ABSTRACT
Philippicus, as he returned to Constantinople for the winter (587-588), learnt that he had been replaced as magister militum per Orientem by Priscus. He therefore made public Maurice’s decree reducing the pay of soldiers by a quarter. Priscus meanwhile advanced to Monocarton, where he had ordered the troops to gather, by way of Antioch and Edessa. In April 588 he arrived at Monocarton, but his demeanour angered the soldiers, and such was his unpopularity that he was forced to withdraw to Constantia (Th. Sim. III.1.3-15, Evagr. HE VI.3-4).19 The soldiers elected Germanus, the dux of Phoenice Libanensis,20 as their leader; efforts at mediation by Priscus through the bishops of Constantia and Edessa met with failure. Maurice therefore restored Philippicus to his command (Th. Sim. III.2.1-11, Evagr. HE VI.5-6). The mutiny persisted nonetheless, and 5000 soldiers set out against Edessa. The arrival of Philippicus at Monocarton did nothing to calm the situation; and the Persians exploited it by marching on Constantia.21 The mutineers, however, repelled the incursion, and proceeded to launch an attack into Persian territory. Tensions within the Roman camp were at last eased by the arrival of Maurice’s envoy Aristobulus (Th. Sim. III.3.1-11). The Roman army then moved north to Martyropolis, from where a force was sent out to attack Arzanene; it may have been this force which was defeated by the new Persian marzban in Armenia, Aphrahat (Armenian Hrahat), to the west of Lake Van at Tsalkajur (Sebeos 71/12). See Higgins 1939: 32-3. At any rate it was also opposed by the Persian general Maruzas and withdrew towards Martyropolis; near the city a battle was fought, in which the Romans were overwhelmingly victorious. Much booty was captured and sent on to Maurice in Constantinople (Th. Sim. III.4.1-5, Evagr. HE VI.9).22 In October (588) Antioch was struck by a severe earthquake, which, according to Evagrius, killed as many as 60,000 people, and thus inflicted a further financial and demographic blow to the largest city of the East (Evagr. HE VI.8). See Allen 1981: 251, Downey 1961: 568-9. In spring 589 the emperor paid the soldiers promptly, while Germanus and other leaders of the rebellion were summoned to Constantinople; there they were tried, convicted, but pardoned (Th. Sim. III.4.6, Evagr. HE VI.10).
