Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  [4] The Roman Emperor Anastasius not much later built a city there, enclosing within the circuit-wall the hill on which stood the fortress of Theodosius.

  [5] καὶ τὸ μὲν αὑτοῦ ὄνομα τῇ πόλει ἀφῆκεν, ἐξίτηλον δὲ τὸ Θεοδοσίου ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ πρότερον οἰκιστοῦ ἥκιστα ἴσχυσεν, ἐπεὶ νεοχμοῦσθαι μὲν τὰ καθωμιλημένα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐς ἀεὶ πέφυκεν, ὀνομάτων δὲ τῶν πρόσθεν μεθίεσθαι οὐκ εὐπετῶς ἔχει.

  [5] And he gave his own name to the city, yet he was quite unable to obliterate that of Theodosius, the earlier founder; for although familiar names are wont constantly to be changed by men for new, nevertheless the older names cannot easily be relinquished.

  [6] τοῦτο δὲ τὸ Θεοδοσιουπόλεως τεῖχος εὐρύνετο μὲν ἱκανώτατα, οὐ κατὰ λόγον δὲ τοῦ εὔρους ἀνεῖχε.

  [6] This wall of Theodosiopolis was of adequate extent, but it did not rise to a height proportionate to its thickness.

  [7] τὸ γὰρ ὕψος αὐτῷ ἐς τριάκοντα ἐξικνεῖτο μάλιστα πόδας· ταύτῃ τε πολεμίοις τειχομαχοῦσιν, ἄλλως τε καὶ Πέρσαις, ἐγεγόνει λίαν εὐάλωτον.

  [7] In fact it attained a height of only •about thirty feet, and for this reason it had proved to be very easy for an enemy to capture by assault, particularly for the Persians.

  [8] ἦν δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ἐπίμαχον, οὔτε γὰρ προτείχισμα οὔτε τάφρος αὐτῷ ἤμυνεν.

  [8] In other ways too it was vulnerable; for it was protected neither by outworks nor by a moat.

  [9] ἀλλὰ καὶ χῶρός τις ὡς ἀγχοτάτω ἐπεμβαίνων τῇ πόλει τῷ περιβόλῳ ἐπανειστήκει. διὸ δὴ βασιλεὺς Ἰουστινιανὸς ἀντεμηχανήσατο τάδε. πρῶτα μὲν τάφρον ὡς βαθυτάτην ἐν κύκλῳ ὀρύξας, χαράδραις αὐτὴν ὁρῶν ἀποτόμων ἐμφερεστάτην εἰργάσατο.

  [9] Indeed, there was actually a certain elevation which came very close to the city and overtopped the circuit-wall. Consequently the Emperor Justinian took the following measures to meet the situation. First of all he dug a very deep ditch all around, making it very like the ravines between lofty mountains.

  [10] ἔπειτα δὲ χῶρον τὸν ὑπερπεφυκότα κατατεμὼν ἔς τε ἀνεκβάτους κρημνοὺς καὶ σήραγγας ἀδιεξόδους μετεστήσατο τὴν αὐτοῦ φύσιν· ὅπως δὲ τὸ τεῖχος ὑψηλόν τε εἴη διαφερόντως καὶ ὅλως ἀνανταγώνιστον, εἴ τις προσίοι, προσεπετεχνήσατο ἅπαντα ὅσα ἐν πόλει Δάρας εἰργάσατο.

  [10] Next he sliced off the elevated ground, so transforming it as to make a series of impassable cliffs and of gulches affording no outlet. And in order that the wall might be exceptionally high and altogether impregnable, in case anyone should attack it, he added all the details which he had incorporated in the fortifications of Daras.

  [11] τὰς γὰρ ἐπάλξεις ἀπσοφίγξας ἐν στενῷ μάλιστα ὅσον ἐνθένδε βάλλειν τοὺς τειχομαχοῦντας δυνατὰ εἶναι, ἔμβολόν τε αὐταῖς λίθων ἐπιβολαῖς ἐν περιδρόμῳ περιελίξας, ἐντέθεικεν ἐμπείρως ἐπάλξεις ἑτέρας, προτειχίσματί τε αὐτὸ ]περιβαλὼν κύκλῳ ἐμφερέστατον τῷ ἐν πόλει Δάρας περιβόλων πεποίηται, πύργον ἕκαστον φρούριον ἐχυρὸν τεκτηνάμενος.

  [11] For he made the embrasures quite narrow, just wide enough for the defenders to be able to shoot from them, and by adding courses of stones he built thereon a storey like a gallery all round, and then cleverly added other embrasures above them; and surrounding the wall with outworks on all sides he made it much like the circuit-wall of Daras, fashioning each tower as a strong fortress.

  [12] οὗ δὴ τὰς δυνάμεις ἁπάσας καὶ τὸν ἐν Ἀρμενίαις στρατηγὸν ἱδρύσασθαι καταστησάμενος κρείσσους τοὺς Ἀρμενίους διεπράξατο τὸ λοιπὸν εἶναι ἢ δεδιέναι τὴν Περσῶν ἔφοδον.

  [12] Here he stationed all the troops and the General of the two Armenias, and thus he made the Armenians thenceforth too strong to be afraid of the attacks of the Persians.

  [13] Ἐς μέντοι τὰ Βιζανὰ οὐδὲν εἴργασται τῷ βασιλεῖ τούτῳ ἐξ αἰτίας τοιᾶσδε. κεῖται μὲν ἐν τῷ ὁμαλῷ τὸ χωρίον, πεδία τε ἀμφ᾽ αὐτὸ ἐπὶ μακρὸν ἱππήλατά ἐστιν, ὕδατος δὲ σηπεδόνες πολλαὶ ξυνισταμένου ἐνταῦθά εἰσι.

  [13] In Bizana, however, nothing was done by this Emperor, for the following reason. This town lies on level ground, and about it for a great distance stretch plains suitable for cavalry manoeuvres, and there are many pools of standing water there.

  [14] καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῖς μὲν πολεμίοις ἐπιμαχώτατον, τοῖς δὲ οἰκήτορσι λοιμωδέστατον αὐτὸ ξυμβαίνει εἶναι.

  [14] Consequently it is not only very open to the enemy’s attack, but most unhealthy for the inhabitants.

  [15] ὧν δὴ ἕνεκα τὸ χωρίον τοῦτο ὑπεριδὼν ἑτέρωθι πόλιν ἐδείματο αὐτοῦ βασιλέως ἐπώνυμον, ἀξιολογωτάτην τε καὶ ἄμαχον ὅλως ἐν χωρίῳ Τζουμινᾷ καλουμένῳ, ὅπερ σημείοις μὲν τρισὶ Βιζανῶν διέχει, ἐν κρημνώδει δὲ μάλιστα κείμενον εὐεξίας ἀέρων εὖ ἔχει.

  [15] For these reasons he passed over this town and in another situation built a city bearing the Emperor’s own name, a very noteworthy and altogether impregnable place, in the district called Tzumina, which is •three miles removed from Bizana, situated on very precipitous ground and enjoying excellent air.

  [6]

  [6] [1] Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐν Ἀρμενίοις Ἰουστινιανῷ βασιλεῖ τῇδέ πη ἔχει. τὰ δὲ δὴ κατὰ τὰ Τζάνων ἔθνη ἀναγράψασθαί μοι ἐνταῦθα τοῦ λόγου οὔ τι ἀπὸ τρόπου ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ἐπεὶ καὶ πρόσοικοι Ἀρμενίοις εἰσίν.

  [1] These, then, are the things which the Emperor Justinian did in Armenia. And it has seemed to me not inappropriate to record at this point in my account what he did for the Tzani, for they are neighbours of the Armenians.

