Taken From De Re
Militari
The Campaigns of Emperor Herakleios (620-6),
according to the Chronicle of Theophanes Confessor
The Chronicle of Theophanes is the last and most extensive work in Greek in the genre of chronographic narrative established by Eusebius in the early fourth century AD. The work covers more than half a millennium from the accession of Diocletian (AD 284) down to the Byzantine emperor Michael I (813), but the Chronicle arose from an even more ambitious project: a complete account of universal history from the Creation, conceived and carried as far as Diocletian by Theophanes' friend George Synkellos. Theophanes, according to his introduction, completed the remainder, using materials gathered by George, after George's death. The narrative of Theophanes' contribution therefore runs from the Roman imperial restoration of the Tetrarchs to the world of the iconoclast Byzantine emperors, the Abbasid caliphates, and the Carolingian emperors. Though the bulk of entries concerns imperial and ecclesiastical politics in Byzantine Constantinople, events in the late- and post- Roman West, Sassanian Persia, and Islamic Syria feature regularly. Theophanes covers much of the geographical and temporal spread of late Antiquity, and his Chronicle is a valuable companion to the study of the period. Much of the material in the latter part of the Chronicle is unique, but the earlier section, up to the beginning of the seventh century, consists largely of selections from sources (some of the most important of which were in turn compendia of earlier works) which are either extant or for which close comparanda exist. The whole is a rich and diverse mine of data. Despite the difficulties in using Theophanes, whose chronography is often brave but flawed, the Chronicle is a constant point of reference for much work in late antique or early Byzantine history if only because of its compass alone.
The following section, covering
the years 620 to 626, are among the first writings by Theophanes where his
material is unique and very valuable. They cover the military campaigns
of the Byzantine Emperor Herakleios (also called Heraclius), who reigned from
610 to 641 AD. When Herakleios first came to the throne in 610, the
Byzantine Empire was being attacked from numerous sides. In the west, the
Avars and Slavs were expanding into the northern Balkans. The Slavs controlled
the Danube regions, Thrace, Macedonia, and were soon invading Central Greece
and the Peloponnesus. In the east, meanwhile, the Persians under the rule
of Chosroes had begun a series of successful attacks on the empire resulting
in the loss of Damascus in 613, Jerusalem in 614 (destroying the Church of
the Holy Sepulchre and capturing the Holy Cross) and Egypt in 619. Recognizing
the difficulty in fighting on two opposing fronts at the same time, Herakleios
signed a peace treaty with the Avars in 619, and focused on the eastern half
of the empire. In the spring of 622, Herakleios left Constantinople for Asia
Minor and began training his troops over the summer, focusing on a more involved
role for the Byzantine cavalry.
In the autumn, Herakleios' army invaded Armenia and soon won several victories
over the Persians. The Avars, in the meantime, became restless and Herakleios
was forced to renegotiate the peace treaty with them at a much higher tribute
level. Herakleios then returned to the army and for the next several years
unsuccessfully attempted to break through the Persian army and into Persia.
In August of 626 while Herakleios and his army were in Lazica away from Constantinople,
a Persian army attacked the city from the east while an army of Avars, Slavs,
and Bulgars attacked from the west and from the sea. On August 10, the Byzantine
navy was able to defeat the opposing fleet and then rout the combined Slav
and Avar land force. With the defeat of their allies, the Persians retreated
to Syria.
In the autumn of 626 (or 627), Herakleios began to work his way into Persian
territory winning an important battle in December at Nineveh during which
most of the Persian army was destroyed. As Herakleios continued to move further
into Persian territory, Chosroes was deposed and succeeded by his son Kavadh-Siroe
whose first act was to secure a treaty with Herakleios. The treaty was very
favorable to the Byzantines and returned all the former Byzantine territories
to the empire. Please note that there are several errors in Theophanes'
dating of various events.
