The Iranian troops came and faced them
from the plain area. They released a multitude of bowmen who emptied
their [86] quivers shooting at them and piercing all the men and
horses with their arrows. The horses, which were tied to mangers
at the entrances to the tents, became frightened and trampled
on all the tents and army. The enemy broke through the fortification
and fell upon the army causing incredible destruction. [The Byzantines]
broke through at one spot, some on foot, others mounted on the
kicking horses, and fled. T'eodos Xorhxorhuni fortified himself
in the fortress, while that evening [the Iranians] settled into
[the Byzantines'] campsite. The next morning [the Iranians] dispatched
a messenger telling them to quit the fortress and depart with
all their baggage and equipment. They agreed to do so. On the
third day [the Byzantines] opened the city gates and all departed
as had been agreed. But the Iranian commander summoned T'eodos
Xorhxorhuni and told him: "I do not have the authority to
release you without a royal command. Rather [I must] have you
taken to court. I shall write to the king all the good things
about you, how you labored so sincerely and loyally to betray
[the Byzantine] troops into our hands; how you came into [Iranian]
service willingly". And he did write such things and had
him taken to court. King Xosrov received [T'eodos] affectionately,
arranging a stipend and money for clothing for him from the treasury.
Subsequently, however, as there was a suspicion of treachery about
him, he [87] ordered him killed. Now the fortress-keeper
residing at Angegh fortress assembled his troops and went in person
deeper into the countryside which he subjugated. [g75]
After this there was another battle
in the Basen area. [The Iranian commander] struck at and chased
the Byzantines who fled back to their own country. He took the
cities of Angegh, Gaylatus, Ergina, and the city of Tsxmkert in
Dara. Receiving a command from the king, he departed.
Xosrov sends a large force to Asorestan
under the command of Erhazman Xorheam, and [another army] to Armenia
under Ashtat Yeztayar accompanied by the emperor T'eodos. Erhazman
Xorheam subdues all of Mesopotamia. Ashtat wars with the Byzantines
and subjugates the district of Karin. Shahen battles with the
Byzantines and is victorious. The inhabitants of Karin are deported
to Ahmatan Shahastan. Death(s) of the Kat'oghikoi.
Shahen takes Caesarea, and Vasak Artsruni is killed.
King Xosrov left Dara and again released
his troops. Once more he called up another multitude of soldiers,
dispatching a large and extremely powerful army to the Asorestan
area commanded by Xorheam, called Erhazman. [Xosrov] commanded
them as follows: "Whomever comes into [my] service, receive
[88] with affection and keep in peace and prosperity; but kill
with the sword whomever resists and makes war". He sent Ashtat
Yeztayar with a large army (including emperor T'eodos, called
Maurice's son) to Armenia. Xorheam took a multitude of soldiers
and went to Asorestan, reaching Syrian Mesopotamia where he besieged
and battled with the city of Edessa. Because of the multitude
of the troops and the success of [the Iranian] battles, and because
[the besieged] had no hope of salvation from any quarter, [the
Edessans] spoke of peace requesting an oath so that [the Iranians]
would not ruin the city. They opened the city gates and submitted.
Similarly Amida, T'ela, [g76] Rhashayenay and all the cities of
Syrian Mesopotamia voluntarily submitted and were kept in peace
and prosperity. [The Iranian troops then] went to the city of
Antioch which also submitted voluntarily together with all the
surrounding] cities and their inhabitants, escaping from the sword
of Phocas.
Now Ashtat Yeztayar came to the borders
of Armenia in the 18th year of the reign. The Byzantine army was
assembled in the district of Basen and again frightfully attacked
him. A great battle took place in Du and Ordru. The Byzantine
army struck and was defeated with great destruction. Many men
died in the battle, and there was no counting the number of corpses
on the plain. [Ashtat] pursued them as [89] far as the city of
Satala and then he himself encamped around the city of Karin with
which he began to fight. [The inhabitants] resisted somewhat from
within causing no small casualties to those outside. But then
the emperor T'eodos came forward and said [to the inhabitants]:
"I am your king", whereupon they consented and opened
[the gates]. The principal men of the city emerged and were presented
to him, then returned to the city and convinced them that he was
indeed Maurice's son T'eodos . After this [the inhabitants] opened
the gates and submitted. [Ashtat] set up guards there and then
went and captured the city of Hashteank', Dzit'arhich, and Satala,
Arhistia and Nicopolis, and then departed. Then Shahen the Patgosapan
arrived, passed by the city of Karin, and Shahrayeanapet came
to Dwin, ostan of the marzpanate. Now Shahen went
and encountered the Byzantine troops in the district of Karin.
Engaging in battle, he struck them with the sword, putting them
to flight and chasing them from the land.
Now in the 21st year of his reign [
=A.D. 611] king Xosrov ordered [Shahen] to move the inhabitants
of the city of Karin and settle them in Ahmatean shahastan.
The venerable aged kat'oghikos was among those led
into captivity, together with all the Church vessels. He died
there. His body was brought [g77] [back to Armenia] to the village
of Awan and the church which [90] he himself had built. That same
year the venerable kat'oghikos Abraham died. He
was succeeded on the patriarchal throne by Kumitas, bishop of
Taron who was from the village of Aghts' awan. During his
tenure the construction of the church of saint Gregory was completed.
In the 20th year of king Xosrov [=610],
Shahen raided through the western areas, going to Cappadocian
Caesarea. Now while the Christian inhabitants of the city arose
and departed, the Jews went before [Shahen] and submitted. He
remained in that city for one year. [The Iranians] seized Vasak
Artsruni son of Sahak nahapet of the Artsrunids and crucified
him opposite the city gate. Despite the fact that he had wrought
much carnage among the Iranian troops, nonetheless, all the Iranian
troops mourned him because of his bravery and manliness and because
he was a powerful and tall youth. [They mourned] especially because
he had been nourished and trained among them. That is what became
of him.
Heraclius goes to Asorestan to fight
against the Iranians. The great battle near the city of Antioch
in which the Byzantines were defeated. The country of Palestine
submits to the Iranians. An Iranian ostikan takes up residence
in Jerusalem. His murder. The great destruction of Jerusalem by
the Iranians by sword and fire. The holy Cross is captured.
[91] In that period, in the 22nd year
of the reign of Xosrov [=612], Heraclius gathered the troops in
the area of Egypt, went by sea to Constantinople, killed the emperor
Phocas and seated his son Heraclius on the throne of the kingdom,
and pacified the entire country. [g78]
Now as soon as Heraclius ruled [Heraclius
I, 610-41], he dispatched messengers with great treasures and
edicts to king Xosrov, requesting peace with great entreaties.
King Xosrov, however, did not want to listen. He said: "That
kingdom belongs to me, and I shall enthrone Maurice's son, T'eodos,
as emperor. [As for Heraclius], he went and took the rule without
our order and now offers us our own treasure as gifts. But I shall
not stop until I have him in my hands". Taking the treasure,
[Xosrov] commanded that his envoys be killed and he did not respond
to his message.
Then Heraclius gathered his troops and
encamped around the city [ of Caesarea], obstructing their expeditions.
After assembling troops under the direction of a certain Curator,
[Heraclius] ordered [them] to be watchful, and then returned to
his own place.
They besieged the city of Caesarea for
one year and the Iranian troops were placed into straits regarding
victuals, [92] nor was there hay for the multitude of horses.
When warm summer days arrived and the area became filled with
green plants, [the Iranians] set fire to the city and forcibly
departed, striking at the Byzantines and pursuing them from behind.
The Iranian troops then went to the land of Armenia, where they
wintered.
