And on the following day he engaged with a portion of the enemy as they were bringing in a very large booty, conquered them in battle, seized all their booty and kept it under guard.  And when the soldiers were dissatisfied and counted it an outrage that he did not give them the plunder, he said that he was awaiting the outcome of the war, in order that they might distribute everything then, according to the share that should seem to suit the merit of each.  But when the barbarians advanced a second time, with their whole army, to give battle, this time some of the Romans stayed behind and the others entered the encounter with no enthusiasm.  At first, then, the battle was evenly contested, but later, since the Moors were vastly superior by reason of their great numbers, the most of the Romans fled, and though Solomon and a few men about him held out for a time against the missiles of the barbarians, afterwards they were overpowered by the enemy, and fleeing in haste, reached a ravine made by a brook which flowed in that region.  And there Solomon’s horse stumbled and threw him to the ground, and his body-guards lifted him quickly in their arms and set him upon his horse.  But overcome by great pain and unable to hold the reins longer, he was overtaken and killed by the barbarians, and many of his guards besides.  Such was the end of Solomon’s life.

XXII

After the death of Solomon, Sergius, who, as has been said, was his nephew, took over the government of Libya by gift of the emperor.  And this man became the chief cause of great ruin to the people of Libya, and all were dissatisfied with his rule—­the officers because, being exceedingly stupid and young both in character and in years, he proved to be the greatest braggart of all men, and he insulted them for no just cause and disregarded them, always using the power of his wealth and the authority of his office to this end; and the soldiers disliked him because he was altogether unmanly and weak; and the Libyans, not only for these reasons, but also because he had shown himself strangely fond of the wives and the possessions of others.  But most of all John, the son of Sisiniolus, was hostile to the power of Sergius; for, though he was an able warrior and was a man of unusually fair repute, he found Sergius absolutely ungrateful.  For this reason neither he nor anyone else at all was willing to take up arms against the enemy.  But almost all the Moors were following Antalas, and Stotzas came at his summons from Mauretania.  And since not one of the enemy came out against them, they began to sack the country, making plunder of everything without fear.  At that time Antalas sent to the Emperor Justinian a letter, which set forth the following: