Intheseverityofthewinterseason，SarbarazadeemedhimselfsecureinthewallsofSalban:hewassurprisedbytheactivityofHeraclius，whodividedhistroops，andperformedalaboriousmarchinthesilenceofthenight。TheflatroofsofthehousesweredefendedwithuselessvaloragainstthedartsandtorchesoftheRomans:thesatrapsandnoblesofPersia，withtheirwivesandchildren，andthefloweroftheirmartialyouth，wereeitherslainormadeprisoners。Thegeneralescapedbyaprecipitateflight，buthisgoldenarmorwastheprizeoftheconqueror；andthesoldiersofHeracliusenjoyedthewealthandreposewhichtheyhadsonoblydeserved。Onthereturnofspring，theemperortraversedinsevendaysthemountainsofCurdistan，andpassedwithoutresistancetherapidstreamoftheTigris。Oppressedbytheweightoftheirspoilsandcaptives，theRomanarmyhaltedunderthewallsofAmida；andHeracliusinformedthesenateofConstantinopleofhissafetyandsuccess，whichtheyhadalreadyfeltbytheretreatofthebesiegers。ThebridgesoftheEuphratesweredestroyedbythePersians；butassoonastheemperorhaddiscoveredaford，theyhastilyretiredtodefendthebanksoftheSarus，^92inCilicia。Thatriver，animpetuoustorrent，wasaboutthreehundredfeetbroad；thebridgewasfortifiedwithstrongturrets；andthebankswerelinedwithBarbarianarchers。Afterabloodyconflict，whichcontinuedtilltheevening，theRomansprevailedintheassault；andaPersianofgiganticsizewasslainandthrownintotheSarusbythehandoftheemperorhimself。Theenemiesweredispersedanddismayed；
HeracliuspursuedhismarchtoSebasteinCappadocia；andattheexpirationofthreeyears，thesamecoastoftheEuxineapplaudedhisreturnfromalongandvictoriousexpedition。^93
[Footnote91:Icannotfind，andwhatismuchmore，M。
D\'Anvilledoesnotattempttoseek，theSalban，Tarantum，territoryoftheHuns，&c。，mentionedbyTheophanes，p。260—
262。Eutychius，Annal。tom。ii。p。231，232，aninsufficientauthor，namesAsphahan；andCasbinismostprobablythecityofSapor。Ispahanistwenty—fourdays\'journeyfromTauris，andCasbinhalfwaybetween，themVoyagesdeTavernier，tom。i。p。