Persia from the Earliest Period to the Arab

HISTORY OF PERSIA. 179
and trophies of six adventurous campaigns. The
sun indeed of the Sassanians had now well-nigh set.
A campaign of great brilliancy restored the provinces
of Asia Minor, and the hard fought battle of
Issus the losses of many previous years. Pursuing
his march, Heraclius crossed the heights of Taurus,
and sweeping the plains of Cappadocia, went into
winter quarters on the banks of the Halys. The
following year saw this second Hannibal exploring
his perilous way through the mountains of Armenia,
and advancing almost on the footsteps of Antony to
Ganzaca, the ancient capital of Media Atropatene;
the ruin of Urmiah, one of the traditional birth-places
of Zoroaster, in some degree atoning for the spoil
of the Holy Sepulchre. Another campaign carried
the arms of the Romans to the neighbourhood of
Kashan and Ispahan, which had never yet been ap-
proached by a Western conqueror.
Alarmed at the successes of Heraclius, Khosru
recalled his forces from the Nile and the Bosphorus
and three formidable armies surrounded the camp
of the emperor. But the danger was met by a
general equal to the occasion. "Be not dismayed,"
exclaimed
of heaven
the
one
"
intrepid Heraclius, with
Roman may triumph over
the aid
a horde
of barbarians. If we devote our lives for the sal-
vation of our brethren we shall obtain the crown
of martyrdom, and our immortal reward will be liber-
ally paid by God and posterity." The victory which
ensued was the reply to his prayers, and Heraclius
returned in triumph to Constantinople with the re-
covery of three hundred Roman standards and the