The Iranian king quickly summoned Shahen
to court and ordered him to return to the west in haste. Taking
his troops in summertime, [Shahen] reached the city of Karin.
He went against Melitene, took and subdued it. Then he went and
united with the army of Xorheam which was in the Pisidia area
and at the Ostan of Dwin.
Parseanpet Parshenazdat came and replaced
Shahrayenapet; he was succeeded by Namgarun Shonazp, then by Shahrapghan.
This latter fought a battle in Pars and was victorious. [g79]
Then came Chrhoch Vehan [Abgaryan, p.282 n.378 emends this name
to Erhoch Vehan.] He followed emperor Heraclius through Armenia
as far as the borders of Asorestan. The battle occurred at Nineveh,
in which he and all of his troops fell.
Now emperor Heraclius summoned a certain
priest P'ilipikos to military service. This P'ilipikos was the
son-in-law of emperor Maurice and had been in the military for
a long time, [93] triumphing in battle. But then, during Maurice's
reign, he took it into his head to cut his hair and to wear priestly
garb, becoming a soldier in the covenant of the Church. Heraclius
forcibly made him a general and dispatched him to the East with
a large army. Going by way of Cappadocian Caesarea, he reached
the Ayrarat district in the country of Armenia and encamped in
the plain of the city of Vagharshapat. An urgent order from the
[Iranian] king, entrusted to swift, fleet-footed messengers arrived
[at the camp of the Iranian general in the vicinity]. With great
peril [the general] forced his troops to pursue them and wipe
them out without a trace. With great urgency [the Iranian troops]
reached the district of Ayrarat and encamped on the bank of the
Arax [river] wanting to engage in battle the next day. However,
that very night P'ilippos went against them in Nig district, surrounding
them from the rear of mount Aragats. [Then] he crossed through
Shirak and Vanand close to the city of Karin, and arrived at his
own borders.
Now because the Iranian troops were
tired from such a long and dangerous journey during which many
of the men and horses had died along the way, and since therefore
[many] were on foot, they were unable to quickly pursue [the Byzantines].
[94] Rather, they stopped for a few days and then proceeded at
a relaxed pace passing into Asorestan. They encamped there in
the same place they had been previously, expanding both to their
rlght and left. And they ravaged [lastet'an] and seized
the entire country.
In that period Heraclius enthroned his
son Kostandin [Constantine III, 613-41], entrusting him to the
Senate and to all the grandees of the palace. [g80] He confirmed
him on the throne of his kingdom. Together with his brother T'eodos,
he assumed the military command, assembled a multitude of troops,
and crossed into Asorestan by way of Antioch. A great battle took
place in the area of Asia, and the blood of the generals coursed
violently to the city of Antioch. The groupings and clashings
were severe and the slaughter was great in the agitation. Both
sides were worn and wearied in the fight. However, the Iranians
grew stronger and pursued the fleeing Byzantines, receiving, in
addition to bravery, the victory. Yet another battle took place
close to the defile leading to Cilicia. The Byzantines struck
the Iranians in a front of 8,000 armed men. And they turned and
fled. The Iranians grew stronger, went and took the city of Tarsus
and all the inhabitants in the district of Cilicia.
[95]Then the entire country of Palestine
willingly submitted to the king of kings. The remnants of the
Hebrew people especially rebelled from the Christians and taking
in hand their native zeal [The translation is uncertain: ew
arheal i dzerhn znaxandz hayreni,
perhaps "manifesting desire for a/their homeland"] wrought
very damaging slaughters among the multitude of believers. Going
[to the Iranians], [the Jews] united with them. At that time,
the army of the king of Iran was stationed at Caesarea in Palestine.
Their general was named Rhazmiozan (that is, Xorheam). He spoke
with [the inhabitants of] Jerusalem so that they submit voluntarilly
and be kept in peace and prosperity.
