enthusiasm, but
with a general acquiescence; and, had Maurice rejected the application
of Chosroes, it is probable that the usurper might have enjoyed a long
and quiet reign. As soon, however, as it came to be known that the Greek
emperor had espoused, the cause of his rival, Bahram found himself
in difficulties: conspiracy arose in his own court, and had to be
suppressed by executions; murmurs were heard in some of the more distant
provinces; Armenia openly revolted and declared for Chosroes; and it
soon appeared that in places the fidelity of the Persian troops was
doubtful. This was especially the case in Mesopotamia, which would
have to bear the brunt of the attack when the Romans advanced. Bahram
therefore thought it necessary, though it was now the depth of winter,
to strengthen his hold on the wavering province, and sent out two
detachments, under commanders upon whom he could rely, to occupy
respectively Anatho and Nisibis, the two strongholds of greatest
importance in the suspected region. Miraduris succeeded in entering and
occupying Anatho. Zadesprates was less fortunate; before he reached the
neighborhood of Nisibis, the garrison which held that place had deserted
the cause of the usurper and given in its adhesion to Chosroes; and,
when he approached to reconnoitre, he was made the victim of a stratagem
and killed by an officer named Rosas. Miraduris did not long survive
him; the troops which he had introduced into Anatho caught the contagion
of revolt, rose up against him, slew him, and sent his head to Chosroes.

The spring was now approaching, and the time for military operations
on a grand scale drew near. Chosroes, besides his supporters in
Mesopotamia, Roman and Persian, had a second army in Azerbijan, raised
by his uncles Bindoes and Bostam, which was strengthened by an Armenian
contingent. The plan of campaign involved the co-operation of these two
forces. With this object Chosroes proceeded early in the spring, from
Hierapolis to Constantina, from Constantina to Daras, and thence by way
of Ammodion to the Tigris, across which he sent a detachment, probably
in the neighborhood of Mosul. This force fell in with Bryzacius, who
commanded in these parts for Bahram, and surprising him in the first
watch of the night, defeated his army and took Bryzacius himself
prisoner. The sequel, which Theophylact appears to relate from the
information of an eye-witness, furnishes a remarkable evidence of the
barbarit