illages to the flames, and carried off many
thousands of the population. The exasperated enemy consequently hung
upon his rear, impeded his march, and no doubt caused him considerable
loss, though, when it came to fighting, Heraclius always gained the
victory. He reached Albania without sustaining any serious disaster,
and even brought with him 50,000 captives; but motives of pity, or of
self-interest, caused him soon afterwards to set these prisoners free.
It would have been difficult to feed and house them through the long and
severe winter, and disgraceful to sell or massacre them.

In the year A.D. 624 Chosroes took the offensive, and, before Heraclius
had quitted his winter quarters, sent a general, at the head of a force
of picked troops, into Albania, with the view of detaining him in that
remote province during the season of military operations. But Sarablagas
feared his adversary too much to be able very effectually to check his
movements; he was content to guard the passes, and hold the high ground,
without hazarding an engagement. Heraclius contrived after a time
to avoid him, and penetrated into Persia through a series of plains,
probably those along the course and about the mouth of the Araxes. It
was now his wish to push rapidly southward; but the auxiliaries on whom
he greatly depended were unwilling; and, while he doubted what course
to take, three Persian armies, under commanders of note, closed in upon
him, and threatened his small force with destruction. Heraclius feigned
a disordered flight, and drew on him an attack from two out of the three
chiefs, which he easily repelled. Then he fell upon the third, Shahen,
and completely defeated him. A way seemed to be thus opened for him into
the heart of Persia, and he once more set off to seek Chosroes; but now
his allies began to desert his standard, and return to their homes;
the defeated Persians rallied and impeded his march; he was obliged to
content himself with a third, victory, at a place which Theophanes
calls Salban, where he surprised Shahr-Barz in the dead of the night,
massacred his troops, his wives, his officers, and the mass of the
population, which fought from the flat roofs of the houses, took the
general's arms and equipage, and was within a little of capturing
Shahr-barz himself. The remnant of the Persian army fled in disorder,
and was hunted down by Heraclius, who pursued the fugitives unceasingly
till the cold season approached, and he