Late Roman Empire, Valentinian-Theodosian Dynasty (364-455): 79*Constantius III, Theodosius II’s (1st) Sassanid War [8/9]

79*CONSTANTIUS III (r.421) (W)

On 8 February 421 Constantius was made co-emperor by his brother-in-law, Honorius, but the Eastern emperor Theodosius II (r.402-450) refused to recognize him as an imperial colleague. Constantius was threatening war with the East to gain recognition when he died suddenly on 2 September 421.

Theodosius II’s (1st) Sassanid War (421-422), [8/9]

Yazdegerd-I had always been friendly to the Christians but towards the end of his reign he turned against them. When he died in 420 he was succeeded by his son, Bahram V (r.420-438), who continued his father’s persecution of Christians, many of whom chose to exile themselves to Roman territory.

When Persian ambassadors demanded the exiles return, Theodosius refused and prepared for war. Ardaburius (fl.421-427), commander of the Roman army, needed many troops for his campaign. Theodosius therefore allowed some Pannonian Ostrogoths to settle in Thracia to defend the province from the Huns while the Thracian troops went to the East.

Ardaburius sent his general ⁵⁷Flavius Anatolius (fl.421-451) to Persarmenia, a Persian province on the shore of Lake Urmia, where he joined the rebels, while Ardaburius himself entered Persian territory and devastated Arzanene, a Persian province southwest of Lake Van. Narses, the general of the Sassanid army, moved with his troops against Ardaburius, but was defeated and retreated to Nisibis in Mesopotamia. Ardaburius moved on to Mesopotamia and put Nisibis under siege. Bahram allied with the Lakmid Arabs (southern Iraq) of Alamundarus (=Al-Mundhir-I of Hirah; r.418-462), whom he sent to Syria but his force was dispersed by the Romans. 

Meanwhile, the Hunnic king Rua (fl.422-435) had attacked the dioceses of Dacia and Thracia (422); and at the same time a large Persian army was moving towards Nisibis. To avoid a war on two fronts, Theodosius recalled Ardaburius. Bahram then besieged Rhesaina (Osroene) for thirty days and then withdrew. Later in the year a peace treaty was negotiated, returning everything as it was before the war. The Romans, however, were obliged to give an annual tribute to the Huns.