fortress of Biraparach; there was the recent strengthening
of Theodosiopolis, and building of Daras; there was moreover an
interference of Rome at this time in the region about the Caucasus which
was very galling to Persia and was naturally resented by her monarch.
One of the first proceedings of Justin after he ascended the throne
was to send an embassy with rich gifts to the court of a certain Hunnic
chief of these parts, called Ziligdes or Zilgibis, and to conclude a
treaty with him by which the Hun bound himself to assist the Romans
against the Persians. Soon afterwards a Lazic prince, named Tzath, whose
country was a Persian dependency, instead of seeking inauguration
from Kobad, proceeded on the death of his father to the court of
Constantinople, and expressed his wish to become a Christian, and to
hold his crown as one of Rome's vassal monarchs. Justin gave this person
a warm welcome, had him baptized, married him to a Roman lady of
rank, and sent him back to Lazica adorned with a diadem and robes that
sufficiently indicated his dependent position. The friendly relations
established between Rome and Persia by the treaty of A.D. 505 were,
under these circumstances, greatly disturbed, and on both sides it would
seem that war was expected to break out. But neither Justin nor Kobad
was desirous of a rupture. Both were advanced in years, and both had
domestic troubles to occupy them. Kobad was at this time especially
anxious about the succession. He had four sons, Kaoses, Zames,
Phthasuarsas, and Chosroes, of whom Kaoses was the eldest. This prince,
however, did not please him. His affections were fixed on his fourth
son, Chosroes, and he had no object more at heart than to secure the
crown for this favorite child. The Roman writers tell us that instead
of resenting the proceedings of Justin in the years A.D. 520-522, Kobad
made the strange proposal to him about this time that he should adopt
Chosroes, in order that that prince might have the aid of the Romans
against his countrymen, if his right of succession should be disputed.
It is, no doubt, difficult to believe that such a proposition should
have been made; but the circumstantial manner in which Procopius,
writing not forty years after, relates the matter, renders it almost
impossible for us to reject the story as a pure fabrication. There must
have been some foundation for it. In the negotiations between Justin and
Kobad during the early years of the former, the