  [2] αὐτόνομοι μὲν Τζάνοι ἐκ παλαιοῦ καὶ ἄναρχοι ᾤκουν, θηριώδη τινὰ βιοτὴν ἔχοντες, θεοὺς μὲν τά τε ἄλση καὶ ὄρνις καὶ ἄλλα ἄττα ζῷα ἡγούμενοί τε καὶ σέβοντες, ἐν ὄρεσι δὲ οὐρανομήκεσί τε καὶ ἀμφιλαφέσι τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα δίαιταν ἔχοντες, γῆν δὲ οὐδαμῆ γεωργοῦντες, ]ἀλλὰ λῃστεύοντές τε καὶ τοῖς φωρίοις ἀεὶ ἀποζῶντες.

  [2] From ancient times the Tzani have lived as an independent people, without rulers, following a savage-like manner of life, regarding as gods the trees and birds and sundry creatures besides, and worshipping them, and spending their whole lives among mountains reaching to the sky and covered with forests, and cultivating no land whatever, but robbing and living always on their plunder.

  [3] αὐτοί τε
γὰρ ἀμελέτητοί εἰσιν ἐργάζεσθαι γῆν καὶ ἡ χώρα σφίσιν, ἔνθα δὴ μὴ ὄρη τά γε ἀποτομώτατα περιβέβληται, λοφώδης ἐστίν.

  [3] For they themselves are not skilled in cultivating the soil, and their country, at least where it is not occupied by the steepest mountains, is hilly.

  [4] οὐ γήλοφοι δέ εἰσι τὰ ἐπανεστηκότα τῆς γῆς οὐδὲ γεώδη οὐδὲ οἷα καρποὺς ἀφεῖναι, εἴ τις αὐτῶν ἐπιμελοῖτο, ἀλλὰ τραχέα τε ὑπερβαλλόντως καὶ σκληρὰ ὑπεράγαν καὶ καρπῶν ἁπάντων δεινῶς ἄφορα.

  [4] These uplands are not rolling hills, neither do they provide soil such as would produce harvests, if one should cultivate them, but they are excessively rough and extremely hard and altogether unfavourable to any crops.

  [5] καὶ οὔτε ἀρόσαι τὴν γῆν οὔτε ἀμήσασθαι λήιον οὔτε λειμῶνι ἐντυχεῖν ἐνταῦθά πη δυνατὰ γίνεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς δένδροις, οἷσπερ ἡ Τζανικὴ τέθηλεν, ἀκάρποις τε οὖσιν ἄνθει καὶ ὅλως ἀγόνοις, ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ἀλλήλους ἐκδέχονται καιροὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον, οὐδὲ νῦν μὲν ἡ γῆ τῷ τῆς ὥρας ὑγρῷ τε καὶ ψυχρῷ βάλλεται, νῦν δὲ δὴ αὐτὴν ἡ τοῦ ἡλίου θέρμη ὀνίνησιν, ἀλλὰ χειμῶνί τε ἀπεράντῳ ξυνῴκισται ἡ χώρα καὶ χιόσιν ἀϊδίοις κατάρρυτός ἐστι.

  [5] It is not possible either to irrigate the land or to harvest corn;º one cannot find meadow-land in that region, indeed even the trees which grow in Tzanica bear no fruit and are entirely unproductive, for seasons do not regularly follow one another, and the earth is not visited at one period by a cold wet season, while at another the sun’s heat quickens it, but the land is held in the grip of an endless winter and buried under everlasting snows.

  [6] διὰ ταῦτα μὲν αὐτόνομοι τὸ παλαιὸν οἱ Τζάνοι ἐβίουν, ἐπὶ τούτου δὲ Ἰουστινιανοῦ βασιλεύοντος ἡττήθησάν τε Ῥωμαίων τῇ μάχῃ, Τζίττα στρατηγοῦντος Ῥωμαίων, καὶ τὴν ἀγώνισιν ἀπογνόντες εὐθὺς προσεχώρησαν αὐτῷ ἅπαντες, πρὸ τῆς ἐπικινδύνου ἐλευθερίας τὴν ἄπονον δουλείαν ἑλόμενοι σφίσι.