AD 620/1
In this year, on
4 April, indiction 10, the emperor
Herakleios, after celebrating the Easter feast, straight away set out against
Persia on Monday evening. Being short of funds
he took on loan the moneys of religious establishments and he also took the
candelabra and other vessels of the holy ministry from the Great Church,
which he minted into a great quantity of gold and silver coin. He left his
own son at Constantinople in the care of the patriarch Sergius to conduct
the business of state along with the patrician Bonosos, a man of prudence,
intelligence, and experience. He also wrote an exhortation to the Chagan
of the Avars that the latter might assist the Roman state inasmuch as he
had concluded a treaty of friendship with him, and he named the Chagan guardian
of his son. Setting out from the Imperial City he went by ship to Pylai,
as the place is called. From there he proceeded
to the country of the themata, where he collected his armies
and added new contingents to them. He began to train them and instruct them
in military deeds. He divided the army into two and bade them draw up battle
lines and attack each other without loss of blood; he taught them the battle
cry, battle songs and shouts, and how
to be on the alert so that, even if they found themselves in a real war,
they should not be frightened, but should courageously move against the enemy
as if it were a game. Taking in his hands the
likeness of the Man-God - the one that was not painted by hand, but which
the Logos, who shapes and fashions everything, wrought like an image without
recourse to painting, just as He experienced birth without seed - the emperor
placed his trust in this image painted by God and began his endeavours after
giving a pledge to his army that he would struggle with them unto death and
would be united with them as with his own children; for he wished his authority
to be derived not from fear, but rather from love. Having found, then, the
army in a state of great sluggishness, cowardice, indiscipline, and disorder,
and scattered over many parts of the earth, he speedily gathered everyone
together. As by common agreement, everyone praised the might and courage
of the emperor. And he spoke to them these words of encouragement: 'You see,
O my brethren and children, how the enemies of God have trampled upon our
land, have laid our cities waste, have burnt our sanctuaries and have filled
with the blood of murder the altars of the bloodless sacrifice; how they
defile with their impassioned pleasures our churches, which do not admit
of the passions.' Once again he prepared the
army for a warlike exercise and formed two armed contingents; and the trumpeters,
the ranks of shield-bearers and men in armour stood by.
When he had securely marshalled the two companies he bade them attack
each other: there were violent collisions and mutual conflict, and a semblance
of war was to be seen. One could observe a frightening sight, yet one without
the fear of danger, murderous clashes without blood, the forms (of violence)
without violence, so that each man might draw a lesson from that safe slaughter
and remain more secure. Having in this manner
fortified everyone, he bade them abstain from injustice and cleave to piety.
When he had reached the region of Armenia, he ordered (a band of picked men to take the van. The Saracens were then tributaries of the Persians,) and a multitude of their horsemen were intending to fall upon the emperor unawares. But the emperor's advance party met them and brought their leader captive to Herakleios; and having routed them, killed a great number. Since winter had set in, and the emperor had turned aside (to) the region of Pontos, the barbarians decided (to besiege him) in his winter quarters. Evading the Persians, however, he turned round and invaded Persia. When the barbarians learnt of this, they were cast down by the unexpectedness of his invasion. As for Sarbaros, the Persian commander, he took his forces and came to Cilicia that he might turn the emperor round by his attack on Roman territory. Fearing, however, lest the emperor invade Persia by way of Armenia and cause disturbance therein, he could not make up his mind what to do. Even so, he was compelled to follow the Roman army from behind, seeking a chance to steal a fight and attack them on a dark night. But there was that night a full moon and he was foiled in his scheme and uttered imprecations against the moon whom he had previously worshipped; and it so happened that the moon suffered an eclipse that night. Because of this, Sarbaros was afraid to attack the emperor and he made for the mountains as the deer do, and observed from a height the beautifully ordered generalship of the Romans. When the emperor became aware of his cowardice, he boldly encamped in places affording ample repose and provoked him to war. Often the Persians would come secretly down from the mountains and engage in sporadic conflict, and on all occasions the Romans had the upper hand and their army was further emboldened by seeing the emperor dashing forward in front of all the others and fighting courageously. There was a certain Persian, who a short time previously had come as a runaway and joined the emperor's army. This man escaped and went over to the Persians expecting them to destroy the Roman armament. But when he had perceived their cowardice, he returned to the emperor on the tenth day' and reported to him exactly the barbarians' timidity.
As for Sarbaros, he could not endure any longer
his sojourn on the mountain and was compelled to rush into battle. He divided
his army into three parts and suddenly came down at daybreak, before the
sun had risen, all ready for war. But the emperor
had foreseen this, and he, too, marshalled his army into three phalanxes
and led them into battle. When the sun had risen, the emperor happened to
be on the east side so that the sun's rays blinded the Persians - those rays
that they worshipped as a god. The emperor feigned
that his men had turned to flight and the Persians broke their ranks to pursue
them, as they thought, without restraint. But the Romans turned round and
routed them valiantly; they killed many men and others they drove to the
mountain and pushed them into precipices and inaccessible places and destroyed
all of them. And in those precipices they remained like wild goats, while
many were captured alive. The Persian camp and all their equipment were also
taken. The Romans raised their arms aloft to give thanks to God and to praise
earnestly their emperor who had led them well. For they, who previously had
not dared to behold the Persians' dust, now found their tents undisturbed
and looted them. Who had expected that the hard-fighting
race of the Persians would ever show their backs to the Romans? As for the emperor, he left the army with its commander
to winter in Armenia, while he himself return to Byzantium.
