eir enemies wished, but when it
suited themselves. Soon afterwards he found himself able to illustrate
his meaning by his actions. Having carefully abstained from attacking
Nisibis while his strength seemed to him insufficient, he suddenly, upon
receiving large reinforcements from Theodosius, changed his tactics,
and, invading Persian Mesopotamia, marched upon the stronghold held by
Narses, and formally commenced its siege.

Hitherto Varahran, confident in his troops or his good fortune, had left
the entire conduct of the military operations to his general; but
the danger of Nisibis--that dearly won and highly prized
possession--seriously alarmed him, and made him resolve to take the
field in person with all his forces. Enlisting on his side the services
of his friends the Arabs, under their great sheikh, Al-Amundarus
(Moundsir), and collecting together a strong body of elephants, he
advanced to the relief of the beleaguered town. Ardaburius drew off on
his approach, burned his siege artillery, and retired from before the
place. Nisibis was preserved; but soon afterwards a disaster is said to
have befallen the Arabs, who, believing themselves about to be attacked
by the Roman force, were seized with a sudden panic, and, rushing in
headlong flight to the Euphrates (!) threw themselves into its waters,
encumbered with their clothes and arms, and there perished to the number
of a hundred thousand.

The remaining circumstances of the war are not related by our
authorities in chronological sequence. But as it is certain that the war
lasted only two years, and as the events above narrated certainly belong
to the earlier portion of it, and seem sufficient for one campaign, we
may perhaps be justified in assigning to the second year, A.D. 421, the
other details recorded--viz., the siege of Theodosiopolis, the combat
between Areobindus and Ardazanes, the second victory of Ardaburius, and
the destruction of the remnant of the Arabs by Vitianus.

Theodosiopolis was a city built by the reigning emperor, Theodosius II.,
in the Roman portion of Armenia, near the sources of the Euphrates.
It was defended by strong walls, lofty towers, and a deep ditch. Hidden
channels conducted an unfailing supply of water into the heart of the
place, and the public granaries were large and generally well stocked
with provisions. This town, recently built for the defence of the Roman
Armenia, was (it would seem) attacked in A.D. 421 by Varahran in p