for it seemed to the Romans a great and very noteworthy thing that such
a great multitude of barbarians in their own country had suffered those
things which have just been narrated above, and that, after making an
invasion into hostile territory, they should retire thus without
accomplishing anything and defeated by a smaller force.

At that time the Romans also acquired certain Persian strongholds in
Persarmenia, both the fortress of Bolum and the fortress called
Pharangium, which is the place where the Persians mine gold, which they
take to the king. It happened also that a short time before this they
had reduced to subjection the Tzanic nation, who had been settled from
of old in Roman territory as an autonomous people; and as to these
things, the manner in which they were accomplished will be related here
and now.

As one goes from the land of Armenia into Persarmenia the Taurus lies on
the right, extending into Iberia and the peoples there, as has been said
a little before this[19], while on the left the road which continues to
descend for a great distance is overhung by exceedingly precipitous
mountains, concealed forever by clouds and snow, from which the Phasis
River issues and flows into the land of Colchis. In this place from the
beginning lived barbarians, the Tzanic nation, subject to no one, called
Sani in early times; they made plundering expeditions among the Romans
who lived round about, maintaining a most difficult existence, and
always living upon what they stole; for their land produced for them
nothing good to eat. Wherefore also the Roman emperor sent them each
year a fixed amount of gold, with the condition that they should never
plunder the country thereabout. And the barbarians had sworn to observe
this agreement with the oaths peculiar to their nation, and then,
disregarding what they had sworn, they had been accustomed for a long