AD 621/2
In this year, on
15 March, indiction 11, the emperor Herakleios set out from the Imperial
City and speedily arrived in Armenia. As for
Chosroes, the emperor of the Persians,
he dispatched Sarbarazas, with his own army, to invade Roman territory. Herakleios
wrote a letter to Chosroes bidding him embrace peace; if not, he would invade
Persia with his army. But Chosroes neither embraced peace nor did he take
any account of the statement that Herakleios would dare approach Persia.
And on 20 April the emperor invaded Persia. When Chosroes
learnt of this, he ordered Sarbarazas to turn back; and having gathered his
armies from all of Persia, he entrusted them to Sain, whom he commanded to
join Sarbarazas with all speed and so proceed against the emperor. As for
Herakleios, he called together his troops and roused them with these words
of exhortation: 'Men, my brethren, let us keep in mind the fear of God and
fight to avenge the insult done to God. Let us stand bravely against the enemy
who have inflicted many terrible things on the Christians. Let us respect
the sovereign state of the Romans and oppose the enemy who are armed with
impiety. Let us be inspired with faith that defeats murder. Let us be mindful
of the fact that we are within the Persian land and that flight carries a
great danger. Let us avenge the rape of our virgins and be afflicted in our
hearts as we see the severed limbs of our soldiers.
The danger is not without recompense: nay, it leads to the eternal
life. Let us stand bravely, and the Lord our God will assist us and destroy
the enemy.'
When
the emperor had spoken these and many other words of exhortation, they replied
one and all: 'Thou hast expanded our hearts, O Sire, by opening thy lips
to encourage us. Thy words have sharpened our swords and imbued them with
life. Thou hast given us wing by thy statements. We blush to see thee leading
us in battle, and we follow thy commands.'
So the
emperor took up his army and straight away made for the heart of Persia, burning
the towns and villages. And there happened at this stage an awesome miracle.
For at the time of the summer solstice the air became cool and refreshed
the Roman army so that they became filled with fair hopes. And when Herakleios
heard that Chosroes was in the town of Gazakko with 40,000
fighting men, he rushed against him. He sent
forward some of his subject Saracens as an advance party and they encountered
the watch of Chosroes, some of whom they killed, whilst others they captured
and brought to the emperor together with their commander. When he had learnt
of this, Chosroes abandoned the town and his army and took to flight. Herakleios
gave pursuit, and some he overtook and killed, whilst the rest escaped and
scattered. And when the emperor reached the town of Gazakos, (he restored
his army in its suburbs. The Persians who had taken refuge with him said
that Chosroes had destroyed with fire all the crops in those parts and had
fled to the town of Thebarmais) in the east, wherein were the temple of Fire
and the treasure of Croesus, king of Lydia, and the deceit of the coals. Setting out from Gazakos, the emperor reached Thebarmais,
which he entered and burnt down the temple of Fire as well as the entire
city; and he pursued Chosroes in the defiles of the land of the Medes. Chosroes
went from place to place in this difficult terrain, whilst Herakleios, as
he was pursuing him, captured many towns and lands. When winter had set in,
he took counsel to decide where he should winter together with his army.
Some said that they should do so in Albania, Mothers that they should push
ahead against Chosroes himself. The emperor ordered that the army should
purify itself for three days. He then opened the holy Gospel and found a
passage that directed him to winter in Albania. So he immediately turned
back and hastened to Albania. As he had with him numerous Persian captives,
he was the object of several attacks by the Persian troops on the intervening
journey, but with God's help was victorious against all of them. In spite
of the severe winter cold that overtook him on the way, he reached Albania
with 50 000 captives whom, in his compassionate heart, he pitied and liberated.
He granted them proper care and repose so that all of them prayed with tears
in their eyes that he should become the saviour even of Persia and slay Chosroes,
the destroyer of the world.
AD 622/3
In this year Chosroes, emperor of the Persians, appointed as his commander Sarablangas, an energetic man filled with great vanity; and having entrusted him with the contingents of the so-called Chosroegetai and Perozitai, sent him against Herakleios in Albania. They pushed ahead to the boundaries of Albania, but did not dare confront the emperor in battle; instead, they seized the passes that led to Persia in the belief that they would trap him. At the beginning of spring Herakleios set out from Albania and made his way towards Persia through level plains that provided an abundance of food, even if, by this lengthy detour, he was covering a great distance. Sarablangas, on the other hand, pushed ahead by the narrow and shorter way so as to anticipate him in Persian territory.
