,

they migrate from the Medes and migrate to the ancestral homeland, from which the forefather happened to be 5.7.8 Abraham. Therefore these men, by trading in the most precious goods and crossing the Red Sea, came to possess great abundance. From thence they most 5.7. readily slipped into seditions and the Babylonian kindling of riots among the people. For the nation is wicked and most faithless, both fond of turmoil and tyrannical, and least mindful of friendship, both jealous and slanderous, and in enmity 5.7.10 both unchangeable and irreconcilable. Therefore Mebodes, having conquered them in war, delivered them over to various forms of destruction. When therefore he took control of the palace, he selected the most important from the more precious ornaments and sent them forth to Chosroes. So those with Chosroes, both Romans and Persians, arrived in four days at Alexandrianois, a place so-called. 5.7.11 The place inherited its name from the deeds of Alexander the Macedonian; for the son of Philip, having come there with the Macedonian force and the Hellenic alliance, destroyed a most fortified stronghold and killed the barbarians in it. 5.8.1 Therefore, departing from there, on the second day both Romans and Persians reached a slope called Chnaithas. On the next day at first dawn, Narses, the commander of the eastern regiments, sent out Comentiolus, commander of the right wing of the battle-line, with a thousand horsemen to seize beforehand the crossing of the other 5.8.2 Zabas river. When this had happened, those sent out on reconnaissance by Baram, having learned what had been done, returned to Baram, reporting these things to him. But Baram attempted to seize the bridge beyond that one beforehand. 5.8.3 And he nourished his hopes with the confidence that the Roman encampment in Armenia, on account of the difficulty of the terrain, would not be able to join with the eastern forces of the 5.8.4 Romans. On the fourth day, Narses, having captured men sent out on reconnaissance by Baram and having examined them under the lash as was possible, learned what the enemy's intention was. And indeed he provided a sufficient force to Rufinus the son of Timostratus, and then ordered the other 5.8.5 crossings to be secured. On the following day, when night had fallen, in the first watch, the general set out, became master of the crossings, and suddenly invaded the land of the Nanisenes. At midday, Baram's men, these things 5.8.6 indeed having seen, reported them to the tyrant. But he, having failed in his purpose, divided his forces towards the north and east, so that he might cut off the junction of the expected Roman force