Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

102 4. the successors of justinian
perhaps, was the typical fate of a reformer who was unable to complete his
intended changes.
2. Eastern warfare
As his replacement in charge of the eastern armies, Maurice initially
appointed his former subordinate, John Mystacon, who continued operations
in Arzanene in autumn 582 and then through 583 with mixed
success. 36 Arzanene was a vulnerable salient of Persian territory, control of
which would allow the Romans to consolidate their hold on Armenia to the
north. For 584 Maurice appointed a new general, his brother-in-law
Philippicus; negotiations occupied the first part of the year, possibly
another Persian delaying tactic, but in autumn 584 and through 585
Philippicus ravaged the plains of Beth Arabaye near Nisibis and continued
operations in Arzanene, though progress slowed when Philippicus fell ill.
Raiding into Syria by Rome’s former allies, the Ghassanid Arabs, who had
been alienated by the arrest and punishment of their king, al-Mundhir, may
also have caused disruption.
In 586 activity seems to have been on a different scale. Philippicus
thwarted a Persian invasion of Upper Mesopotamia with victory in a
pitched battle at Solachon in the plains south of Mardin, and thereafter
returned his attentions to Arzanene. Although unsuccessful in an attack on
the main city, Chlomaron, which Maurice had also failed to capture in 578,
the Romans maintained the initiative during the rest of the year, building
or capturing strategic forts and raiding deep into Persia; Philippicus’ ill
health meant that much of this activity was conducted by Heraclius, the
father of the future emperor, and other subordinate commanders.
During winter 587/8 there were two developments: Priscus was
appointed to replace Philippicus, and he was ordered to introduce a reduction
in military pay, a move whose unpopularity may have been offset by
improvements in conditions of service. Priscus’ arrival at the camp at
Monocarton was unhappy, and the army mutinied during the Easter festival:
Priscus was forced to retire to Edessa, his attempts to reconcile the
troops were rebuffed, and the mutineers chose as leader Germanus, duke
of Phoenicia. The mutiny persisted for a whole year, until Easter 589, but
the Persians were surprisingly unable to exploit this opportunity, which
may reveal the extent of Roman successes in recent years. Germanus
indeed defeated the Persians near Martyropolis and sent 3,000 captives to
Constantinople as a gesture of allegiance to Maurice. The troops were
finally won back through a combination of imperial emissaries, who disbursed
normal payments, and exhortations from Gregory, patriarch of
36 For discussion of these years, see Whitby, Maurice 276–92.
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