Herakleios exhorted his army with these words:
'Let us be aware, O brethren, that the Persian army, as it wanders through
difficult country, is exhausting and debilitating its horses. As for us, let
us hasten with all speed against Chosroes so that, falling upon him unexpectedly,
we may throw him into confusion.' The troops, however, opposed this course,
especially the Laz, Abasgian, and Iberian allies. For this reason they fell
into misfortune. For Sarbarazas, too, had arrived with his troops, whom Chosroes
had armed mightily and sent against Herakleios by way of Armenia. As for
Sarablangas, he was following Herakleios from behind and did not engage him,
expecting, as he did, to join Sarbarazas and then give battle. When the Romans had been apprised of the onset
of Sarbarazas, they were seized by timidity and fell at the emperor's feet,
repenting with tears of their misguided disobedience; for they knew how great
an evil it is when a servant does not yield to his master's wishes. And they
said: 'Stretch out your hand, O lord, before we miserable ones perish. We
obey you in whatever you command.' Then the emperor hastened to engage Sarablangas
before the latter had been joined by the army of Sarbarazas and, having made
many sorties against him both by night and by day, reduced him to a state
of timidity. Leaving both of them in his rear, he pushed on with all speed
against Chosroes. Now two Romans deserted to the Persians and persuaded them
that the Romans were fleeing out of cowardice. Another rumour had also reached
them, namely that Sain, the Persian commander, was coming to their help with
another army. When Sarablangas and Sarbarazas learnt this, they strove to
engage Herakleios in battle before Sain had arrived and transferred to himself
the glory of victory. Trusting also the deserters, they moved against Herakleios
and, when they drew near to him, encamped, intending to engage him in the
morning. But Herakleios set out in the evening and marched all night; and
when he had gone a long distance from them, he found a grassy plain and encamped
in it. The barbarians, thinking that he was fleeing out of cowardice, pushed
on in a disorderly manner so as to overtake him. But he met them and gave
battle. He occupied a certain wooded hill and, gathering there his army,
routed the barbarians with God's help and slew a multitude of them after
pursuing them through the ravines. (Sarablangas
fell, too, struck with a sword in his back.) As these struggles were going
on, Sain also arrived with his army, and the emperor routed him and slew
many of his men, whilst the rest he scattered as they were fleeing; and he
captured their camp equipment. Sarbarazas then joined forces with Sain and
gathered together the barbarians who had survived. And, once again, they
made plans to move against Herakleios. As for the emperor, he pushed on to
the land of the Huns, through the rough and inaccessible places of their
difficult country, while the barbarians followed him from behind. Now the
Lazi and the Abasgians took fright; they broke their alliance with the Romans
and returned to their own country. Sain was pleased at this and, together
with Sarbaros, eagerly pressed on against Herakleios. The emperor gathered
his troops and gave them courage by assuaging them with these words of exhortation:
Be not disturbed, O brethren, by the multitude (of the enemy). For when God
wills it, one man will rout a thousand. So let us sacrifice ourselves to God for the
salvation of our brothers. May we win the crown of martyrdom so that
we maybe praised in
AD 623/4
In this year, on
1 March, the emperor Herakleios collected his army and took counsel as to
which road he should follow: for two roads lay before him, both narrow and
difficult, one leading to Taranton, the other to the land of Syria. And whereas
the one to Taranton was superior, it lacked every kind of food supply, whereas
the one to Syria that went over the Tauros provided a plentiful abundance
of food. Everyone gave preference to the latter, even though it was steeper
and covered with much snow. So, after traversing it with great toil, they
reached in seven days the river Tigris, which they crossed and arrived at
Martyropolis and Amida. The army and the captives rested there. From there
the emperor was able to send letters to Byzantium in which he described all
his actions, thus causing great joy in the City. As for Sarbaros, he collected
his scattered army and went after him. The emperor picked a band of soldiers
and sent them to guard the passes leading to his position; and sallying forth
to the eastward passages, he moved to confront Sarbaros. He crossed the Nymphios
river and reached the Euphrates, where there was a pontoon bridge made of
rope and boats. Sarbaros untied the ropes from one shore and shifted the whole
bridge to the other. When the emperor came and was unable to cross by the
bridge, he went by and found a ford which he safely traversed - an unexpected
feat in the month of March - and so reached Samosata. Once again he went
over the Tauros and arrived at Germanikeia; and, going by Adana, he came
to the river Saros. Now Sarbaros stretched the bridge back to its former
place and, crossing the Euphrates without hindrance, followed him from behind.
The emperor crossed the bridge of the Saros and, finding a place to rest
his army and horses, encamped there. Sarbaros, in the meantime, reached the
opposite bank. He found the bridge and its forward bastions occupied by the
Romans, so he encamped. Now many of
the Romans made disorderly sorties across the bridge and attacked the Persians,
among whom they caused much slaughter. The emperor forbade them to sally
forth indiscriminately lest the enemy found a means of entering the bridge
and crossing it at the same time they did, but the army did not obey the
emperor. Now Sarbaros set up ambuscades and, feigning flight, drew many of
the Romans to cross over in pursuit against the emperor's wish. He then turned
round and routed them, and killed as many as he overtook outside the bridge
- a punishment of their disobedience. When the emperor saw that the barbarians
had broken ranks in pursuit and that many of the Romans who were standing
upon the bastions were being slain, he moved against them. A giant of a man
confronted the emperor in the middle of the bridge and attacked him, but
the emperor struck him and threw him into the river. When this man had fallen,
the barbarians turned to flight land, because of the narrowness of the bridge,
jumped into the river like frogs, whilst others were being killed by the
sword. But the bulk of the barbarians poured over the river bank: they shot
arrows and resisted the passage of the Romans. The emperor did cross to the
other side and bravely opposed the barbarians with a few men of his guard.
