Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

XXXVII SHAPUR THE GREAT 459
would probably have been no further change in the
situation ; but Para, son of Arsaces, who had fled across
the frontier, returned to lead the national party and
received Roman support. This brought Shapur into
the field again. Artogerassa, together with the treasure
of Arsaces, was captured, and Para was forced to make
terms, acknowledging Shapur as his suzerain.
In A.D. 370 Rome openly interfered in Iberia, whither
Duke ^ Terentius was sent at the head of twelve legions
to reinstate Sauromaces. After carrying all before him,
he was met on the banks of the Kur by Aspacures, and
an agreement was made, according to which the kingdom
was divided between the two cousins. As this arrange-
ment was concluded without reference to the Court of
was incensed. His ambassadors failed to
Persia, Shapur
obtain satisfaction
became inevitable.
in Rome, and consequently war again
the
In the spring of a.d. 371 the Persian monarch crossed
frontier and attacked the Romans at a place termed
Vagabanta. To avoid breaking the letter of the treaty,
the Romans at first acted on the defensive, but they
afterwards repulsed the Persian force, and hostilities
continued for some years with no decisive results.
The tragic
career of Para is given in detail by
Ammianus. It appears that on the representations of
the Duke Terentius he was summoned to the presence
of the Emperor under pretence of negotiating for a new
treaty. Ascertaining that it was intended to depose him,
he fled, and although pursued reached the Euphrates in
safety. He crossed on improvised rafts, but found both
roads leading to Armenia blocked by Roman troops, and
escaped by a track through the forest shown him by a
chance traveller. The Roman oflicials who had failed
to seize him solemnly reported that he had rendered
himself invisible by magic, and the fatuous Valens,
implicitly believing this, decided to make away with Para,
although he had never broken ofl^ relations with Rome.
A Roman official, Trajan, who disgraced
an honoured
1 The titles of Duke and Count are frequently used at this period. Duke was
the lower title of the two.