Beate Dignas & Engelbert Winter - Kaveh Farrokh

13 The second Sasanian–Byzantine War 107
and do not suffer it yourself but recognise in our misfortunes what will happen to
the Persians soon; also understand that the Romans could never be well disposed
towards your kingdom but that as soon as they have become stronger they will
not hesitate to reveal their hostile attitude towards the Persians. (11) This is the
time to use your chance, do not look for it when it has passed. For once a good
opportunity has been missed it tends not to present itself again. It is better to take
the lead and be secure than to have missed opportunities and to suffer the most
shameful fate ever at the hands of the enemy.’
The Gothic envoys, whom Xusrō received at his court in Ktēsiphōn around
538/9, 156 speak of Justinian’s aims to unite the whole world under his rule.
They warn the Sasanian king that eventually even the Persian Empire will
fall prey to Justinian’s aggressive attitude if the opportunity to stop him
is missed. It is true that the Roman emperor’s foreign policy was based
on the political idea of a renovatio imperii, a restoration of the former
Empire. The envoys, however, also had their own interests at heart when
they approached Xusrō. In any case, their words fell on fertile ground. Well
aware of his own position of power, Xusrō did not hesitate to take action
against Byzantium. 157 Disputes between the Ghassanids and Lahmids, Arab
tribes supporting the Romans and Sasanians respectively, served as a pretext
for war (25). Not even a conciliatory letter from Justinian I, 158 who
was preoccupied in the West with the Goths and the Huns, could persuade
Xusrō to abandon his plans, and in the spring of 540 the Sasanians
invaded Roman territory. It is once more Procopius who tells us about this
advance. 159
Procopius, De bello Persico ii.5.1–4
(1) When the winter was already over and for the emperor Justinian the thirteenth
year of his reign had come to an end, 160 Xusrō (I), the son of Kavādh invaded
Roman territory with a large army at the beginning of spring, and he openly
broke the so-called ‘eternal peace’. 161 (2) He did not, however, march through the
country between the two rivers but left the Euphrates on his right. (3) On the
other side of the river there is the last Roman fortress, which is called Kirkesion 162
and which is extremely strong because the Aborrhas, 163 a large river, has its mouth
156 On the dating see Stein 1949: 362–8.
157 Rubin 1995: 283 argues that even after Xusrō I’s reforms the Sasanian army did not quite have the
strike force that is commonly believed.
158 Cf. Proc. BP ii.4.14–26. 159 Downey 1953: 340–8.
160 The end of the thirteenth year of Justinian’s reign corresponds with 1 April 540.
161 The peace had been concluded in 532; cf. Proc. BP i.22.3.
162 Kirkesion was the southernmost of the Roman fortresses in Mesopotamia and had been founded
as a defensive post by Diocletian and then been fortified with strong walls and towers by Justinian
(Proc. Aed. ii.6.1–11).
163 This is the river Chabōras (al-Hābūr).