t conduct of the Armenian contingent. He fled
to the mountains, but was pursued, and was very shortly afterwards made
prisoner and slain.

Soon after this, Kobad, son of Perozes, regarding the crown as
rightfully his, put forward a claim to it, but, meeting with no success,
was compelled to quit Persia and throw himself upon the kind protection
of the Ephthalites, who were always glad to count among their refugees a
Persian pretender. The Ephthalites, however, made no immediate stir--it
would seem, that so long as Balas paid his tribute they were content,
and felt no inclination to disturb what seemed to them a satisfactory
arrangement.

The death of Zareh and the flight of Kobad left Balas at liberty to
resume the work which their rebellions had interrupted--the complete
pacification of Armenia. Knowing how much depended upon Vahan, he
summoned him to his court, received him with the highest honors,
listened attentively to his representations, and finally agreed to the
terms which Vahan had formulated. At the same time he replaced Nikhor
by a governor named Antegan, a worthy successor, "mild, prudent, and
equitable;" and, to show his confidence in the Mamigonian prince,
appointed him to the high office of Commander-in-Chief, or "Sparapet."
This arrangement did not, however, last long. Antegan, after ruling
Armenia for a few months, represented to his royal master that it would
be the wisest course to entrust Vahan with the government, that the same
head which had conceived the terms of the pacification might watch over
and ensure their execution. Antegan's recommendation approved itself
to the Persian monarch, who proceeded to recall his self-denying
councillor, and to install Vahan in the vacant office. The post of
Sparapet was assigned to Vart, Vahan's brother. Christianity was then
formally reestablished as the State religion of Armenia; the fire-altars
were destroyed; the churches reclaimed and purified; the hierarchy
restored to its former position and powers. A reconversion of almost
the whole nation to the Christian faith was the immediate result; the
apostate Armenians recanted their errors, and abjured Zoroastrianism;
Armenia, and with it Iberia, were pacified; and the two provinces which
had been so long a cause of weakness to Persia grew rapidly into main
sources of her strength and prosperity.

The new arrangement had not been long completed when Balas died (A.D.
487). It is agreed on all hands that he h