captured
Sanaturces, king of the Homerites, sacked their city and enslaved
the inhabitants. The author also relates how the Armenians, being
ill-treated by Surenas, especially in the matter of religion, entered
into a conspiracy with Vardanes (whose brother Manuel had been put
to death by Surenas) and a certain Vardus, slew Surenas, revolted
from the Persians and went over to the Romans, abandoning the town of
Dubios where they lived and crossing into Roman territory. This was
the chief reason why the Persians broke the treaty with the Romans.
Immediately afterwards the Iberians also revolted and with their
king, Gurgenes, deserted to the Romans. At that time Tiphilis was the
capital of Iberia.
Marcian, cousin of the emperor Justin, who had been appointed
commander in the East, was sent against Chosroës in the eighth year
of Justin’s reign. John, the general of Armenia, and Miranes, the
Persian leader (who was also called Baramaanes), collected an army to
oppose them. The Armenians were joined by the Colchians, the Abasgi,
and Saroes, king of the Alani; Miranes by the Sabiri, Daganes, and
the tribe of the Dilmaini.[260] Marcian defeated Miranes at Nisibis
and put him to flight; 1200 Persians were killed and seventy taken
prisoners, while the Roman loss was only seven. Marcian also laid
siege to Nisibis. Chosroës, when he heard of this got together
40,000 cavalry and more than 100,000 infantry, and hastened to its
assistance to attack the Romans. In the meantime Marcian was accused
to the emperor of aiming at the throne. Justin, persuaded of the
truth of the charge, dismissed him from the command and appointed
Theodore, the son of Justinian surnamed Tzirus, in his stead. This
led to disturbances, the Romans raised the siege, and Chosroës
besieged and reduced Daras.