He fought in a superhuman manner so that even Sarbaros was astonished and
said (to) one Kosmas (a runaway Roman and an apostate) who was standing close
to him: 'Do you see, O Kosmas, how boldly the Caesar stands in battle, how
he fights alone against such a multitude and wards off blows like an anvil?' For he was recognized by his purple boots, and received
many blows, although none (of a serious nature in this battle. And after
they had fought this battle all day,) when evening came, they drew apart. Sarbaros became frightened and retreated in the night.
As for the emperor, he collected his army and hastened to the city of Sebasteia.
After crossing the river Halys, he spent the whole winter in that land.
Chosroes
in his rage sent emissaries to confiscate the treasure of all the churches
that were under Persian rule. And he forced the Christians to convert to
the religion of Nestorios so as to wound the emperor.
AD 624/5
In this year Chosroes, emperor of Persia,
made a new levy by conscripting strangers, citizens, and slaves whom he selected
from every nation. He placed this picked body under the command of Sain and
gave him, in addition, another 50 000 men chosen from the phalanx of Sarbaros.
He called them the Golden Spearmen and sent them against the emperor. As
for Sarbaros, he dispatched him with his remaining army against Constantinople
with a view to establishing an alliance between the western Huns (who are
called Avars) and the Bulgars, Slavs, and Gepids, and so advancing on the
City and laying siege to it. When the emperor learnt of this, he divided
his army into three contingents: the first he sent to protect the City; the
second he entrusted to his own brother Theodore, whom he ordered to fight
Sain; the third part he took himself and advanced to Lazica. During his stay
there he invited the eastern Turks, who are called Chazars, to become his
allies. Now Sain with his newly recruited army overtook the emperor's brother
and prepared for battle. With God's help (by the mediation of the all-praised
Theotokos), when battle was joined a storm of hail fell
unexpectedly on the barbarians and struck down many of them, whereas the
Roman array enjoyed fair weather. So the Romans routed the Persians and slew
a great multitude of them. When Chosroes learnt of this, he was angered at
Sain. And Sain, because of his great despondency fell ill and died. By order
of Chosroes his body was preserved in salt and conveyed to him; and, though
it was dead, he subjected it to illtreatment.
Now the
Chazars broke through the Caspian Gates and invaded Persia, that is the land
of Adraigan, under their commander Ziebe who was second in rank
after the Chagan. And in all the lands they traversed .they made the Persians
captive and burnt the towns and villages. The emperor, too, set out from
Lazica and joined them. When Ziebel saw him, he rushed to meet him, kissed
his neck, and did obeisance to him, while the Persians were looking on from
the town of Tiphilios. And the entire army of
the Turks fell flat on the ground and, stretched out on their faces, reverenced
the emperor with an honour that is unknown among alien nations. Likewise,
their commanders climbed on rocks and fell flat in the same manner. Ziebel
also brought before the emperor his adolescent son, and he took as much pleasure
in the emperor's conversation as he was astonished by his appearance and
wisdom. After picking 40,000 brave men, Ziebel gave them to the emperor as
allies, while he himself returned to his own land. Taking these men along,
the emperor advanced on Chosroes.
As for
Sarbaros, he attacked Chalcedon, while the Avars approached the City by way
of Thrace with a view to capturing it. They set in motion many engines against
it and filled the gulf of the Horn with an immense multitude, beyond all
number, whom they had brought from the Danube in carved boats. After investing
the City by land and sea for ten days, they were vanquished by God's might
and help and by the intercession of the immaculate Virgin, the Mother of
God. Having lost great numbers, both on land and on sea, they shamefully
returned to their country. Sarbaros, however,
who was besieging Chalcedon, did not depart, but wintered there, laying waste
and pillaging the regions and towns across the strait.
AD 625/6
In this year the emperor Herakleios, by invading
Persia together with the Turks starting in the month of September - an unexpected
move, since it was winter - threw Chosroes into a state of distraction when
the news had reached him. But the Turks, in view of the winter and the constant
attacks of the Persians, could not bear to toil together with the emperor
and started, little by little, to slip away until all of them had left and
returned home. Now the emperor addressed his troops, saying: 'Know, O brothers,
that no one wishes to fight with us, except God and His Mother who bore Him
without seed, and this that He may show His might, since salvation does not
lie in the abundance of soldiers and weapons, but to those who trust in His
mercy) He sends down His aid.'