Now first [the Jerusalemites] voluntarily
submitted, offering the general and the princes very great gifts,
and requesting that loyal ostikans be stationed with them
to preserve the city. However, several months later the entire
mob of the city's young braves united [miabaneal amenayn
rhamik kacharhats'n` mankunk' k'aghak'in...]
and killed the Iranian king's ostikans. Then they rebelled
from his service. After this [g81] a battle took place among the
inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem, Jew and Christian. The multitude
of the Christians grew stronger, struck at and killed many of
the Jews [The pejorative satakets'in is used]. The remainder
of the Jews jumped from the walls, and went to the Iranian army.
Then Xorheam (who is Erhamikozan) assembled his troops [96] and
went and encamped around Jerusalem and invested it, warring against
it for 19 days. Digging beneath the foundations of the city, they
destroyed the wall. On the l9th day [of the siege] which was the
27th day of the month of Marg [The 11th month of the Armenian
calandar, corresponding to June.] in the 25th year of the reign
of Xosrov Apruez [=615], ten days after Easter, the Iranian forces
took Jerusalem and putting their swords to work for three days
they destroyed all people in the city. Stationing themselves inside
the city, they burned the place down. The troops were then ordered
to count the corpses. The figure reached 57,000. Thirty-five thousand
people were taken alive, among whom was a certain patriarch named
Zak'aria who was also custodian of the Cross [kalan ew
zhayrapetn` orum anunn er Zak'aria,
ew zxach'apann]. [The Iranians] sought for
the life-bringing Cross and began to torment [the clerics], executing
many clerics in that period. Finally [the clerics] pointed out
the place where it was hidden. They took it into captivity and
also melted all the city's silver and gold, which they took to
the court of the king. Now regarding those who had been arrested,
an order was issued by the king to have mercy on them, to build
a city and to settle them there, establishing each person in his
[former] rank/profession [karg]. He commanded that the
Jews [97] be driven from the city, and the king's order was quickly
implemented, with great urgency. They placed a certain archpriest
named Modestos over the city. He wrote [a letter] with the following
import to the country of Armenia [g82] [The main portion of chapter
25, which we omit, contains Modestos' letter to the Armenian
kat'oghikos
Kumitas, and the latter's response. These letters concern doctrinal
matters. The translation resumes with the latter portion of chapter
25.]
Now in the 28th year of the reign of
Xosrov Apruez [=618], kat'oghikos Kumitas pulled
down the chapel of saint Hrhip'sime in the city of Vagharshapat
since it was a very base and gloomy construction, having been
built by saint Sahak the patriarch and kat'oghikos
of Armenia, son of saint Nerses.
It happened that while they were demolishing the chapel wall, unexpectedly a radiant and matchless pearl was uncovered, namely the virgin body of the blessed lady Hrhip'sime. [She had been martyred] by being torn limb from limb. Now since the venerable saint Gregory had sealed [the reliquary] with his ring, as had the venerable Sahak, kat'oghikos of Armenia, [Kumitas] did not dare to open it. He too sealed it with his own ring, and indeed he was worthy of sealing such a pearl with his ring, [it being the ring] of the third of the three [true] believers.
[98] Which is the pearl that comes not
from the sea, but the pearl born from a royal line, nourished
in the embrace of holiness and dedicated to God? The righteous
long to behold you, and the venerable Kumitas
is tenderly in love with you.
The venerable one had a height of nine
spans and four fingers. The entire northern area was motivated
to come to worship. Many afflicted people received healing for
all kinds of pains. [Kumitas] built the church, and left the [g88]
venerable [Hrhip'sime's reliquary] outdoors until the moisture
of the lime in the wall had dried. Then he placed it in its abode.
[Kumitas] also raised the wooden roof
of the blessed cathedral, repaired the crumbling wall and built
a stone roof. This occurred in the years of Yovhank, priest of
the monastery of the blessed cathedral.
Xorheam comes to Chalcedon with a large
army to take Constantinople. The emperor's exhortation and gift.
