r by association
with a colleague, he did not on this occasion reap any laurels.
A Persian force under two generals, Narses and Aratius, defended
Persarmenia, and, engaging the Romans under Sittas and Belisarius,
succeeded in defeating them. At the same time, Licelarius, a Thracian in
the Roman service, made an incursion into the tract about Nisibis,
grew alarmed without cause and beat a speedy retreat. Hereupon Justin
recalled him as incompetent, and the further conduct of the war in
Mesopotamia was entrusted to Belisarius, who took up his headquarters at
Daras.

The year A.D. 527 seems to have been one in which nothing of importance
was attempted on either side. At Constantinople the Emperor Justin had
fallen into ill health, and, after associating his nephew Justinian on
the 1st of April, had departed this life on the 1st of August. About the
same time Kobad found his strength insufficient for active warfare, and
put the command of his armies into the hands of his sons. The struggle
continued in Lazica, but with no decisive result. At Daras, Belisarius,
apparently, stood on the defensive. It was not till A.D. 528 had set in
that he resumed operations in the open field, and prepared once more to
measure his strength against that of Persia.

Belisarius was stirred from his repose by an order from court. Desirous
of carrying further the policy of gaining ground by means of fortified
posts, Justinian, who had recently restored and strengthened the
frontier city of Martyropolis, on the Nymphius, sent instructions to
Belisarius, early in A.D. 528, to the effect that he was to build a new
fort at a place called Mindon, on the Persian border a little to the
left of Nisibis. The work was commenced, but the Persians would not
allow it to proceed. An army which numbered 30,000 men, commanded
by Xerxes, son of Kobad, and Perozes, the Mihran, attacked the Roman
workmen; and when Belisarius, reinforced by fresh troops from Syria and
Phoenicia, ventured an engagement, he was completely defeated and forced
to seek safety in flight. The attempted fortification was, upon this,
razed to the ground; and the Mihran returned, with numerous prisoners of
importance, into Persia.

It is creditable to Justinian that he did not allow the ill-success of
his lieutenant to lead to his recall or disgrace. On the contrary, he
chose exactly the time of his greatest depression to give him the title
of "General of the East." Belisarius upon this as