Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

104 3 Military confrontations
Romans were able to reject the Persian request to raze Dārā to the ground, 142
they had to concede that a military governor would no longer be based at
Dārā. 143 The ruins of Dārā, which serve as wonderful illustrations of the
ancient descriptions of the city, in particular those by Procopius, attest to
the tremendous – also financial – efforts the Romans made in order to
protect the Eastern frontier against their opponent. 144
In spite of their early successes, the first Sasanian–Byzantine War of
the sixth century saw the Persians struggling to defend their empire. In
light of the continued attacks of nomadic tribes along the north-eastern
frontier Kavādh I, who also faced internal pressures, increasingly feared a
continuation of the war with Byzantium. As part of an attempt to secure
the succession for his son Xusrō, in 522 the king sought an agreement with
the Romans about which we read in Procopius.
Procopius, De Bello Persico i.11.6–11 and 29–30 145
(6) It seemed best to him to reconcile with the Romans and to put an end to
the war and the reasons for war, on condition that Xusrō became the adopted
son of the emperor Justin because this would be the only way to guarantee his
rule. He therefore sent envoys and a letter concerning this matter to the emperor
Justin in Byzantium. The letter read as follows: (7) ‘We have suffered injustice
from the Romans, this much you know yourself, but I have decided to abandon
all accusations against you altogether because I have come to the conclusion that
those men are the greatest victors who although they have justice on their side
willingly come off second-best and give in to their friends. (8) However, I am
asking you for a favour in return for this, which would establish close kinship
and as a natural consequence good-will not only between the two of us but also
between all subjects on both sides and which thereby should allow the blessings
of peace to flourish. (9) I ask therefore that you make my son Xusrō, who will be
the successor to my throne, your adopted son.’ (10) When this letter was brought
to the emperor Justin he himself was filled with great joy and also Justinian, the
emperor’s nephew, who was indeed expected to receive the throne from him. 146
(11) And in haste they did everything to create a formal document of adoption, as
is the law among the Romans, and they would have done so if Proclus had not
stopped them. . .
142 Proc. BP i.22; Men. Prot. frg. 11. 143 Proc. BP i.22.16; Men. Prot. frg. 11.
144 On the ruins of Dārā see Preusser 1911 (1984), figs. 53–61.
145 For an English translation of i.11.23–30 see Greatrex and Lieu 2002: 81.
146 Justin had appointed his nephew Justinian comes (519), magister militum praesentalis (520) and consul
(521). When the emperor was terminally ill he had Justinian proclaimed Augustus on 1 April 527.
After the death of his uncle Justinian’s rule was not questioned and he ascended the throne on
1 August 527.