The history of the warres of the Emperour Justinian in eight books : of the Persian, II, Vandall, II, Gothicke, IV / written in Greek by Procopivs of Caesarea ; and Englished by Henry Holcroft, Knight.

CHAP. XIX.

BUt the mount rose to a great height, and went on apace. The Romans in perplexity, sent againe Ambassadors; who were sutors for the same things, but were not regarded, but driven out of the Persian camp, with scorn & hout∣ing. Then they began to raise their walls higher, toward the mount; But the Persians worke farr overtopping that also, they gave it over; And desired Mar∣tinus to procure a capitulation, as he would himself. He got as neer as he could to the camp, and spake with some Persian commanders; who to amuse him said, Their King desired peace, but could not perswade the Emperour to leave quarrelling. He could not deny Belisarius to be above Martinus in power, and place; who perswaded the King to retire from the midst of the Roman Provinces, with pro∣mises of Ambassadors to perfect the Treatie of peace; but he could not performe, be∣ing not able to force the Emperours will. In the mean time the Romans drew a mine to the enemies work; and commanded not to leave working, till they were under the middle of the Mount. Where being, the Persians above heard the noise; and finding what they did, cross-mined on both sides, to catch them in the middle. They perceaving it, stopt up their mine there with earth; and from underneath the part of the Mount next the town, carryed out the timber, stones, and earth, and made a little hollow roome; where they laid dry loggs steep't in Cedar oyle, and Assyrian pitch. During this preparation the Persian commanders in many meetings with Martinus discoursed to the effect afore∣said, seeming to entertaine a parley for Peace. But their mount being brought to perfection, and raised farr above the walls, they sent away Martinus; re∣fusing any composition; and fell to work. The Romans then set the dry loggs a fire: which burnt part of the Mount; but not spreading to the whole, and be∣ing burnt out, they brought more into the hollow roome. Then appeared the smoake from the Mount at night: and the Romans to prevent the discovery, shot small vessells filled with burning coales, and fire darts, thick over the mount: and the Persians thinking the smoake came from them, ran to quench them. But the fire prevailed, and the Barbarians pittifully crying, were shot and killed from the walls. At Sun-rising, Chosroes came with some of his army; went upon the Mount; and first found the mischief, shewing, how the smoake came not from that darted from the enemy, but from fire below; and he willed the army to shout. The Romans grew confident, and flouted them: They all cast on, some earth, others water, which abated the smoake there, but presently it burst out in another part more vehemently; The water also added force to the sulfur, and Assyrian pitch, and spread the fire more; and within, the fire

prevailed above the water; and about evening the smoke was so high, that it was seen at Carr••, and other neighbouring parts. There were fights also upon the Mount, wherein the Romans overcame. And now the flame rose cleerly; when the Persians abandoned the work. Six dayes after they assaulted some∣thing before day-light, (the Romans being dead asleep): And they set to their ladders, and were mounting: But a peasant awaking, called up the Romans. They fought; and the Persians were beaten to their camp; leaving their lad∣ders, which the Romans drew up. About midnight Chosroës sent a great part of his army to force the great Gate. The Romans (not onely Souldiers, but peasants and people) stood them, had the better, and routed them. As they were running, Paul the Interpreter put himself among the Romans, and told them, that Recimer was newly come from Constantinople an Ambassador about peace. So they parted. Recimer came to the Barbarians camp some dayes be∣fore; which they concealed from the Romans; expecting the event of their works; if those prosper'd, they resolved to come to no treatie; if they were beaten (as they now are) they might come to it fairely; the Romans having invited them. When Recimer was neer the city gate, the Persians demanded some to be sent out to treat an accord with Chosroës. They answered, they would within three dayes send Martinus, who now was sicke. Chosroës suspe∣cting the answer not to be sincere, prepared for warr; commanding store of bricks to be laid upon the Mount. Two dayes after he approached the walls with his whole army, and applyed his ladders and engines; and begirt the town; placing squadrons at every gate, & Saracens behind them; who when the town was taken, were to lay hold on run-awayes. The fight began in the morn∣ing, and at first the Persians had the better; being many against few; for the Romans were not aware of the assault. The fight proceeding, the city was full of tumult; the women and little children went to the walls; and the men re∣sisted valiantly; Many peasants did bravely. The women and children with the old men brought stones to the combatants. Some threw down boyling oyle. Then the Persians refused to fight any longer; telling the King plainely, they would not give on: Chosroës in a rage, threatning and urging them, brought them all on. And againe with shouts they applied their ladders, and engines, as if they would instantly enter. But the Romans defending in great numbers, the enemy fledd; and the Romans hiss't at Chosroes; daring him to the assault. Onely Azarethes with his troupes continued fighting about the gate of Soëna; and from a place called Tripugia, the valiantest of the Romans sallied. Other Persians assaulting an outwork, prest hard upon the defendants, till Peranius with many souldiers, and some Edessenians, having routed Aza∣rethes, rode up to these. So that Chosroes beginning the assault in the morning, gave it over late at night: Both passed the night unquietly; the Persians affraid of their trenches; the Romans providing stones and other things against ano∣ther assault the next morning; when the Barbarians came not on. But the day after, a part of the army animated by Chosroes set upon the gate of Barlaim; but were beaten back to their camp. Then Paul the Interpreter called up to the walls for Martinus, to treat an accord. Which he did; and Chosroës recea∣ving 50000. gold Staters from the Edessenians, subscribed the articles; pro∣mising no more to infest the Romans. In conclusion, setting his palissadoes and others works on fire, he went home with his army.

About this time died two Roman commanders, Justus, Justinians nephew, and Peranius the Iberian; the first by sickness, the other by a fall from his horse in hunting. In whose roomes the Emperour placed Marcellus, his sisters sonne, a youth, and Constantianus, afterward Ambassador to Chosroes about the treatie. These had audience in Assyria, where stand Seleucia, and Ctesiphon, faire cities, built by the Macedonians, who after Alexander the great raigned in Persia. Of which cities the Tigris bounds their territories; no other countrey being be∣tween them. Here finding the King, they demanded restitution of the places in Lazica, and ratification of the articles of peace. But Chosroes said, that a peace would hardly be, without a truce first for a time, during which by mu∣tuall concourse, and communication, they might more firmely determine the

Perpetuall Peace, and that the Romans to get it must give him money; and they must send him one Tribunus, with whom by a day certain he would con∣clude the businesse. This Tribunus, a Physitian, had cured Chosroes of a great sicknesse, for which he was his friend, and very gratefull. Justinian forth∣with sent him Tribunus; and of the money twenty thousand Staters. And so a Truce was concluded for five years, in the nineteenth year of Justinians reigne.

Shortly after Alamundarus and Arethas had a war, without any ayds of Per∣sians or Romans on either side. Alamundarus in an Inroade took a son of Are∣thas prisoner, and sacrificed him to Venus. From him was discovered, how Arethas sold the affairs of the Romans to the Persians. Afterward they came to a battel with their whole forces, wherein Arethas got the better, and rout∣ed the enemy, and killed many. A while after he had the pursuit of two sons of Alamundarus, but could not take them.

Notes

• Here againe the Latin trans∣lation fills up a great gap.
• 39062. l'. 10. s'. sterl.
• The Quinquen∣nial Cessation, An. Justin. 19. Anno Dommi 545.