Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

96 3 Military confrontations
the literature of a later period. 98 Both Procopius and Agathias tell us that the
Roman emperor Arcadius asked Yazdgard I to assume the guardianship for
his infant son Theodosius, an episode which certainly underlines the good
relations between Byzantium and Persia during this period. 99 In spite of
his usual negative attitude towards the Roman emperor, Procopius praises
Arcadius for his decision. The historian also expresses his admiration for
Yazdgard I, who, from a Roman perspective, had already displayed his
greatness of mind when he allowed the Christians in Persia to practise
their religion, a gesture which earned him the title ‘the infidel’ in Arab
and Persian historiography. 100 Procopius views Yazdgard I’s willingness to
grant Arcadius his wish and to maintain peace with the Romans during
his reign as the means by which Theodosius acceded to the throne. The
chronicle of Theophanes, which was composed between 810/11 and 814,
further informs us that Yazdgard sent the Persian eunuch Antiochus to
the court at Constantinople to make sure that Theodosius would indeed
succeed to the throne. 101
Agathias comments on the events very differently. It looks as if he questions
the authenticity of the arrangements of Arcadius’ written testament
as Procopius describes them, primarily because, as he points out, they are
not confirmed by any other source. In any case, he criticises Procopius for
praising Arcadius. 102 Agathias is convinced that the emperor’s plan was not
wise at all even if Yazdgard in the end did not attempt to attack Theodosius’
sovereignty. Regardless of any verdict on Arcadius, in fact no military
conflicts between Rome and Persia took place during the entire reign of
Yazdgard I.
In the course of relations between the two rival powers, Procopius’
episode is not unique (12). Towards the end of the sixth century we observe
a father–son relationship between the Roman emperor Maurice and the
Sasanian king Xusrō II Parvēz; in this case Byzantium supported the Persian
king in his attempts to secure his throne against the rebel Bahrām
VI Čōbīn.103 Here the fictitious family relation between the emperor and
98 Blockley 1992: 51.
99 Holum 1982: 83 nn. 18–19; Greatrex 1998: 13; for a detailed analysis of the relationship between the
two rulers see Blockley 1992: 46–59.
100 Cameron 1969–70: 150; cf. also the commentary on 32.
101 Theoph. Chron. A.M. 5900 (p. 79, ed. de Boor); on the important role the Persian Antiochus
played in the diplomatic relations between the two powers at the beginning of the fifth century see
Greatrex and Bardill 1996: 171–97; for an English translation of the passage see Greatrex and Lieu
2002: 33.
102 Cf. Cameron 1969–70: 149. 103 Winter 1989a: 79–88.