[3.17.7-3.17.9 is a description of the Dilimnites whom, Agathias says, “are
accustomed for the most part to fight alongside the Persians, though not as the conscript
contingents of a subject people since they are in fact free and independent …
33
”
In 3.18 The Dilimnites try to ambush the Sabirs, but are themselves lured into a trap
and massacred.]
3.19.1 Straight after the failure of this attempt Nachoragan left for Nesos and camping
close to the Romans invited Martin to a parley. 2 On Martin's arrival he said: "You are
such a shrewd and able general and a person of great influence among the Romans, and
yet far from showing any inclination to stop the two monarchs from engaging in a
mutually exhausting conflict you have allowed them to persist in the protracted ruination
of their respective states. 3 If therefore you are agreeable to the idea of a negotiated
settlement, why not move with your army to the Pontic city of Trebizond, whilst we
Persians shall remain here? In this way we shall discuss the terms of the armistice at our
leisure using trusted messengers to convey our views. 4 If you do not voluntarily
withdraw your army from here you may rest assured that you will be driven out by force,
for I hold victory in the palm of my hand. And, mark you, I wear her no less securely
than I wear this". As he uttered these words he showed him the ring which he was
wearing. 5 In answer to this Martin replied: "I do indeed consider peace to be the fitting
object of our prayers and a most precious possession and shall help you in your efforts to
reinstate her. However, I think it would be better if you were to move with all speed to
Iberia while I went to Mucheirisis. That would enable us to examine the immediate
situation. 6 As for victory, you may indulge in boastful talk if you wish and
presumptuously imagine that she is up for sale and is there for the taking. But I say that
the scales of victory are weighted according to the discretion of divine Providence, and
they do not incline towards the boastful and the arrogant but towards those to whom the
Architect of the universe nods his approval". 7 After Martin had given this pious and
courageous reply and had shown righteous indignation at the blasphemous insolence of
the barbarian they parted without any progress having been made towards a peaceful
settlement. 8 Nachoragan returned to his camp and Martin to Nesos. Nachoragan felt
that there was no point in staying where he was and so decided to go to the town of
33
Agathias, 3.17.9.
Page 13
Phasis
34
and lure the Romans there instead. The reason for his decision was that he
received intelligence to the effect that the fortress there was especially vulnerable, being
entirely constructed of wood, and that the surrounding plains were accessible and suitable
for camping in. 9 It is, I suppose common knowledge that the town of Phasis takes its
name from the river that flows very close to it and disembogues in its vicinity into the
Euxine.
35
The town is in fact situated on the coast near to the mouth of the Phasis, and
lies at a distance of not more than six parasangs due west of Nesos.
20. Late at night therefore Nachoragan immediately lowered into the river and
fastened together the light craft which he had brought with him on wagons and, thus,
having constructed a pontoon he conveyed all his troops over to the other side without
being observed by the Romans. 2 His plan was to reach the south side of the town, from
which quarter the waters of the river would not bar his access to the fort since its course
runs in the direction of the north side. 3 Towards dawn he set off from the bank of the
river and, after making a detour in order to bypass Nesos by as safe a distance as
possible, proceeded directly on his way.
4 It was not until late in the morning that the Romans realized, to their alarm, that the
Persians had crossed over. Consequently they were most anxious to reach the town
before the enemy and manned all the triremes and thirty-oared ships which they had
moored nearby. The boats were propelled downstream at a very great speed. 5 But
Nachoragan had had a very good start and was in fact already half way between Nesos
and the town. At this point he laid a barrier of timber and small boats right across the
river, massing his elephants behind it in lines which extended as far as they could wade.
6 Seeing this from a distance, the Roman fleet immediately began to back water. They
had a hard job rowing in reverse with the current against them, but they pulled manfully
at the oars and managed to back away. 7 Even so the Persians captured two empty boats
which their crews had abandoned. When faced with imminent capture the men had
courageously chosen to commit themselves to the mercy of the waves. It was in fact a
choice between certain and less certain danger and they preferred to take a chance. So
they leapt nimbly overboard and after swimming considerable a distance underwater
barely reached the safety of their comrades' ships. 8 At this point they left Buzes with
his army at Nesos to take charge of everything there and to bring help in case of need.
All the others were shipped along and then across the river, after which they marched
overland by a different route so as to avoid running into the enemy. When they arrived at
the town of Phasis they entered its gates and the generals apportioned among themselves
the task of manning the fortifications, since they did not feel strong enough to engage the
enemy in a pitched battle. 9 Justin the son of Germanus and his men were stationed in
front on the highest point, which faced towards the sea, with Martin and his forces
occupying a nearby position. The middle part was held by Angilas with a contingent of
Moorish troops armed with shields and lances, by Theodorus and his Tzanian heavy
infantry, and by Philomathius with the Isaurian slingers and dart-throwers. 10 At some
distance from these a detachment of Lombards and Heruls mounted guard under the
command of Gibrus. The remaining stretch of wall which terminated at the Eastern
quarter of the town was guarded by the Eastern regiments commanded by Valerian. And
this completes the account of the disposition of the Roman forces defending the walls.
34
Now Poti in the U.S.S.R.
35
The Black Sea.
