Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

92 4. the successors of justinian
Arabs: Persian and Roman rulers were locked into a competition over
status. Tension between the two great kingdoms was raised by the installation
of a Persian governor in the Homerite kingdom in south Arabia, and
further increased as a result of Roman diplomatic contacts with the
Turkish federation in central Asia, whose sphere of influence extended up
to the Persian north-east frontier. The Turks had approached the Romans
in order to sell silk, whose overland passage from China they could now
control, and to co-ordinate action against the Avars, whom the Turks
regarded as fugitive subjects, but a common interest in Persia soon
emerged. Roman and Persian envoys argued at the Turkish court, the
Roman envoy Zemarchus was invited by his Turkish hosts to participate in
a raid into Persia, and the Persians then tried to ambush the Roman
embassy as it returned through the Caucasus. The upshot was a proposal
from the Turkish Chagan for a joint attack on Persia from opposite sides. 15
This tempting offer coincided with two other factors conducive to war in
572: in Persian Armenia the local nobility had been in contact with the
Romans for some time, since they objected to Persian efforts to extend fireworship
in this region; the murder of the regional Persian commander in
February prompted leading Armenians to flee to Roman protection.
Furthermore in 572 the first annual payment under the fifty-years’ peace fell
due: this would initiate a regular yearly transfer to Persia of money scarcely
distinguishable from tribute, and hence an offence against the strong image
that Justin had been constructing. Khusro realized that the moment was
sensitive, and despatched as ambassador a Persian Christian, Sebukht, to
dissuade Justin from war, but the chance to exploit Persian troubles along
their northern frontiers seemed too good to be missed; Justin rudely
rejected Sebukht’s mollifications and request for the promised payment. 16
Neither side was particularly ready for war, and Justin is roundly criticized
for this by Evagrius, but in reality events moved fast and Justin had
to decide quickly whether, like Khusro in 540, he should break a recent
treaty to take advantage of his enemy’s temporary weakness. Justin’s cousin
Marcian was appointed to command in the east, and in the latter part of
572 he mounted a minor raid into Arzanene; he may also have begun preparations
to besiege Nisibis, whose recapture after two centuries in Persian
possession seems to have been an objective for Justin. In Armenia the
Romans and their local allies made some headway against Persian supporters
and occupied the capital, Dwin.
In 573 Marcian operated around Nisibis; unfavourable reports on his
siege operations were secretly sent by the city’s Nestorian bishop to Gregory
of Antioch, 17 but these may have been distortions characteristic of an
15 Menander frr. 9–10, 13.5; Whitby, Maurice 217–18. 16 Menander fr. 16; Whitby, Maurice 250–4.
17 Lee (1993a) 571–5.
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