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having bound them, they imprisoned them in a cave for all time, and since no one was defending it any longer, they razed the structure of the fort to the ground. 1.13.9 But later the emperor Justinian, having appointed Belisarius general of the East, ordered him to march against the Persians. And he, having gathered an army of considerable size, 1.13.10 came to Daras. And Hermogenes came to him from the emperor to help organize the army, holding the rank of magister, who had previously been an assessor to Vitalian, when 1.13.11 he was an enemy to the emperor Anastasius. And the emperor also sent Rufinus as an ambassador, whom he ordered to remain in Hierapolis by the Euphrates river, until he himself should give the signal. For already many discussions were taking place on both sides concerning the 1.13.12 peace. And suddenly someone reported to Belisarius and Hermogenes that the Persians were expected to invade the land of the Romans, being intent on capturing the city of Daras. 1.13.13 And they, having heard these things, prepared for the line of battle as follows. Not far from the gate which lies opposite the city of Nisibis, but about a stone's throw away, they dug a certain deep trench, which had many passages through it. This 1.13.14 trench, however, had not been dug in a straight line, but in the following manner. In the middle there was a short straight section, and on either side of it two perpendicular arms had been made, and at the ends of the two perpendicular arms they again extended the trenches straight for a very long way. 1.13.15 The Persians therefore not long after came with a large army, and in a place called Ammodios, twenty stades distant from the city of Daras, they all encamped. 1.13.16 And the commanders were, among others, Pityaxes and Baresmanas the one-eyed. And one general was in command of all, a Persian man, mirranes in rank (for so the Persians call this command), 1.13.17 Perozes by name. who indeed immediately sent to Belisarius and ordered the bath to be made ready; for it was his wish to bathe there on the next day. 1.13.18 For this very reason the Romans most steadfastly prepared themselves for the engagement, as if to fight on the following day. 1.13.19 And at sunrise, seeing the enemy advancing against them, they drew themselves up for battle as follows. The far end of the straight trench on the left, which was below the perpendicular arm, as far as the hill which rises on this side, Bouzes held with many horsemen, and Pharas the Herulian with three hundred of his kinsmen; 1.13.20 and on their right, outside the trench at the angle which the perpendicular arm and the straight section from there formed, were Sunicas and Aigan, Massagetae by race, with six hundred horsemen, so that, if the men with Bouzes and Pharas should be routed, they themselves, moving quickly on the flank and getting behind the enemy, might be able easily to assist the Romans