Sykes' History of Persia - Heritage Institute

xLiii OVERTHROW OF PERSIAN EMPIRE 537
(or more correctly Kadesiyeh), which ranks in importance
with that of Issus among the decisive battles of the world
was fought on four successive days. On the first the
Persians had the advantage, as the Arab horses fled from
the elephants, though the position was partly restored
by an attack made on the elephants by archers. On the
second day the reinforcements from Syria began to stream
into the Arab camp. At first there were skirmishes, but
subsequently the Arabs defeated the Persian cavalry, and
the day closed in favour of the Moslems, whose losses
were but one-fifth of the Persian, which amounted to
10,000 men.
On the third day the elephants, which once more
appeared in the fighting line, were attacked by Cacaa, the
leader of the Syrian advance guard, who thrust his lance
into the eye of the great white elephant. A- second
elephant had both its eyes put out, and the whole body
then stampeded through the Persian ranks. The Arab
army was further encouraged by the arrival of the main
column from Syria, and when night fell their moral was
much superior to that of their enemies. Indeed so confident
were they that, disdaining repose, they attacked in
isolated
parties throughout the
night, which is known as
"The Night of Clangour." On the fourth and final day
the Arabs had already shaken the Persian centre, when
they were aided by a sandstorm, which drove into the
faces of the enemy and completed his discomfiture.
Rustam, the Persian General, heedless of the great name
he bore and of the supreme importance of the trust confided
to him, had taken refuge among his baggage mules
to escape the violence of the storm, but the Arabs charged
among them, and he was hurt by a sack. Seized with
panic, he attempted to swim the canal, but was pursued
and slain by Hillal, son of Alkama, who mounted his
throne and shouted out, " By the Lord of the Kaaba, I
have slain Rustam." The Persian army became panicstricken,
and was driven back into the canal, where
thousands perished.
This battle was decisive, the Persian moral being
affected not only by the losses in the battle but also by