from Armenia. Now, as Baram was completing the journey with some urgency and had arrived at a certain nearby lake, it happened that the men from Armenia very nearly ar5.8.7rived. When the Roman scouts caught sight of Baram's army, they reported to John the general that Persian squadrons of cavalry were advancing against them. John, therefore, drew up his forces in battle formation, while Bindoes took command of the Persian phalanx; and of the Roman formation 5.8.8 the general John was in command. But since a river separated both Baram and the forces of the Romans and Persians with John, their engagement was checked. On the second day, the Ro5.8.man armies along with Bindoes turned towards the south. Narses and Chosroes, therefore, having departed from the land of the Nanisenes, advanced forward, and came near a certain village which the inhabitants call Siraganon. On the fifth day, Narses knew that the Roman auxiliary forces from Armenia were appro-5.8.10aching. For this reason he sent messengers to John and urged the general that he should not engage with the Persians, until both forces, joining together, should have irresistible strength. 5..1 Indeed, while Chosroes was encamped in this place, those sent from Mebodes

τοὺς Μήδους μεταναστεύουσι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχέγονον τιθήνην μεταναστεύουσιν, ἐξ ἧς ὁ προπάτωρ ἐτύγχανεν ὢν 5.7.8 ᾿Αβραάμ. τὰ τιμιώτατα τοίνυν οὗτοι ἐμπορευσάμενοι καὶ τὴν ᾿Ερυθρὰν διαπεραιούμενοι θάλατταν, περιουσίας χρηματισθέντες μεγάλας περιεβάλοντο. ἐντεῦθεν καὶ πρὸς τὰς στάσεις καὶ τὰς Βαβυλωνίας τῶν δήμων ἐκκαύσεις ἑτοιμό5.7. τατα διωλίσθαινον. ἔστι γὰρ πονηρὸν τὸ ἔθνος καὶ ἀπιστότατον, φιλοθόρυβόν τε καὶ τύραννον, καὶ φιλίας ἥκιστα μνημονικόν, ζηλότυπόν τε καὶ ὑποβάσκανον, καὶ ἐς ἔχθραν 5.7.10 ἀμετάθετόν τε καὶ ἀδιάλλακτον. τούτους οὖν ὁ Μεβόδης καταπολεμήσας ποικίλοις ὀλέθροις ἀπέδοτο. ὅτε οὖν τῶν βασιλείων ἐκράτησεν, ἐκ τῶν τιμιωτέρων κόσμων ἀναλεξάμενος τὰ κυριώτατα ἐς Χοσρόην ἐξέπεμπεν. οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τὸν Χοσρόην ῾Ρωμαῖοί τε καὶ Πέρσαι ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρια-νοῖς, οὕτω καλουμένῳ χώρῳ, τέτρασιν ἡμέραις ἀφίκοντο. 5.7.11 τὴν δὲ προσηγορίαν ὁ χῶρος ἀπὸ τῶν πράξεων τοῦ Μακεδόνος ᾿Αλεξάνδρου κατεκληρώσατο· ὁ τοῦ Φιλίππου γὰρ ἐκεῖσε γενόμενος ἅμα τῇ Μακεδονικῇ δυνάμει τῇ τε ῾Ελληνικῇ ξυμμαχίᾳ ἐρυμνότατον κατεσκάψατο φρούριον τούς τε ἐν αὐτῷ βαρβάρους διώλεσεν. 