‘The thought of that does not daunt you?’ Flavius asked.
‘If it did, General, I would never take part in a battle, would I?’
‘How many of last night’s companions have you included?’
‘The whole table.’ Seeing the raised eyebrow and the implied point that excessive numbers could be dangerous, Colonus was quick to add, ‘Might need every one.’
Once Colonus had departed Flavius was left alone with Solomon, who even if he said nothing, showed in his expression severe doubts as to the chance of success. Flavius had a different opinion.
‘I have often had cause to thank God for my luck, but never more so than now. It must have been his hand that guided me so quickly to these men. With that, I am sure his grace will attend to what must be achieved.’
Solomon crossed himself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Whatever concerns Flavius had travelled east with him, but the duty he found there put the problem of Photius into the background, to only surface when he received a coded message from Solomon to say that the first attempt at freeing him had failed. Lacking details that induced frustration, there was at least some reassurance that the men Flavius had engaged seemed determined to keep trying.
His first task was to reassert control over generals who had lost the habit of obedience over the months of winter. Thus he declined to agree to a request by Bouzes and his co-commander Justus, an imperial nephew, that he come to them, they having retired to Hierapolis well away from any possible zone of battle. They were quickly ordered to concentrate on the location he chose, one well placed to contest ground with the enemy.
The main problem, as before, lay with the intentions of Khusrow; his movements dictated those of the Byzantine army, which was not organised to invade Sassanid territory, this due to the continued prevalence of the plague, a situation which had deteriorated since the previous year. It now seemed to affect much of the area of his military responsibilities all the way to the Mediterranean shore, though his army seemed relatively healthy.
Even so, Flavius split his troops into small packets to contain the risk of the disease spreading – which once caught was too often fatal – his aim to bring them together only when he was sure he would face an enemy. This blight, equally visited upon the Sassanids, was in his favour and with Khusrow moving his army within areas of infection that must expose his soldiers to greater risk.
As well as manoeuvring, the Sassanid King was busy complaining, sending messages to Flavius that he had anticipated ambassadors with which to treat. If he hinted at peace he was really interested in the amount of gold he could extract for abandoning Byzantine possessions. Flavius wanted him out, but he had no desire to bribe him to depart.
Having extracted an agreement from Justinian that no ambassadors would be despatched, he had undertaken to deal with Khusrow at no charge on the overstretched imperial coffers, though he had no faith that the Emperor would not bow to pressure from those on his council who saw bribery as the only answer to border incursions, wherever they took place.
Khusrow was advancing along the Euphrates again, using the river, fast flowing during late spring, to protect his right flank. Then he swung south to invest the city of Sergiopolis. As reported to Flavius, it transpired that the priest of that city, a divine called Candidus, had the previous year agreed to pay ransom for Sergiopolis but had reneged, which was enough to enrage a king who loved nothing more than money.
Being in no position to satisfy the renewed demand, Candidus had gone to the Sassanid King to plead poverty, only to be much tortured for his transgressions. When, with hot irons applied, he finally offered to pay he was abruptly informed that the amount required was twice that originally promised, a sum he had finally promised to procure from the treasures of Sergiopolis.
‘If anyone should be able to hold out under torture it is a priest.’
This opinion advanced by Bouzes was one with which Flavius was disinclined to support: too many of the divines he had encountered would sell their soul to avoid discomfort, never mind pain. In any case, Candidus had promised more than the city could deliver and that led to a siege, one only lifted when the Sassanids’ supply of water became so depleted – all the wells were within the walls – they could no longer keep fit their horses and Khusrow was obliged to retire to the banks of the Euphrates.
He was now moving into the region of Commagene, on a southerly route that would eventually lead him to Jerusalem, a city so long at peace and so much a source of pilgrimage that it presented a fabulously rich prize. To counter this Flavius moved his army to a point that threatened the Sassanid road back to their own possessions, one they would be obliged to take even if their incursion was a success, though he made no attempt to follow them.
His deployment was enough to stop the Sassanid advance as Khusrow pondered how to counter this move, with the added problem, passed to Flavius by his spies, that plague was seriously affecting his forces. Flavius decided to ask him to send an envoy who would agree a way of getting his disease-ridden army home, a tactic not universally approved of, the compliant being aired by the imperial nephew when the senior commanders came together.
‘The best way to achieve such an aim is to defeat them.’
‘I promised your uncle to remove Khusrow from his domains. How I do that has been left to my judgement.’
Bouzes, equal in rank to Justus but much more experienced, spoke to back up Flavius. ‘Remember the plague, Justus. To fight we must concentrate our own forces and then do battle with foes who are racked with the disease. That brings with it the risk of contamination. We could lose half the army.’
‘A risk I am willing to accept.’
‘Generous of you to do so on behalf of those you lead,’ was the less than tactful response.
‘Glory is all very well, Justus,’ Flavius added in a more emollient tone. ‘But take it from one who knows, success is sweeter, however you come by it.’
Regardless of sickness, Khusrow had to be wary of moving deeper into Byzantine territory with an army across his line of retreat. A message came to announce an envoy was on his way and while that was happening he undertook not to move. The question troubling Flavius was simple: if he wanted to avoid a battle, what could he do to convince the Sassanid invader that he would be best back in the safety of his own domains?
In terms of force numbers the two armies were fairly evenly matched, but the problem of disease dominated his thinking and that same difficulty must prey on the mind of his opponent. However, if Khusrow could be convinced his enemies were fit and free from the plague he would be doubly cautious about meeting them.
‘I need the very best physical specimens you have. The tallest, the stockiest and the most martial-looking and none of them showing any signs of sickness.’
‘To fight?’ asked Justus hopefully.
‘No, we are going to hunt.’ There was pleasure to be had in the confusion this caused as Flavius added, ‘No armour is to be worn, just leathers for the chase. Make sure the horses they have are the fleetest of animals too, not heavy cavalry mounts.’
The pavilion Flavius had erected, bordering a forest and set of hills known to be full of game, was magnificent and decorated with numerous colourful standards. He filled the interior with tables at which the men hunting could consume that which they caught, the food prepared by a positive army of cooks, necessary since by the time all the men Flavius wanted had been gathered they numbered over a thousand – a risk, but one it seemed reasonable to take.
The proportion of barbarians was high: Flavius’s Goth levies from Italy, Vandals and Moors from North Africa, Heruls from the north Balkans, Gepids and Gautoi from across the Rhine, they the best of the physical specimens on show. There were large wooden tuns of wine and the assembled men were encouraged to drink it, though in quantities that would not affect their ability to ride. Their general wanted them cheerful!