  [6] For this reason the Tzani in ancient times used to live in independence, but during the reign of the present Emperor Justinian they were defeated in battle by the Romans under the general Tzittas, and abandoning the struggle they all straightway yielded to him, preferring the toilless servitude to the dangerous liberty.

  [7] καὶ τήν τε δόξαν ἐπὶ τὸ εὐσεβὲς αὐτίκα μετέθεντο ἅπαντες Χριστιανοὶ γεγενημένοι, τήν τε δίαιταν ἐπὶ τὸ ἡμερώτερον μεθηρμόσαντο, λῃστείας μὲν ἀφέμενοι πάσης, τοῖς δὲ Ῥωμαίοις συστρατεύοντες ἐπὶ πολεμίους ἀεὶ τοὺς σφετέρους ἰοῦσι.

  [7] And they immediately changed their belief to piety, all of them becoming Christians, and they altered their manner of life to a milder way, giving up all brigandage and always marching with the Romans whenever they went against their enemies.

  [8] δείσας δὲ Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεὺς μή ποτε Τζάνοι μεταπορευσάμενοι τὴν δίαιταν αὖθις τὰ σφέτερα ἤθη ἐπὶ τὸ ἀγριώτερον μεταστρέψωνται ἐπενόει τοιάδε.

  ] [8] And the Emperor Justinian, fearing that the Tzani at some time might alter their way of life and change their habits back to the wilder sort, devised the following measures.

  [9] Δύσοδος ἦν ἡ Τζανικὴ λίαν καὶ ἄφιππος ὅλως, κρημνοῖς τε πανταχόθεν καὶ χώροις περικεκλεισμένη ἐκ τοῦ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὑλώδεσιν, ᾗπέρ μοι εἴρηται.

  [9] Tzanica was a very inaccessible country and altogether impossible for horses, being shut in on all sides by cliffs and for the most part by forests, as I have said.

  [10] καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ Τζάνοις ἐπιμίγνυσθαι τοῖς πλησιοχώροις ἀμήχανον ἦν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μόνας ἐν σφίσιν αὐτοῖς ἀπηγριωμένοι θηρίων τρόπον τὴν δίαιταν εἶχον.

  [10] As a result of this it was impossible for the Tzani to mingle with their neighbours, living as they did a life of solitude among themselves in the manner of wild beasts.

  [11] τὰ τοίνυν δένδρα ἐκτεμών ἅπαντα, οἷσπερ τὰς ὁδοὺς ξυνέβαινε ξυμποδίζεσθαι, καὶ τὰς ἐκείνῃ δυσχωρίας μεθαρμοσάμενος, εὐπετεῖς τε αὐτὰς καὶ ἱππασίμους καταστησάμενος, ἐπιμίγνυσθαι αὐτοὺς κατὰ ταὐτὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις καὶ προσχωρεῖν τῇ ὁμιλίᾳ τῶν πλησιοχώρων πεποίηκεν.

  [11] Accordingly he cut down all the trees by which the routes chanced to be obstructed, and transforming the rough places and making them smooth and passable for horses, he brought it about that they mingled with other peoples in the manner of men in general and consented to have intercourse with their neighbours.

  [12] ἔπειτα δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐκκλησίαν ἐν χωρίῳ Σχαμαλινίχων καλουμένῳ δειμάμενος, ἱερᾶσθαί τε διεπράξατο καὶ μυστηρίων μεταλαμβάνειν λιταῖς τε τὸν θεὸν ἱλεοῦσθαι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἐξοσιοῦσθαι, συνιέντες ὡς ἄνθρωποι εἶεν.

  [12] After this he built a church for them in a place called Schamalinichôn, and caused them to conduct services and to partake of the sacraments and propitiate God with prayers and perform the other acts of worship, so that they should know that they were human beings.

