s
waters; he continued on Persian soil during the whole of the winter, and
it was not till the spring came that he re-entered Roman territory (A.D.
576).

The campaign of A.D. 576 is somewhat obscure. The Romans seem to have
gained certain advantages in Northern Armenia and Iberia, while Chosroes
on his part carried the war once more into Armenia Minor, and laid siege
to Theodosiopolis, which, however, he was unable to take. Negotiations
were upon this resumed, and had progressed favorably to a certain,
point, when news arrived of a great disaster to the Roman arms in
Armenia, which changed the face of affairs and caused the Persian
negotiators to break up the conference. Tam-chosro, a Persian general,
had completely defeated the Roman army under Justinian. Armenia had
returned to its allegiance. There seemed every reason to believe that
more was to be gained by arms than by diplomacy, and that, when the
three years peace had run out, the Great King might renew the general
war with a prospect of obtaining important successes.

There are no military events which can be referred to the year A.D.
577. The Romans and Persians amused each other with alternate embassies
during its course, and with negotiations that were not intended to have
any result. The two monarchs made vast preparations; and with the spring
of A.D. 578 hostilities recommenced. Chosroes is accused of having
anticipated the expiration of the truce by a period of forty days; but
it is more probable that he and the Romans estimated the date of
its expiration differently. However this was, it is certain that his
generals, Mebodes and Sapoes, took the field in early spring with 20,000
horse, and entering the Roman Armenia laid waste the country, at the
same time threatening Constantina and Theodosiopolis. Simultaneously
Tamchosro, quitting Persarmenia, marched westward and plundered the
country about Amida (Diarbekr). The Roman commander Maurice, who had
succeeded Justinian, possessed considerable military ability. On this
occasion, instead of following the ordinary plan of simply standing
on the defensive and endeavoring to repulse the invaders, he took the
bolder course of making a counter movement. Entering Persarmenia, which
he found denuded of troops, he carried all before him, destroying the
forts, and plundering the country. Though the summer heats brought
on him an attack of fever, he continued without pause his destructive
march; invaded and occupie