ntured to approach Heraclius once more, to hang on
his rear, and impede his movements. He, after his victory, had resumed
his march southward, had occupied Nineveh, recrossed the Groat Zab,
advanced rapidly through Adiabene to the Lesser Zab, seized its bridges
by a forced march of forty-eight (Roman) miles, and conveyed his army
safely to its left bank, where he pitched his camp at a place called
Yesdem, and once more allowed his soldiers a brief repose for the
purpose of keeping Christmas. Chosroes had by this time heard of the
defeat and death of Rhazates, and was in a state of extreme alarm.
Hastily recalling Shahr-Barz from Chalcedon, and ordering the troops
lately commanded by Rhazates to outstrip the Romans, if possible, and
interpose themselves between Heraclius and Dastaghord, he took up
a strong position near that place with his own army and a number of
elephants, and expressed an intention of there awaiting his antagonist.
A broad and deep river, or rather canal, known as the Baras-roth or
Barazrud, protected his front; while at some distance further in advance
was the Torna, probably another canal, where he expected that the army
of Rhazates would make a stand. But that force, demoralized by its
recent defeat, fell back from the line of the Torna, without even
destroying the bridge over it; and Chosroes, finding the foe advancing
on him, lost heart, and secretly fled from Dastagherd to Ctesiphon,
whence he crossed the Tigris to Guedeseer or Seleucia, with his treasure
and the best-loved of his wives and children. The army lately under
Rhazates rallied upon the line of the Nahr-wan canal, three miles
from Ctesiphon; and here it was largely reinforced, though with a mere
worthless mob of slaves and domestics. It made however a formidable
show, supported by its elephants, which numbered two hundred; it had a
deep and wide cutting in its front; and, this time, it had taken care
to destroy all the bridges by which the cutting might have been crossed.
Heraclius, having plundered the rich palace of Dastagherd, together
with several less splendid royal residences, and having on the 10th of
January encamped within twelve miles of the Nahrwan, and learnt from
the commander of the Armenian contingent, whom he sent forward to
reconnoitre, that the canal was impassable, came to the conclusion that
his expedition had reached its extreme limit, and that prudence required
him to commence his retreat. The season had been, it w