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. II.

BUt in the meane time this happened. Simeones (who gave up Pharangium to the Romans) in the heat of the warr obtained of Justinian some Arme∣nian villages; and having them, he was slaine by some of the ancient possessors; the murtherers being two brothers, the sons of Perozes, fled into ••ersia; and the Emperour Justinian gave the villages to Amazaspes, sisters son to Simeones, and made him governour of Armenia. After this a follower of Justinian, one Acacius, accused Amazaspes of confederacy, and plotting to deliver Theodo∣siopolis to the Persian, and other Townes, and by the Emperours direction put him to death treacherously, and was made Governour of Amenia: He was a wicked man, and so appeared, and most cruell to the Armenians, by unreasonable rapines,* 1.1 and by taxing them with a new tribute of foure Centenaries. The Armenians not able to endure him longer, conspired and killed him, then seized upon Pharangium: Against whom the Empe∣rour sent Sittas from Constantinople, where he had remained ever since the peace. He at first made a slow warr, striving to appease, and reduce them to their former affections; promising to get their new tribute remitted. But the Emperour, at the instigation of Adolius, the son of Acacius, reproach't him for dallying. Then he prepared to give battell, endeavouring with faire

promises to joyne some, to have the rest better cheape. The Apetians, a great and populous people, willing to submit, sent to him for assurance; that turn∣ing to the Roman Army from their own Countrey-men, they should enjoy their own estates, free from grievance. He gladly made an Instrument of their assurances, and sent it them signed; and confident upon this to winne the bat∣tell without striking stroke, he marcht to the Oenochalaces, where the Arme∣nians encamped. But the bearers of the Instrument could not meet the Apeti∣ans; and part of the Roman Army, not knowing of the accord, killed some few of them they met. And Sittas finding some children and women in a cave, an∣gry for the Apetians not joining according to promise, or not knowing them, killed them. So they stood in battell with the rest, offended with all this. The fight could not be in one place, but was scattered in ragged ground, and pre∣cipices, and bottomes of hills. So that Sittas not with many, and some few Armenians, came neer each other, with a deep vally between them; being both sides horse-men: Sittas past the vally, and charged the enemy; who re∣tiring, stood still, and Sittas stopt there too. By chance an Herulian of the Roman army came back in fury from the chase of an enemy, passing by Sittas, who had struck his lance into the ground, The Herulians horse rushing main∣ly against it, brake it; which much troubled Sittas. For an Armenian who knew him (having his helmet off) assured the rest it was Sittas. Who hearing what the Armenian said, and seeing his lance crackt upon the ground, drew his sword, and would have retreated over the vally. The Enemy rode eagerly after him, and one overtook him in the vally with a sword, which cut off the crown of his head, not hurting the scull. Sittas spurr'd on; but Artabanes, the son of John, of the race of the Arsacides, kill'd him with a thrust of his lance behind. Thus was Sittas lost impertinently, and not sutably to his for∣mer actions; A goodly man he was, valiant, and an excellent Commander, inferiour to none of his time. Some say one Solomon killed him, an obscure fel∣low, and not Artabanes.

Sittas being dead, the Emperour sent Buzes against the Armenians. Who be∣ing neer them, promised to reconcile them, desiring conference with some of their chief men. None would give credit to Buzes, nor hearken to his offers, save John, the father of Artabanes his friend, of the race of the Arsacides, who presuming upon Buzes, as his friend, came to him with his son in law Bas∣saces, and some others. These the next day lodged where they were to meet Buzes, and perceaved themselves compass't with the Roman army. Bassaces, when he could not perswade John to flie, rode back, leaving him all alone; whom Buzes kill'd.

The Armenians having no hope of reconciliation, and unable to maintaine the warr; under the conduct of Bassaces, a valiant man, betook themselves to the Persian King: To whom some of their Chiefs being admitted, spake thus. There are amongst us, Sir! many Arsacides, descendants of that Arsaces, who no stranger to the Persian Empire, when it was under the Parthians, was a famous King in his time, inferiour to none. But we now stand before you, become slaves and fugitives, not willingly, but forced; in apparance by the Romans, but indeed, O King! by your resolution. For who gives power to the wrong doer, justly beares the blame of the wrong. To deduce it higher, and through the severall occurrents, Ar∣saces, our last King, quitted his Royalty, it seemes, willingly to Theodosius the Ro∣man Emperour, with condition for those of his blood, to enjoy libertie, and not to be subject to Tribute. Which we preserved till your famous Peace, or rather common ca∣lamitie. For now not regarding friends nor enemies, this friend of yours, O King! in words, and enemy in deeds, hath troubled all the world. Which your selfe will know ere long, when he hath subdued the Western Nations. What thing prohibited hath he not done! what well settled not stirred? Hath he not taxed us with unusuall tri∣butes? made slaves of the Tzanians our borderers, a free people? set a Governour over the King of the wretched Lazians, a thing not incident to the nature of things? not to be exprest? Hath he not with his Generalls unjustly surprized the Bosporites, subjects of the Hunnes? made league with the Ethiopians, never heard of by the Romans? added the Homerits, red Sea, and Country of Palme-trees to the Roman

Empire? not to speak of the Affricans and Italians. The whole world not containing the man, he searches gulfes beyond the Ocean, and another world. Why doe you delay, O King! respecting this wicked ruinous peace? Is it, after all the rest, to be his last dish? To know what man Justinian is to them that yeild to him, you have us for a Precedent, and the poore Lazians: how he uses men unknown, as well as them that wrong him; consider the Vandales, Goths and Moores. But the maine of all: stu∣dies he not during the peace to draw Alamundarus your servant to revolt from you? to associate the Hunnes against you, men unknown to him? But a shrewder act then this was never: Now he perceaves his Westerne conquests ready for conclusion, he seeks to circumvent the East, having none now to wrestle with left, but the Persians. So that himself hath broken the Perpetuall Peace. They break peace, not who arme first, but who plot against their allies in time of peace, and the crime is acted by him that goes about to do it, though the success faile. And not they who cause the warr, but they who oppose them, use to conquer. Nor will the match be equall; their best Souldiers being in the utmost parts of the world; and of their two best Generalls, we have lately slaine Sittas; and Belisarius Justinian will not look on. Which he slight∣ing, holds in his hands the dominion of Italy: So that you will have none to oppose your invasion; and us you shall have with our best affections, and long experi∣ence of the Countrey, the guides of your Army. Chosroes liked these reasons, and imparted to his trustiest subjects, what Vitigis and the Armenians had said; propounding in Counsell what was to be done; where the conclusion was, to make warr on the Romans in the beginning of the spring, it being then Au∣tumne;* 1.2 and Justinian in the thirtenth yeare of his raigne; the Romans the while not suspecting the breach of the Perpetuall Peace; but hearing onely that Chos∣roes murmured against the Emperours successes in the West, and charged him, as I have mentioned.

Notes

• * 1.1

  12600 li. slerl.
• * 1.2

  Anno Domi∣ni 539. & Anno 13. Ju∣stiniani.