the neighborhood of Birehjik, The hordes
then poured into Syria, and, spreading themselves over that fertile
region, surprised and took the metropolis of the Roman East, the rich
and luxurious city of Antioch. But meantime the Romans had shown a
spirit which had not been expected from them. Gordian, young as he
was, had quitted Rome and marched through Mossia and Thrace into Asia,
accompanied by a formidable army, and by at least one good general.
Timesitheus, whose daughter Gordian had recently married, though his
life had hitherto been that of a civilian, exhibited, on his elevation
to the dignity of Praetorian prefect, considerable military ability.
The army, nominally commanded by Gordian, really acted under his orders.
With it Timesitheus attacked and beat the bands of Sapor in a number of
engagements, recovered Antioch, crossed the Euphrates, retook
Carrhae, defeated the Persian monarch in a pitched battle near Resaina
(Ras-el-Ain), recovered Nisibis, and once more planted the Roman
standards on the banks of the Tigris. Sapor hastily evacuated most of
his conquests, and retired first across the Euphrates and then across
the more eastern river; while the Romans advanced as he retreated,
placed garrisons in the various Mesopotamian towns, and even threatened
the great city of Ctesiphon. Gordian was confident that his general
would gain further triumphs, and wrote to the Senate to that effect;
but either disease or the arts of a rival cut short the career of
the victor, and from the time of his death the Romans ceased to be
successful. The legions had, it would seem, invaded Southern Mesopotamia
when the Praetorian prefect who had succeeded Timesitheus brought
them intentionally into difficulties by his mismanagement of the
commissariat; and at last retreat was determined on. The young emperor
was approaching the Khabour, and had almost reached his own frontier,
when the discontent of the army, fomented by the prefect, Philip, came
to a head. Gordian was murdered at a place called Zaitha, about twenty
miles south of Circesium, and was buried where he fell, the soldiers
raising a tumulus in his honor. His successor, Philip, was glad to make
peace on any tolerable terms with the Persians; he felt himself insecure
upon his throne, and was anxious to obtain the Senate's sanction of his
usurpation. He therefore quitted the East in A.D. 244, having concluded
a treaty with Sapor, by which Armenia seems to have been left to th