the country about Amida (Diarbekr).  The Roman commander Maurice, who had succeeded Justinian, possessed considerable military ability.  On this occasion, instead of following the ordinary plan of simply standing on the defensive and endeavoring to repulse the invaders, he took the bolder course of making a counter movement.  Entering Persarmenia, which he found denuded of troops, he carried all before him, destroying the forts, and plundering the country.  Though the summer heats brought on him an attack of fever, he continued without pause his destructive march; invaded and occupied Arzanene, with its stronghold, Aphumon, carried off the population to the number of 10,090, and, pressing forwards from Arzanene into Eastern Mesopotamia, took Singara, and carried fire and sword over the entire region as far as the Tigris.  He even ventured to throw a body of skirmishers across the river into Cordyene (Kurdistan); and these ravagers, who were commanded by Kurs, the Scythian, spread devastation over a district where no Roman soldier had set foot since its cession by Jovian.  Agathias tells us that Chosroes was at the time enjoying his summer villeggiatura in the Kurdish hills, and saw from his residence the smoke of the hamlets which the Roman troops had fired.  He hastily fled from the danger, and shut himself up within the walls of Ctesiphon, where he was soon afterwards seized with the illness which brought his life to a close.

Meanwhile Kurs, unconscious probably of the prize that had been so near his grasp, recrossed the Tigris with his booty and rejoined Maurice, who on the approach of winter withdrew into Roman territory, evacuating all his conquests excepting Arzanene.  The dull time of winter was, as usual, spent in negotiations; and it was thought that a peace might have been concluded had Chosroes lived.  Tiberius was anxious to recover Daras, and was willing to withdraw the Roman forces wholly from Persarmenia and Iberia, and to surrender Arzanene and Aphumon, if Daras were restored to him.  He would probably have been content even to pay in addition a sum of money.  Chosroes might perhaps have accepted these terms; but while the envoys empowered to propose them were on their way to his court, early in the year A.D. 579, the aged monarch died in his palace at Ctesiphon after a reign of forty-eight years.

CHAPTER XXI.

Administration of Persia under Chosroes I. Fourfold Division of the Empire.  Careful Surveillance of those entrusted with Poiver.  Severe Punishment of Abuse of Trust.  New System of Taxation introduced.  Correction of Abuse connected with the Military Service.  Encouragement of Agriculture and Marriage.  Belief of Poverty.  Care for Travellers.  Encouragement of Learning.  Practice of Toleration within certain Limits.  Domestic Life of Chosroes.  His Wives.  Revolt and Death of his Son, Nushizad.  Coins of Chosroes.  Estimate of his Character.