s troubles once more broke out in Armenia. Perozes,
following out the policy of his father, Isdigerd, incessantly persecuted
the Christians of his northern provinces, especially those of Armenia,
Georgia, and Albania. So severe were his measures that vast numbers of
the Armenians quitted their country, and, placing themselves under the
protection of the Greek Emperor, became his subjects, and entered into
his service. Armenia was governed by Persian officials, and by apostate
natives who treated their Christian fellow-countrymen with extreme
rudeness, insolence, and injustice. Their efforts were especially
directed against the few noble families who still clung to the faith
of Christ, and had not chosen to expatriate themselves. Among these the
most important was that of the Mamigonians, long celebrated in Armenian
history, and at this time reckoned chief among the nobility. The
renegades sought to discredit this family with the Persians; and Vahan,
son of Hemaiiag, its head, found himself compelled to visit, once and
again, the court of Persia, in order to meet the charges of his enemies
and counteract the effect of their calumnies. Successful in vindicating
himself, and received into high favor by Perozes, he allowed the
sunshine of prosperity to extort from him what he had guarded firmly
against all the blasts of persecution--to please his sovereign, he
formally abjured the Christian faith, and professed himself a disciple
of Zoroaster. The triumph of the anti-Christian party seemed now
secured; but exactly at this point a reaction set in. Vahan became a
prey to remorse, returned secretly to his old creed and longed for an
opportunity of wiping out the shame of his apostasy by perilling his
life for the Christian cause. The opportunity was not long in presenting
itself. In A.D. 481 Perozes suffered a defeat at the hand of the
barbarous Koushans, who held at this time the low Caspian tract
extending from Asterabad to Derbend. Iberia at once revolted, slew its
Zoroastrian king, Vazken, and placed a Christian, Vakhtang, upon the
throne. The Persian governor of Armenia, having received orders to quell
the Iberian rebellion, marched with all the troops that he could muster
into the northern province, and left the Armenians free to follow their
own devices. A rising immediately took place. Vahan at first endeavored
to check the movement, being doubtful of the power of Armenia to cope
with Persia, and feeling sure that the ai