e in their own
territory, the other in Roman Armenia. The superiority thus exhibited
by the Romans encouraged desertions to their side; and in some instances
the deserters were able to carry over with them to their new friends
small portions of Persian territory.

In the year A.D. 531, after a vain attempt at negotiating terms of
peace with Rome, the Persians made an effort to recover their laurels
by carrying the war into a new quarter and effecting a new combination.
Alamandarus, sheikh of the Saracenic Arabs, had long been a bitter
enemy of the Romans, and from his safe retreat in the desert had been
accustomed for fifty years to ravage, almost at his will, the eastern
provinces of the empire. Two years previously he had carried fire and
sword through the regions of upper Syria, had burned the suburbs of
Chalcis, and threatened the Roman capital of the East, the rich and
luxurious Antioch. He owed, it would seem, some sort of allegiance
to Persia, although practically he was independent, and made his
expeditions when and where he pleased. However, in A.D. 531, he put
himself at the disposal of Persia, proposed a joint expedition, and
suggested a new plan of campaign. "Mesopotamia and Osrhoene," he said,
"on which the Persians were accustomed to make their attacks, could
better resist them than almost any other part of the Roman territory,
In these provinces were the strongest of the Roman cities, fortified
according to the latest rules of art, and plentifully supplied with
every appliance of defensive warfare. There, too, were the best and
bravest of the Roman troops, and an army more numerous than Rome had
ever employed against Persia before. It would be most perilous to risk
an encounter on this ground. Let Persia, however, invade the country
beyond the Euphrates, and she would find but few obstacles. In that
region there were no strong fortresses, nor was there any army worth
mention. Antioch itself, the richest and most populous city of the Roman
East, was without a garrison, and, if it were suddenly assaulted, could
probably be taken. The incursion might be made, Antioch sacked, and
the booty carried off into Persian territory before the Romans in
Mesopotamia received intelligence of what was happening." Kobad listened
with approval, and determined to adopt the bold course suggested to him.
He levied a force of 15,000 cavalry, and, placing it under the command
of a general named Azarethes, desired him to take Al