[The Iranians] consent to turn back. The Iranians again return
to Byzantium (i Biwzandia). The great naval battle
and the Iranian defeat. Xosrov's hrovartak to Heraclius.
Heraclius goes against the Iranians. The battle near Tigranakert
and Heraclius' arrival at Cappadocian Caesarea in triumph and
with booty. He goes against Xosrov again and battles in the plain
of Nineveh where the Iranians are defeated.
[99] In that time it happened that Xorheam
went to Chalcedon with his troops and encamped opposite Byzantium.
He wanted to cross [the straits] and capture the capital city.
Now as soon as emperor Heraclius saw
the brigand who had come to destroy his kingdom, against his will
he exalted [the Iranians] as meritorious and beloved guests, and
became friendly. He went before [Xorheam] with presents and gave
gifts to the general and to the very great princes. [Heraclius]
gave the troops salaries [hrhogs], lunch and dinner for
seven days. Then he boarded a boat which was in the sea, and spoke
[the following words] to [the Iranian troops]: "What did
you expect to accomplish by coming to this place? Could it be
that you regard the sea as the land and would war with it? God,
should He so will, could dry up the sea before you. But take care
that you not displease God, and that He not take vengeance on
you with the bottomless sea. For [God] did not give the victory
to you because of your piety, but because of our impiety. [g89]
Our sins did it, not your bravery. What is it that your king seeks
from me that he will not make reconciliation? If he wants to destroy
my kingdom let him not attempt it. For it was God who established
it, and no one is capable of destroying it except (should God
for some reason want to) to fulfill God's will. Furthermore [Xosrov]
has said that he will [100] enthrone our emperor. Well, let him
enthrone whomever he wants, and we will accept him. Now if he
is seeking to avenge the blood of Maurice, God took revenge on
Phocas by means of my father, Heraclius. But [Xosrov] is still
thirsting for blood. When will he be satiated? The Romans could
have slain him, could they not, and done away with the lordship
of the Iranians, when God delivered him into our hands. On the
contrary, he was shown mercy. And now I seek the same from him--reconciliation
and love. I request three things besides, so hear me out. Quit
subjecting the land to fire, the sword, and captivity. Rejoice
in your priests [The translation is uncertain: yerets'unts'd
awgut gtanek'. Perhaps, "take comfort in your
seniority"], for you are not oppressed by famine nor are
royal taxes being lost. Behold, I am sending a hrovartak
with offerings to your king to request from him reconciliating,
and peace with me". Taking [Heraclius'] gifts, [the Iranians]
were persuaded to do as he requested. Now the Iranian king received
the offerings brought from the emperor, but did not dispatch the
emissaries. He ordered his troops to go to Byzantium by boat.
Organizing ships he started preparing to wage naval warfare with
Byzantium. A force of sailors from Byzantium arose before him,
and there was a naval battle from which the Iranian forces returned
humiliated. Four thousand men [101] were lost on the ships, and [the
Iranians] thereafter did not attempt such a project.
In the 34th year of his reign [=624]
king Xosrov wrote the following hrovartak to Heraclius:
From Xosrov, the honored of the gods,
lord of every country and king, born of the great Aramazd, to
Heraclius, our stupid and useless servant. [g90]
"You did not want to give yourself
into our service, but rather, you call yourself lord and king,
and those treasures of mine which are with you, you spend, and
you deceive my servants. Furthermore, having assembled troops
composed of brigands, you give me no rest. Did I not, truly, exhaust
the Byzantines? You claim confidence in your God, yet how was
it that your troops did not save Caesarea, Jerusalem and great
Antioch from my hands? And could it be that even now you do not
know that land and sea has been made obedient to me. Now it is
only Constantinople which I have been unable to dig up. Yet, I
will forgive all your faults. Bring your wife and children and
come here, and I shall give you fields, vineyards and olive-trees
by which you may live; and we shall [102] look upon you affectionately.
