Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

12 The first Sasanian–Byzantine War 103
According to the Syrian author Joshua the Stylite, Anastasius had good
reasons for fortifying the border in Northern Mesopotamia at the beginning
of the sixth century. Indeed, from a Roman perspective the lack of comparable
fortified cities that could provide protection in times of crisis had
proven a great disadvantage during the previous military confrontations, in
particular as the Persians had such a military base, namely Nisibis. 135 Not
only at Dārā, but also at Edessa, Batnai and Amida, Anastasius initiated
building activities that served the fortification of these cities. Likewise, he
continued to fortify Theodosio(u)polis. 136 In late antiquity, border cities
and border fortresses such as Amida, Martyropolis, Bezabde, Singara, Nisibis
or Constantina were supposed to carry the main burden of defending
the empire in Mesopotamia. 137
As a whole, the activities of the Romans described above were also responsible
for the fact that tensions on both sides continued in spite of serious
diplomatic attempts to end the military conflict. Above all, the gigantic
fortification of Dārā, which was located in immediate proximity to the
border, caused concern among the Persians, who, as Joshua the Stylite suggests,
made attempts to stop the project but eventually had to accept it as
a fait accompli. Numerous sources indicate the haste in which the works
were carried out in order to prevent the Sasanians, who at the beginning
of the sixth century were still engaged in fending off the Huns and other
nomadic tribes, from intervening in the process. 138 From a Roman perspective,
building a fortress in the immediate vicinity of the shared border
was a strategic necessity. Anastasius must have been aware of the fact that
the fortification of Dārā was ‘illegal’ because according to the treaty of 441
neither side was allowed to build fortresses close to the border. 139 Procopius
states that for a while the Persians were placated by promises and monetary
gifts. 140
It is not surprising that from this point onwards Dārā, which was now
called Anastasiopolis, became one of the most contested cities in northern
Mesopotamia. 141 During the reign of the emperor Justinian the city was
further fortified and changed its name once more to become ‘Iustiniana
Nea’. The great peace treaties of the sixth century (20) also feature Dārā
as an important point in the negotiations. Although on every occasion the
135 Cf. Luther 1997: 210. 136 Proc. BP i.10.18–19. 137 Wagner 1985: 67–70.
138 Cf. e.g. Proc. BP i.10.15; Aed. ii.1.4–5 and see further references in Luther 1997: 201–2.
139 Proc. BP i.2.15 and 10.16; Aed. ii.1.5.
140 Proc. BP i.10.17.
141 For a compilation of the sources concerning the important battle of Dārā that took place in June
530 see Greatrex and Lieu 2002: 88–91. After a long siege the city fell to the Persians in the autumn
of 573; see ibid.: 147–9 and Turtledove 1977: 205–11.