As for
Chosroes, he collected all his armies and appointed Razates commander over
them, a most warlike and brave man, whom
he sent against Herakleios. The emperor meanwhile was burning the towns and
villages of Persia and putting to the sword the Persians he captured. On
9 October of the 15th indiction he reached the land of Chamaetha,
where he rested his army for one week. As for Razates, he came to Gazakos,
in the emperor's rear, and followed him, while the Romans, in front, were
destroying the crops. Trailing behind, like a
hungry dog, he fed with difficulty on the emperor's crumbs. On 1 December
the emperor reached the Great Zabas river, which he crossed and encamped
near the town of Nineveh. Following him, Razates, too, came to the ford and,
going another three miles downstream, found another ford which he crossed.
The emperor sent out the commander Baanes with a small body of picked soldiers;
the latter encountered a company of Persians and, after killing their captain,
brought back his head and his sword, which was all of gold. He killed many
more and made twenty-six captive, among whom was the sword-bearer of Razates.
This man announced to the emperor that Razates was intending to give battle
on orders from Chosroes, who had sent him 3,000 armed men; but these had
not yet arrived. When the emperor had been informed of this, he sent ahead
his camp equipment and himself followed, seeking a place in which to give
battle before the 3,000 had joined the enemy. And when he had found a plain
suitable for fighting, he addressed his troops and drew them up in battle
order. Upon arriving there, Razates also drew up his army in three dense
formations and advanced on the emperor. Battle was given on Saturday, 12 December. The emperor sallied forward in front of everyone
and met the commander of the Persians, and, by God's might and the help of
the Theotokos, threw him down; and those who had sallied forth with him were
routed. Then the emperor met another Persian in combat and cast him down
also. Yet a third assailed him and struck him with a spear, wounding his
lip; but the emperor slew him, too. And when the trumpets had sounded, the
two sides attacked each other and, as a violent battle was being waged, the
emperor's tawny horse called Dorkon, was wounded in the thigh by some infantryman
who struck it with a spear. It also received several blows of the sword on
the face, but, wearing as it did a cataphract made of sinew, it was not hurt,
nor were the blows effective. Razates fell in battle, as did the three divisional
commanders of the Persians, nearly all of their officers, and the greater
part of their army. As for the Romans, fifty were killed and a considerable
number wounded, but they did not die, save for another ten. That battle was
waged from morning until the 11th hour. The Romans captured twenty-eight
standards of the Persians, not counting those that had been
After encouraging his army, the emperor pushed
on against Chosroes with a view to frightening him and making him recall
Sarbaros from Byzantium [from Chalcedon]. On 21 December the emperor was informed
that the army of Razates - as much of it as had escaped from the battle -
had been joined by the 3,000 men
dispatched by Chosroes and had reached Nineveh in pursuit of him. After crossing
the Great Zabas, the emperor (dispatched the turmarch George with 1000 men
to ride forward and seize the bridges of the Lesser Zabas) before Chosroes
had become aware of it. After riding forty-eight miles, George seized the
four bridges of the Lesser Zabas in the night and captured the Persians he
found in the forts. On 23 December
the emperor reached the bridges, crossed them, and encamped in the mansions
of Iesdem; he rested both his army and his horses and celebrated the feast
of Christ's Nativity in that place. When Chosroes was informed that the Romans
had seized the bridges of the Lesser Zabas, he sent a message to the army
that had been under Razates that they should try very hard to overtake the
emperor so as to join him. Making haste, they crossed the Lesser Zabas in
another place and overtook the emperor, in front of whom they now marched.
As for the emperor, he came upon (a palace called Dezeridan, which he destroyed
and burnt, while the Persians crossed the bridge of the river Tornas and
encamped there. The emperor came upon) a second palace of Chosroes called
Rousa and this, too, he destroyed. He suspected that the enemy were going
to fight him at the bridge of the river Tornas; but when they saw him, they
abandoned the bridge and fled. So the emperor crossed without hindrance and
reached another palace called Beklal;
here a hippodrome had been built, and he destroyed it. Several of the Armenians
who accompanied the Persians came to the emperor (at night) and said: 'Chosroes
with his elephants and his own army is encamped five miles on this side of
the palace called Dastagerd, in a place called Barasroth,
and he has given instructions that his forces should assemble there and fight
you. There is a river there that is difficult to cross, and a narrow bridge,
and many cramped spaces between buildings, and fetid streams.' After taking
counsel with his officers and his army, the emperor remained in the palace
of Beklal. He found therein in one enclosure 300 corn-fed ostriches, and in another about
500 corn-fed gazelles, and in another 100 corn-fed wild asses, and all of
these he gave to his soldiers. And they celebrated 1 January there. They
also found sheep, pigs, and oxen without number, and the whole army rested
contentedly and gave glory to God. They caught the herdsmen of these cattle
and were exactly informed by them that Chosroes had learnt on 23 December that the emperor had crossed the
bridge of the Tornas and forthwith set out from the palace of Dastagerd (making
all speed for Ctesiphon, and all the money he had in the palace he loaded
on the elephants, camels, and mules that were in his service, and he wrote
to the army of Razates that they should enter that same palace and the houses
of the noblemen and take away anything they found therein. So the emperor
sent one half of his army to Dastagerd), while he himself went by a different
road to another palace called Bebdarch. This,
too, they destroyed and burnt, and they thanked God for having wrought such
wonders by the intercession of the Theotokos. For
who had expected that Chosroes would flee before the Roman emperor from his
palace at Dastagerd and go off to Ctesiphon, when, for twenty-four years,
he would not suffer to behold Ctesiphon, but had his royal residence at Dastagerd?