Do not deceive yourself with your vain hopes, for how can that
Christ who was unable to save himself from the Jews (but was crucified
instead) save you from me? For [even] if you descend to the bottom
of the sea, I shall stretch forth my hands and grab you. And then
you will see me under circumstances which you would rather not".
Emperor Heraclius took the hrovartak
and commanded that it be read in the presence of the patriarch
and the grandees. Entering the House of God, they placed the hrovartak
on the altar, and prostrated themselves before the Lord, weeping
bitterly, so that He see the insults with which His enemies dishonored
Him.
It pleased Heraclius and all the senators
to seat Heraclius' small son, Kostandos [Constantine III, 613-41],
on the throne of the kingdom. Heraclius prepared himself, to take
his wife and go East. At that point Kostandin was even more confirmed
into the royal dignity.
Then Heraclius prepared with his wife,
eunuchs, and princes of the court, and celebrated Easter in Constantinople.
On Easter morning he sailed to Chalcedon, commanding his [103]
troops to assemble at Cappadocian Caesarea. Then he himself left
Chalcedon, came to Caesarea, pitched his tent in the midst of
the army and ordered all the troops to be summoned. He read the
hrovartak before them and related why he had [g91] come
there. Now although [the troops] were agitated by the words, nonetheless
they were exceedingly happy that [Heraclius] had come among them.
They bestowed the victory on him [? Awrhnets'in nma
zyaght'ut'iwnn] and said: "We shall
live and die with you, wherever you go. May all of your enemies
become dirt beneath your feet, and may we wipe them off the face
of the earth of our Lord God and exterminate those people who
insult Him". With 120,000 men Heraclius departed for the
court of the Iranian king, travelling via the north, passing opposite
the city of Karin. He reached Ayraratean Dwin, and Naxchawan,
both of which he burned.
Then he went against the village of
Gandzak, which he took, destroying as well the altars of the great
Hrat [kortsane ew zbagins Hratin metsi]
whom they called Vshnasp. King Xosrov urged those of his troops
in the Byzantine district to hasten and come to his aid. Yet although
they organized his horses and entrusted them to [104] Shahen the
Patgosapan, the army was fatigued and could not resist. [Xosrov]
stored up his treasures at Ctesiphon and prepared to flee. Now
the Iranian troops hurriedly reached Mrtsuin . Emperor Heraclius
was informed that Xorheam had come to Mrtsuin. He took his troops
and captives and turned through the secure land of Media, reaching
P'aytakaran. Xosrov was informed that Heraclius had turned and
reached P'aytakaran, and wanted to cross into Iberia, via [Caucasian]
Aghbania. He ordered his general Shahr Varaz to get ahead [of
Heraclius]. He quickly reached Ayrarat, crossed to Gardman across
from him and encamped facing [Heraclius] at the other Tigranakert.
And Shahen with 30,000 troops arrived and encamped at Heraclius'
rear in the awan of Tigranakert. Thus one [army] was encamped
in one place, the other, at the other place, while Heraclius'
army was between them. [g92]
As soon as Heraclius saw that they had
trapped him in the middle, he turned upon the troops at his rear,
with resolute strength struck at [the Iranian general], routed
him, and went through Tsghuk. He disentangled himself by going
into the plain of Naxchawan through the mountains, in wintertime.
[105] Shahr Varaz and his troops, and
Shahen, together with those of his men who had escaped, pursued
[Heraclius]. Now the latter forded the Arax river going to the
Vrnjunik' awan, and encamped in the fields there. The Iranian
army caught up, but they were unable to ford the river that day.
Heraclius reached Bagrewand and crossed to Apahunik', encamping
in the village called Hrchmunk'. Shahr Varaz spread his troops
out to Aghiovid and himself with 6,000 select armed braves went
and located in an ambuscade in the district of Archesh, so that
he might pounce upon Heraclius' army in the middle of the night.