there. And on the other 1.13.21 wing they were drawn up in the same manner; for the far end of the straight trench many horsemen held, whom John son of Nicetas commanded, and Cyril and Marcellus; and with them were also Germanus and Dorotheus; and at the angle on the right six hundred horsemen were stationed, whom Simmas and Ascan, Massagetae, commanded, so that, as has been said, if the men with John should be routed, if it should so happen, they, setting out from there, might go against the rear of the Persians. 1.13.22 And along the whole trench both the squadrons of cavalry and the infantry army was stationed. behind whom Belisarius and Hermogenes and their men had taken their stand in the center. 1.13.23 Thus the Romans, amounting to twenty-five thousand, drew themselves up for battle, but the army of the Persians was forty thousand cavalry and infantry, and they all stood in one line, so as to make the front of their phalanx as deep as possible. 1.13.24 For a long time, then, neither side began the battle, but the Persians seemed to be admiring the good order of the Romans and to be at a loss what to do in the present circumstances. 1.13.25 And late in the afternoon a certain portion of the cavalry, who held the right wing, separating from the rest of the army, attacked the men with Bouzes and Pharas. 1.13.26 And they withdrew backward a little. But the Persians did not pursue them, but remained there, fearing, I think, some encirclement by the enemy. And afterwards the Romans who had fled from the

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δήσαντές τε τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον ἐν σπηλαίῳ καθεῖρξαν, καὶ τοῦ φρουρίου τὴν οἰκοδομίαν οὐδενὸς ἔτι ἀμυνομένου εἰς ἔδαφος καθεῖλον. 1.13.9 Ὕστερον δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς στρατηγὸν τῆς ἕω Βελισάριον καταστησάμενος, στρατεύειν ἐπὶ Πέρσας ἐκέλευεν. ὁ δὲ στρατιὰν λόγου πολλοῦ ἀξίαν ἀγείρας 1.13.10 ἐς ∆άρας ἦλθε. καί οἱ Ἑρμογένης ξυνδιακοσμήσων τὸν στρατὸν ἐκ βασιλέως ἀφίκετο, τὸ τοῦ μαγίστρου ἀξίωμα ἔχων, ὃς Βιταλιανῷ παρήδρευε πρότερον, ἡνίκα 1.13.11 βασιλεῖ Ἀναστασίῳ πολέμιος ἦν. καὶ Ῥουφῖνον δὲ πρεσβευτὴν βασιλεὺς ἔπεμψεν, ὃν δὴ ἐν Ἱεραπόλει τῇ πρὸς τῷ Εὐφράτῃ ποταμῷ μένειν, ἕως αὐτὸς σημήνῃ, ἐκέλευε. λόγοι γὰρ ἤδη πολλοὶ ἀμφοτέροις ἀμφὶ τῇ 1.13.12 εἰρήνῃ ἐγίνοντο. ἄφνω δέ τις Βελισαρίῳ τε καὶ Ἑρμογένει ἀπήγγελλεν ὡς Πέρσαι ἐσβάλλειν ἐπίδοξοί εἰσιν ἐς γῆν τὴν Ῥωμαίων, πόλιν ∆άρας αἱρήσειν ἐν 1.13.13 σπουδῇ ἔχοντες. οἱ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες τὰ ἐς τὴν παράταξιν ἐξηρτύοντο ὧδε. τῆς πύλης, ἣ πόλεως Νισίβιδος καταντικρὺ κεῖται, οὐ μακρὰν ἄποθεν, ἀλλ' ὅσον λίθου βολὴν, τάφρον βαθεῖάν τινα ὤρυξαν, διεξόδους πολλὰς ἔχουσαν. οὐκ ἐπ' εὐθείας μέντοι ἡ 1.13.14 τάφρος ἥδε ὀρώρυκτο, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ τοιῷδε. κατὰ μὲν τὸ μέσον βραχεῖά τις ἐγεγόνει εὐθεῖα, ἐφ' ἑκάτερα δὲ αὐτῆς ὀρθαὶ κεραῖαι πεποίηντο δύο, ἔς τε τὰ πέρατα ταῖν ὀρθαῖν κεραίαιν αὖθις τὰς τάφρους ἐπὶ πλεῖστον 