In his palace of Dastagerd the Roman army found 300 Roman standards which
the Persians had captured at different times. They also found the goods that
had been left behind, namely a great quantity of aloes and big pieces of aloes
wood, each weighing 70 or 80 lbs., much silk and pepper, more linen
shirts than one could count, sugar, ginger, and many other goods. Others
found silver, silken garments, woolen rugs, and woven carpets - a great quantity
of them and very beautiful, but on account of their weight they burnt them
all. They also burnt the tents of Chosroes and the porticoes he set up whenever
he encamped in a plain, and many of his statues. They also found in this
palace an infinite number of ostriches, gazelles, wild asses, peacocks, and
pheasant, and in the hunting park huge live lions and tigers. Many of the
captives from Edessa, Alexandria, and other cities – a great throng of them
– sought with the emperor. The emperor celebrated at Dastagerd the feast of the
Epiphany; he gladdened and restored his army while he destroyed the palaces
of Chosroes. These priceless, wonderful and astonishing structures he demolished
to the ground so that Chosroes might learn how great a pain the Romans had
suffered when their cities were laid waste and burnt by him. Many of the
palace diaitarii were also arrested and, on being interrogated as
to when Chosroes had departed from Dastagerd, they said: 'Nine days before
your arrival he heard of your presence and secretly made a hole in the city
wall near the palace. In this way he went out unhindered through the gardens,
he with his wife and children, so there should not be a tumult in the city.'
Indeed, neither his army was aware of it nor his noblemen until he had gone
five miles; at which point he announced that they should follow him in the
direction of Ctesiphon. And this man who was incapable of travelling five
miles in one day, travelled twenty-five in his flight. His wives and children,
who previously had not laid eyes on one another, now fled in disorder, one
jostling the other. When night had fallen, Chosroes took shelter in the house of an insignificant farmer whose
door barely let him through. When, later, Herakleios saw that door, he was
amazed. In three days Chosroes reached Ctesiphon. Twenty-four years earlier,
when he besieged Daras in the days of the Roman emperor Phokas, he had been
given an oracle by his magicians and astrologers, namely that he would perish
at the time he went to Ctesiphon; and although he would not suffer to go
one mile in that direction from Dastagerd, he now went to Ctesiphon as he
fled. But even there he did not dare stop; nay, he crossed the pontoon bridge
over the river Tigris to the town on the other side, which is called Seleukeia
by the Romans and Gouedeser by the Persians. He deposited all his money there
and remained there with his wife Seirem and three other women who were his
daughters. His remaining wives and his many children he sent to a stronghold
forty miles to the east.
Now some Persians spoke slanderously
to Chosroes concerning Sarbaros, namely that the latter was on the side of
the Romans and railed at him. So he sent one of his sword-bearers to Chalcedon
with an order to Kardarigas, Sarbaros' fellow-commander, in which he wrote
that Kardarigas should kill Sarbaros and, taking along the Persian army, hasten
to Persia to assist him. But the messenger who carried the letter was apprehended
by the Romans in the area of Galatia. His captors, eluding the Persians,
brought him to Byzantium and handed him over to the emperor's son. When the young emperor had ascertained the truth
from the courier, he straight away sent
for Sarbaros, who came into the emperor's presence. The emperor handed him
the letter addressed to Kardarigas and showed him the messenger. Sarbaros
read the letter and, being satisfied of its truth, immediately changed sides
and made a covenant with the emperor's son and the patriarch. He falsified
Chosroes' letter by inserting in it the instruction that, along with himself,
another four hundred satraps, commanders, tribunes, and centurions should
be killed, and he cunningly replaced the seal on it. He then convened his
commanders and Kardarigas himself and, after reading the letter, said to
Kardarigas: 'Are you resolved to do this?' The
commanders were filled with anger and renounced Chosroes, and they made a
peaceful settlement with the emperor. After taking common counsel, they decided
to depart from Chalcedon and return home without causing any damage.
