The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius Scholasticus - Coptic ...

300
EVAGRIUS
Now the bishop was saved contrary to expectation, even though the
whole building where he was sitting fell down and no one whatsoever
survived except for those who were seated around him. Lifting him up
and carrying him, they let him down by a rope after a second earthquake
had made a hole, [228] and they brought him out of harm’s reach. There
was also another salvation for the city, since the merciful God tempered
His threat with clemency and chastened our sin with the branch of
compassion and pity: for no con£agration occurred, even though there
were so many ¢res all over the city in hearths, public and private lanterns,
kitchens, ovens, then again in baths and innumerable other places. Very
many of the notables were caught, among whom Asterius indeed
became a victim of the earthquake. The emperor assuaged the city’s
su¡ering with money. 34
9 The a¡airs of the army were much the same, with the result that the
barbarians invaded in the belief that no one would prevent them from
performing barbarian actions. But Germanus confronted them with his
troops, and defeated and destroyed them so soundly that not even a
messenger of the disaster was left for the Persians. 35
10 And so the emperor rewarded the army with money, but he recalled
Germanus and others and summoned them to judgement. And, although
all were condemned to death, he did not permit them to su¡er anything
unpleasant but rather honoured them with rewards. 36
34 Imperial reconstructions after the earthquake are recorded by John of Ephesus (EH
v.22^3), though money is also said to have been channelled to Maurice’s home town of Arabissus
in Cappadocia. Patriarch Gregory was granted funds to rebuild the Hippodrome at
Antioch (John of Ephesus, EH v.17). For Asterius, cf. vi.7 with n. 22 above.
35 Theophylact, iii.3.8^8.4, records the military action during the Roman mutiny in 588.
The Persians ¢rst tried to take advantage of the situation by attacking Constantina, but were
beaten back by Germanus and 1,000 men. Germanus then managed to persuade 4,000 of the
mutineers toinvade Persia, and later in 588 there was a campaign into Arzanene; the Persians
thwarted the Roman raiders, but were then heavily defeated near Martyropolis, with their
commander Maruzas being killed, 3,000 Persian captives and much booty being sent to Constantinople,
and only 1,000 Persian survivors making their way to Nisibis.
36 Evagrius’ chronology is probably somewhat awry here. Theophylact (iii.3.11) records
the dispatch of the curator Aristobulus to the army during the 588 campaign, before the
victory at Martyropolis. This success, and the dispatch of booty to the capital, led to an
improvement of relations with Maurice, but it is unlikely that Germanus and other leaders
left the army until the end of the mutiny at Easter 589; thus, unless they were tried in absentia,
which is not implied, Evagrius has antedated their summons to judgement (see n. 45
below). For Maurice’s clemency, cf. vi.2 with n. 7 above.