1.13.15 εὐθείας ἐξῆγον. οἱ μὲν οὖν Πέρσαι οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν στρατῷ πολλῷ ἦλθον, ἔν τε Ἀμμώδιος χωρίῳ, πόλεως ∆άρας μέτρῳ εἴκοσι σταδίων ἀπέχοντι, ἐστρατοπεδεύ1.13.16 σαντο ἅπαντες. ἄρχοντες δὲ ἄλλοι τε ἦσαν καὶ Πιτυάξης καὶ Βαρεσμανᾶς ἑτερόφθαλμος. στρατηγὸς δὲ εἷς ἅπασιν ἐφειστήκει, Πέρσης ἀνὴρ, μιρράνης μὲν τὸ ἀξίωμα (οὕτω γὰρ τὴν ἀρχὴν καλοῦσι Πέρσαι), 1.13.17 Περόζης δὲ ὄνομα. ὃς δὴ αὐτίκα παρὰ Βελισάριον πέμψας τὸ βαλανεῖον ἐν παρασκευῇ ἐκέλευε ποιεῖσθαι· λοῦσθαι γάρ οἱ ἐνταῦθα τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ βουλομένῳ εἶναι. 1.13.18 διὸ δὴ Ῥωμαῖοι τὰ ἐς τὴν ξυμβολὴν καρτερώτατα ἐξηρτύοντο, ὡς ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἐπιγενησομένῃ μαχούμενοι. 1.13.19 Ἅμα τε ἡλίῳ ἀνίσχοντι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐπὶ σφᾶς προϊόντας ὁρῶντες ἐτάξαντο ὧδε. εὐθείας μὲν τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς ἀριστερᾶς, ἣ ἔνερθεν ἦν τῆς ὀρθῆς κεραίας μέχρι ἐς τὸν λόφον, ὃς ταύτῃ ἀνέχει, Βούζης εἶχε ξὺν ἱππεῦσι πολλοῖς καὶ Φάρας Ἔρουλος ξὺν ὁμογενέσι 1.13.20 τριακοσίοις· ἐν δεξιᾷ δὲ αὐτῶν τῆς τάφρου ἐκτὸς κατὰ τὴν γωνίαν, ἣν ἥ τε ὀρθὴ κεραία καὶ ἡ ἐνθένδε εὐθεῖα ἐποίει, Σουνίκας τε ἦν καὶ Αἰγὰν Μασσαγέται γένος, ξὺν ἱππεῦσιν ἑξακοσίοις, ὅπως, ἢν οἵ τε ἀμφὶ Βούζην καὶ Φάραν τραπεῖεν, αὐτοὶ πλάγιοι κατὰ τάχος ἰόντες κατὰ νώτου τε τῶν πολεμίων γινόμενοι τοῖς ἐκείνῃ Ῥωμαίοις ἀμύνειν εὐπετῶς δύνωνται. ἐπὶ θά1.13.21 τερα δὲ τρόπῳ τῷ αὐτῷ ἐτετάχατο· τῆς μὲν γὰρ εὐθείας τὰ ἔσχατα ἱππεῖς πολλοὶ εἶχον, ὧν Ἰωάννης τε ὁ Νικήτου ἦρχε καὶ Κύριλλός τε καὶ Μάρκελλος· ξυνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Γερμανὸς καὶ ∆ωρόθεος· ἐς γωνίαν δὲ τὴν ἐν δεξιᾷ ἱππεῖς ἐτάξαντο ἑξακόσιοι, ὧν Σίμμας τε καὶ Ἀσκὰν Μασσαγέται ἦρχον, ἵνα, ὅπερ εἴρηται, τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην τρεπομένων, ἂν οὕτω τύχῃ, αὐτοὶ ἐνθένδε ἐξανιστάμενοι κατὰ νώτου τῶν Περσῶν ἴωσι. 1.13.22 πανταχῆ δὲ τῆς τάφρου οἵ τε τῶν ἱππέων κατάλογοι καὶ ὁ πεζὸς στρατὸς ἵστατο. ὧν δὴ ὄπισθεν οἵ τε ἀμφὶ Βελισάριον καὶ Ἑρμογένην κατὰ μέσους εἱστή1.13.23 κεσαν. ὧδε μὲν Ῥωμαῖοι ἐς πεντακισχιλίους τε καὶ δισμυρίους ξυνιόντες ἐτάξαντο, Περσῶν δὲ ὁ στρατὸς μυριάδες μὲν τέσσαρες ἱππέων τε καὶ πεζῶν ἦσαν, ἐφεξῆς δὲ ἅπαντες μετωπηδὸν ἵσταντο, ὡς βαθύτατον 1.13.24 τῆς φάλαγγος τὸ μέτωπον ποιησόμενοι. χρόνον μὲν οὖν πολὺν μάχης ἐς ἀλλήλους οὐδέτεροι ἦρχον, ἀλλὰ θαυμάζουσί τε τὴν Ῥωμαίων εὐκοσμίαν Πέρσαι ἐῴκεσαν καὶ ὅ τι χρήσονται τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀπορουμένοις. 1.13.25 Τῆς δὲ ἡμέρας ἀμφὶ δείλην ὀψίαν μοῖρά τις τῶν ἱππέων, οἳ κέρας τὸ δεξιὸν εἶχον, ἀποσχισθέντες τοῦ ἄλλου στρατοῦ τοῖς ἀμφὶ Βούζην τε καὶ Φάραν ἐπῆλθον. 1.13.26 οἱ δὲ ὀπίσω κατὰ βραχὺ ὑπεχώρησαν. Πέρσαι δὲ αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἐδίωξαν, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ ἔμενον, κύκλωσιν, οἶμαι, πρὸς τῶν πολεμίων τινὰ δείσαντες. μετὰ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν οἱ φυγόντες ἐκ τοῦ