Now Herakleios wrote to Chosroes: 'I am pursuing you as I hasten towards peace. For it is not of my free will that I am burning Persia, but constrained by you. Let us, therefore, throw down our arms even now and embrace peace. Let us extinguish the fire before it consumes everything.' But Chosroes did not accept these proposals, and so the hatred of the Persian people grew against him. He conscripted all the retainers of his noblemen and all his servants and those of his wives and, having armed them, sent them to join the army of Razates and take a stand on the river Narbas, twelve miles from Ctesiphon. He commanded them that when the emperor had crossed the river, they should cut the pontoon bridge. As for the emperor, he set out from Dastagerd on 7 January and, after marching three days, encamped twelve miles from the river Narbas, where the Persian camp lay and where they had 200 elephants. The emperor sent George, turmarch of the Armeniacs; as far as the river to ascertain whether the Narbas had a ford. And when he had found that they had cut the bridges and that the Narbas had no ford, he returned to the emperor. Setting forth, the emperor came to Siazouros and, for the whole of the month of February, he went about burning the villages and the towns. In the month of March he came to a village called Barzan, where he spent seven days; and he dispatched the commander Mezezios on a foray. A certain Goundabousan, who was captain of a thousand men in the army of Sarbaros, went over to him together with five others, three of whom were captains and two officers of other rank; and he brought them to the emperor. This man Goundabousan announced some vital news to the emperor, saying that 'When Chosroes fled from Dastagerd and went to Ctesiphon and Seleukeia, he contracted dysentery and wanted to crown his son Merdasan who was born to Seirem. And he crossed the river again and brought with him Merdasan along with Seirem and her other son Saliar. As for his firstborn son Siroes and his brothers and wives, he left them on the other side of the river. When Siroes was informed that Chosroes was intending to crown Merdasan, he was troubled and sent his foster-brother to Goundabousan with this message, "Come to the other side of the river that I may meet you." But Goundabousan was afraid to cross on account of Chosroes and declared to him, "Write me whatever it is you wish through your foster-brother." So Siroes wrote him the following: "You know how the Persian state has been destroyed by this evil man Chosroes, and now he intends to crown Merdasan and has scorned me, the firstborn. If you tell the army that they should accept me, I shall increase their pay and make peace with the Roman emperor (and with the Turks), and we shall live in plenty. So strive with your men that I should become king. I will then promote and support all of you, and yourself in particular." I informed him through his foster-brother that I would speak to the army and strive to the best of my ability. And I spoke to twenty-two captains and won them over to my views, as well as many other officers and soldiers. I announced this to Siroes, who instructed me that on 23 March I should take some young regulars and meet him at the pontoon bridge of the Tigris river, present him to the army, and set forth against Chosroes. And, furthermore, that Siroes had with him the two sons of Sarbarazas, the son of Iesdem, the son of Aram, and many other sons of noblemen - a select company. If they succeed in killing Chosroes, well and good; but if they fail, all of them, including Siroes, will go over to the emperor. He sent me to you, O lord, because he feels ashamed before the Roman Empire; for, once upon a time, it saved Chosroes and, on his account, the land of the Romans has suffered many ills. Because of his ingratitude, he says, the emperor will have no reason to trust me either.'
Now the emperor sent this man back to Siroes
with the message that he should open the prisons and bring out the Romans
confined therein, and give them arms, and so move against Chosroes. Siroes
obeyed the emperor and, after releasing the prisoners, attacked his parricide
father Chosroes. The latter tried to escape, but failed and was captured.
They bound him securely with iron fetters, his elbows behind his back, and
hung iron weights on his feet and his neck, and so cast him in the House
of Darkness, which he himself had fortified and rebuilt to deposit his moneys
therein; and they starved him by giving him a paltry amount of bread and
water. For Siroes said, 'Let him eat the gold he collected in vain, on account
of which he starved many men and made the world desolate.' He sent to him the satraps that they might insult him
and spit upon him, and he brought Mardesan, whom he had wished to crown,
and slew him in his presence, and all his remaining children were killed
in front of him, and he sent all his enemies that they might insult him,
strike him, and spit upon him. After doing this for five days, Siroes commanded
that he should be killed with bow and arrows, and thus in slow pain he gave
up his wicked soul. Then Siroes wrote to the emperor to give him the good
tidings of the slaying of the foul Chosroes; and after making with him a
permanent peace, he handed back to him all the imprisoned Christians and the
captives held in every part of Persia together with the patriarch Zacharias
and the precious and life-giving Cross that had been taken from Jerusalem
by Sarbarazas, when the latter captured Jerusalem.