5.8.1 ἐκεῖθεν τοίνυν μεταφοιτήσαντες δευτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ ῾Ρωμαῖοί τε καὶ Πέρσαι προσβάλλουσι κλίματι Χναιθᾶς λεγομένῳ. τῇ δὲ ὑστεραίᾳ ὑπὸ πρώτην ἕω Ναρσῆς, ὁ τῶν ἑῴων ταγμάτων ἡγούμενος, Κομεντίολον ταγματάρχην τοῦ δεξιοῦ κέρατος τοῦ μαχίμου σὺν ἱππεῦσι χιλίοις προκαταληψόμενον ἐξέπεμπε τὴν διάβασιν τοῦ ἑτέρου 5.8.2 Ζαβᾶ ποταμοῦ. τούτου δὴ γεγονότος καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ Βαρὰμ ἀποσταλέντες τὸ πραχθὲν διαγνόντες ἐπανῆκον εἰς τὸν Βαράμ, ταῦτα δήπου αὐτῷ διαγγέλλοντες. ἀτὰρ ὁ Βαρὰμ τὴν μετ' ἐκείνην γέφυραν προκατασχεῖν ἐνεχείρει. 5.8.3 ὑπέτρεφε δὲ τὰς ἐλπίδας τῷ θάρσει ὡς δὴ τῆς περὶ τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν ῾Ρωμαϊκῆς στρατοπεδεύσεως διὰ τὴν δυσχωρίαν τῶν τόπων οὐχ οἵας τε οὔσης συνάπτεσθαι ταῖς ἑῴαις τῶν 5.8.4 ῾Ρωμαίων δυνάμεσιν. τετάρτη δὲ ἡμέρα, καὶ ὁ Ναρσῆς ἄνδρας ἑλὼν ἐπὶ κατασκοπῇ ὑπὸ τοῦ Βαρὰμ ἐκπεμφθέντας καὶ μάστιξιν ὡς ἐνῆν ἀνετάσας διέγνω ὅπως ἔχει τὸ πολέμιον γνώμης. καὶ δῆτα ἀποχρῶσαν παρέχεται δύναμιν ῾Ρουφίνῳ τῷ Τιμοστράτου, εἶτα προστάττει τὰς ἑτέρας 5.8.5 οἰκειώσασθαι διαβάσεις. τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ, νυκτὸς ἐπιγενομένης, πρώτῃ παραφυλακῇ ἀπάρας ὁ στρατηγὸς γίνεται τῶν διαβάσεων κάτοχος καὶ εἰσβάλλει εἰς τὴν τῶν Νανισηνῶν χώραν ἐξαπιναίως. ἡλίου δὲ μεσοῦντος οἱ τοῦ Βαρὰμ ταῦτα 5.8.6 δὴ θεασάμενοι τῷ τυράννῳ ἐξεῖπον. ὁ δὲ διαμαρτὼν τοῦ σκοποῦ πρὸς βορρᾶν τε καὶ ἕω τὰς δυνάμεις διέσχιζεν, ὅπως ὑποτέμῃ τὴν σύμμιξιν τῆς προσδοκητοῦ τῶν ῾Ρωμαίων ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας δυνάμεως. ἤδη δὲ τοῦ Βαρὰμ συντονίᾳ τινὶ τὴν ὁδὸν διανύοντος καὶ εἴς τινα παρακειμένην λίμνην ἀφικομένου, συνέβη τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας ἄγχιστα παρα5.8.7 γενέσθαι. ἐπεὶ δὲ προεῖδον οἱ τῶν ῾Ρωμαίων σκοποὶ τὸν Βαράμου στρατόν, ᾿Ιωάννῃ τῷ στρατηγῷ ἀπήγγελλον ἱππέων Περσικὰ στίφη ἰέναι πως κατ' αὐτῶν. ὁ μὲν οὖν ᾿Ιωάννης πρὸς ἔκταξιν τὰς δυνάμεις ἐκόσμησεν, ὁ δὲ Βινδόης τὴν Περσικὴν ἀνελάμβανε φάλαγγα· τῆς δὲ ῾Ρωμαϊκῆς συντάξεως 5.8.8 ὁ στρατηγὸς ᾿Ιωάννης ἡγεῖτο. ποταμοῦ δὲ διελομένου τόν τε Βαρὰμ καὶ τὰς περὶ τὸν ᾿Ιωάννην δυνάμεις ῾Ρωμαίων τε καὶ Περσῶν, τὰ τῆς συμπλοκῆς αὐτοῖς ἀνεκόπτετο. δευτέρα δὲ ἡμέρα, καὶ πρὸς νότον ἐκκλίνει ἅμα τῷ Βινδόῃ τὰ ῾Ρω5.8. μαίων στρατεύματα. ὁ μὲν οὖν Ναρσῆς καὶ Χοσρόης ἐκ τῆς Νανισηνῶν χώρας ἀπάραντες εἰς τὸ πρόσω ἐχώρουν, καὶ γίνονται πλησίον κώμης τινὸς ἣν Σιραγανῶν οἱ ἐγχώριοι κατονομάζουσιν. πέμπτη δὲ ἡμέρα, καὶ ὁ Ναρσῆς τὰς ἐπιθέτους δυνάμεις τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας ῾Ρωμαϊκὰς πλη-5.8.10 σιάζειν ἐγίνωσκεν. διά τοι τοῦτο ἐπιστολεῖς πρὸς ᾿Ιωάννην ἐξέπεμπε καὶ παρενεγύα τῷ στρατηγῷ ὡς οὐ δεῖ Πέρσαις συμπλέκεσθαι, πρὶν ἂν ἐς κοινὸν ἑκάτεραι δυνάμεις συναπτόμεναι τὴν ἀλκὴν ἀνανταγώνιστον σχοίησαν. 5..1 Κατὰ τοῦτον δῆτα τὸν χῶρον αὐλιζομένῳ Χοσρόῃ οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Μεβόδου σταλέντες