Page 14
21. They had also built a massive rampart in front of the walls in order to withstand
the first shock of an enemy attack and to serve as a buttress. They were understandably
anxious about the walls in view of the fact that they were built of wood and particularly
because they had crumbled and caved in with age in many places. 2 Accordingly a moat
had been dug and filled up to the top with water, so that the stakes which had been driven
in great profusion were completely hidden. The latter part of this operation had been
effected without difficulty by diverting the seaward outflow of the lagoon which flows
into the Euxine and is known locally as the "little sea". 3 Large merchantships rode at
anchor next to the sea-shore and the mouth of the river Phasis very close to the town with
their boats securely suspended about the mastheads and raised aloft at such a height that
they overtopped and even dwarfed the towers and battlements of the fortifications. 4 Up
in the boats soldiers and the more daring and warlike of the sailors were stationed. They
were armed with bows and arrows and slings and had set up catapults loaded and ready
for action. 5 Other ships too had been fitted out in almost exactly the same fashion and
then conveyed up the river to the opposite side of the fortifications where Valerian was in
command. Their presence at this point meant that any attempt on the part of the enemy to
conduct a siege at close quarters would be repulsed, since they would be shot at from a
very great height on either side. 6 To ensure that these ships on the river should come to
no harm two commanders, Dabragezas the Ant and Elminegeir the Hun, acting on the
instructions of the generals, manned with troops from their own contingents ten skiffs of
a special kind equipped with for-and-aft rudders, and traveled up the river as far as
possible. They kept a non-stop watch on the various crossing-points, sometimes sailing
in the middle of the river and sometimes veering towards one or the other of its banks. 7
In the course of this operation they experienced one of war's most pleasant surprises.
Even further up the river than they were, the two thirty-oared Roman vessels, whose
capture without their crews by the Persians I have already related, now lay in wait
moored to the bank of the river and manned by Persians. 8 At nightfall their crews all
fell asleep. The current was particularly strong and the cables were stretched by the
tilting of the boats, with the result that the mooring on one of them suddenly snapped.
Cut adrift and virtually without oars to propel it or a rudder to steer it, it was caught up in
the current, swept away and eventually 9 consigned to Dabragezas and his men, who
rejoicing at their good fortune gleefully seized their prey. The ship which they had
abandoned empty had returned to them full.
22. Meanwhile Nachoragan left camp and advanced on the town with his entire army.
He intended to confine himself to light skirmishing and the discharging of missiles from a
distance in an attempt to test the Romans' mettle and to see whether they would come out
into the open and fight. In this way he hoped to form a clear idea of what tactics to adopt
in the next day's battle. 2 As soon as the Persians got within shooting distance,
therefore, they immediately began, according to their usual practice to discharge volley
upon volley of arrows. Many Romans were wounded, and though some of them
continued to defend the walls, others withdrew altogether from the fighting. 3 In
complete disregard of Martin's instructions to the whole army that they were to stay each
at his respective post and to fight from a position of safety, Angilas and Philomathius and
about two hundred of their troops opened the gate in their section of the wall and made a
sortie against the enemy. 4 Theodorus the commander of the Tzanian contingent tried at
first to restrain them, upbraiding them for their rashness. But when they would not listen
Page 15
to him he fell in reluctantly with the majority decision and set off at once with them to
avoid being suspected of cowardice and of seeking to cover up his ignoble ends by an
impressive show of prudence and good sense. So, though he had no liking for the
enterprise, he resolved to see it through to the bitter end. 5 And in fact they would
almost certainly have been annihilated on the spot but for a heaven-sent miscalculation
which saved them. The Dilimnites who were ranged in battle-formation at that point,
perceiving the small number of the attackers stayed their ground and calmly awaited their
approach. 6 When they were already near at hand the Dilimnites brought round their
wings and encircled them. Hemmed in on all sides, the Romans had no further idea of
harming the enemy. Indeed the mere possibility of escape seemed almost too much to
hope for. 7 Forming themselves therefore into a compact body they faced about and
suddenly charged with their spears leveled at those of the enemy that were positioned
near the town.
When the Dilimnites saw them charging with the fury of despair they immediately
opened up their tanks and made way for them, since they were unable to confront men
who cared neither for their own lives nor for the consequences of their actions. 8 In this
way the Romans were allowed to rush to safety unopposed. Only too glad to get back
inside the fortifications, they slammed the gate behind them. The net achievement from
such a hazardous exploit was nil - they had risked their lives to save their skins!
23. Meanwhile an army of porters on the Persian side had long been toiling to fill in
the moat. Their work was now complete. All gaps had been stopped and all holes had
been plugged. In fact they had done such a thorough job that even a besieging army
could walk over the spot and siege-engines could be brought up with little difficulty. 2
But a disproportionate amount of time had been spent on the operation considering the
vast resources of manpower at their disposal. Though they threw in an enormous
quantity of stones and earth it did not suffice to block up the moat, and wood was scarce
except for what they cut from the forests, travelling far to get it and transporting it with
incredible toil. 3 The Romans had in fact already set fire to all the surrounding
countryside, burning down even the wayside inns and any other buildings in the
immediate vicinity. Their purpose in doing this had been to ensure that the enemy did
not have a ready supply of building material from any of these quarters. 4 No other
event worth recording occurred on that day, and at nightfall Nachoragan returned to camp
with his troops.
Archer-Spearmen may rise again !?!
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my head:
Originally Posted by Bonny
The best is yet to come.
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