Heraclius was informed by the spies
he had dispatched that Xorheam had arrived and was planning to
attack him from the ambuscade. Heraclius, similarly, took select
cavalrymen and horsemen and dispatched 20,000 of them on him.
Reaching Aghi, he found 500 of the [Iranian] advance-guard and
destroyed them. Now one of those [Iranian] cavalrymen escaped,
reaching Archesh and delivering to Xorheam the bad news that the
enemy had come upon him and decimated the peshopa [advance-guard]
troops at Aghi. Xorheam became furious with the man and ordered
him bound, hand and foot, saying: "Up to the present, Heraclius
has fled from me. Now that I have arrived with [106] such an army,
should he not flee from me"? But while these very words were
in his mouth, [the Byzantines] forcefully came upon them, surrounded
the city on three sides and set it afire, burning to death multitudes
of troops. If anyone was able to flee from it, [the Byzantines]
seized and killed him. No one survived all were consumed by the
awful fire. Shahr Varaz, however, did escape seated on a horse
which [g93] swam. Thus did he escape to those troops of his which
he had assembled in the district of Aghiovit.
Now Heraclius took the loot and booty
of their army and returned in great triumph reaching the area
of Caesarea. Shahr Varaz hurried after him. But because the army
was fatigued, he thought to go by way of a number of districts
to rest and organize the troops. They went into the area of Asia
where they spread out and stopped.
Then Heraclius took his forces and returned
to the country of Armenia, crossing through Shirak, reaching the
ford of the AraX river, crossing it to the awan of Vardanakert,
and entering the district of Gogovit. Rhochik Vahan and the Iranian
troops thought that they had fled. Now he travelled to Her and
the district of Zarewand heading straight toward Ctesiphon against
Xosrov. Once he had entered the borders of [107] the district
of Atrpatakan, news finally reached Rhoch Vehan who took his troops
and pursued him to the city of Naxchawan. Thus he went hurriedly,
day and night until he approached him. [Heraclius] went to the
far side of Zarasp mountain in the country of the Assyrians [yaynkoys
lerhinn Zaraspay yerkirn Asorestaneayts']
while [the Iranians] pursued him. [The Byzantines] turned west,
and went to Nineveh. Other troops came to the aid of Rhoch Vehan
from the king's court, the most select men of the entire kingdom.
The soldiers joined together and pursued Heraclius. Heraclius
drew them along as far as the plain of Nineveh and then suddenly
turned back upon them with intense might. Now there was a fog
over the plain, and so the Iranians were unaware that Heraclius
had turned upon them until the two armies merged.
On that day the Lord so increased his
compassion on Heraclius that [the Byzantines] struck them as though
[the whole army] was but one man, and they killed the general
in battle. [The Byzantines] surrounded the survivors and wanted
to kill all of them. But [the Iranians] raised a clamour, saying:
"Pious and benevolent lord, have mercy on us". [g94]
Then Heraclius commanded that they be set free. And now it was
Heraclius who ordered that the country be raided.
The flight of Xosrov. Heraclius takes
and burns Ctesiphon and returns to Atrpatakan. The killing of
Xosrov and his forty sons. Kawad rules and makes peace with Byzantium
and leaves the [Byzantine] borders.
Now the king of Iran, Xosrov, fled crossing
the Tigris river to Vehkawat, severing the ties of the pontoon
bridges behind him. Heraclius came and encamped close to the gates
of the city of Ctesiphon and burned down all the royal mansions
surrounding the city. Then he went to Atrpatakan with all his
multitude and equipage, for Heraclius was terrified of Xorheam.
Now Xorheam did not go to the aid of king Xosrov but instead went
to where he was in the west. Then Xosrov turned to go home and
commanded that a pontoon bridge be built. However, the king's
women and children, the treasury, and stable of royal horses were
at Vehkawat.
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