ABSTRACT
In late 527 or early 528 Harith, the phylarch of Palaestina I, quarrelled with the local dux and fled eastwards into the desert. There he was defeated and killed by Mundhir. Justinian reacted swiftly, writing personally to the duces of Phoenice, Arabia and Mesopotamia and to various phylarchs, instructing them to avenge Harith’s death. Their force failed to encounter Mundhir, but sacked several Persian forts, and returned with much booty in April 528 (Mal. 18.16 [434-5]). See Shahîd 1995: 70-6, Greatrex 1998a: 152.17 Mundhir’s riposte followed in spring 529. Clearly the dux recently moved to Palmyra was unequal to the task of deterring Mundhir. See Shahîd 1995: 43-4, 79-80, Greatrex 1998a: 152-3.18
Zach. HE VIII.5 (77.24-78.4): ( … ) And Mundhir, the Tayyaye king, went up into the territory of Emesa and Apamea and the district of Antioch twice;19 and he carried off many people and took them down (p.78) with him. And four hundred virgins, who were suddenly captured from the congregation (of the church) of Thomas the Apostle at Emesa (?), he sacrificed in one day in honour of ‘Uzzai.20 Dada the ascetic, an old man, who was captured from the congregation, saw it with his eyes, and told me. (tr. Hamilton and Brooks, rev. M. Greatrex) Theoph. A.M. 6021 (178.7-15):21 On March 21st of the 7th indiction, Mundhir son of Zekik¢, prince of the Saracens, invaded and looted Syria I as far as the boundaries of Antioch, up to a place called Litargon, and the estates of Skaphathae. He killed many people and burned the territory outside Chalcedon and the Sermian estate and the Kynegian country.22 And, hearing (this), the Roman commanders went out against him. When they realised this, the Saracens, with the Persians, took their booty and prisoners and fled through the inner limes.23 (tr. Mango and Scott, revised)
In response, Justinian deployed contingents of Lycaonian infantry in the East (Mal. 18.34 [445], Theoph. A.M. 6021, 178.15-18). See Greatrex 1998a: 152-3.