  [13] καὶ φρούρια δὲ οἰκοδομησάμενος πανταχόθι τῆς χώρας φρουρούς τε ἐνταῦθα Ῥωμαίων στρατιωτῶν ἱδρυσάμενος βεβαιότατα, Τζάνοις ἐς τοὺς ἄλλους ἀνθρώπους τὰς ἐπιμιξίας ἀκωλύτους πεποίηκεν.

  [13] And he built forts in all parts of the land, assigned to them very strong garrisons of Roman soldiers, and gave the Tzani unhampered intercourse with other peoples.

  [14] ὅπη ποτὲ δὲ Τζανικῆς τὰ φρούρια ταῦτα ἐδείματο ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι.

  [14] I shall now tell where in Tzanica he built these forts.

  [15] Χώραν ἐνταῦθά τινα ἐς τρίοδον ἀποκεκριμένην ξυμβαίνει εἶναι. Ῥωμαίων τε γὰρ καὶ Περσαρμενίων τὰ ὅρια καὶ Τζάνων αὐτῶν τῇδε ἀρξάμενα ἐνθένδε διασκεδάννυται.

  [15] It happens that a certain point in that land forms the meeting-place of three roads; for the boundaries of the Romans and the Persarmenians and the Tzani themselves begin here and extend out from this point.

  [16] ἐνταῦθα φρούριον ἐχυρώτατον, οὐ πρότερον ὄν, ὄνομα Ὁρονῶν, ἐξείργασται, κεφάλαιον αὐτὸ τῆς εἰρήνης πεποιημένος.

  [16] Here he constructed a very strong fortress which had not existed previously, Horonôn by name, making it the mainstay of the peace of the region.

  [17] ἔνθεν γὰρ τὰ πρῶτα Ῥωμαίοις ἡ Τζανικὴ
ἐσβατὴ γέγονεν· οὗ δὴ καὶ ἄρχοντα στρατιωτῶν κατεστήσατο, ὂν δοῦκα καλοῦσιν.

  [17] For the Romans were first able to enter Tzanica from that point. Here too he established a military commander called a Duke.

  [18] ἐν χωρίῳ δὲ ὁδῷ ]ἡμέραιν δυοῖν Ὁρονῶν διέχοντι, οὗ δὴ Τζάνων τῶν Ὠκενιτῶν καλουμένων τὰ ὅριά ἐστιν (ἐπεὶ ἐς ἔθνη πολλὰ διακέκρινται Τζάνοι), ἐνταῦθά τι ὀχύρωμα πεποιημένον ἦν τοῖς πάλαι ἀνθρώποις, ἐρείπιον ἤδη πολλῷ πρότερον τῷ ἀπημελῆσθαι γεγενημένον, Χαρτὼν ὄνομα.

  [18] And at a place two days’ journey distant from Horonôn, where the territory of the Tzani who are called Ocenitae commences (for the Tzani are divided into many tribes), there was a sort of stronghold built by men of former times, Chartôn by name, which long before had already become a ruin through neglect.

  [19] ὅπερ ἀνανεωσάμενος Ἰουστινιανὸς βασιλεύς, ἐνοικεῖν τε ἀνθρώπων ἐνταῦθα διεπράξατο μέγα τι χρῆμα καὶ τὰ ἐς τὴν εὐκοσμίαν τῇ χώρᾳ φρουρεῖν.

  [19] This the Emperor Justinian restored, and he caused a large population to live there and to preserve order in the country.

  [20] τῷ δὲ ἐνθένδε ἰόντι πρὸς ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον φάραγξ ἐστὶ κρημνώδης, κατατείνουσα μέχρι ἐς τὰ πρὸς βορρᾶν ἄνεμον· οὗ δὴ φρούριον, Βαρχὼν ὄνομα, ἐδείματο νέον.

  [20] And as one goes from there towards the east, there is a precipitous ravine which extends around to the north; here he built a new fortress, Barchôn by name.