have been a slave from Adulis), a second embassy was dispatched from Constantinople, a particular account which is given by John Malala (p. 194-6), which so much gratified the Abyssinian monarch and his deputy, that the latter actually "marched out his troops on an expedition against the Persians." It was this same embassy, in all probability, which was conducted by Nonnosus, as mentioned in Photius (p. 6;) for there, as in the account given by John Malala, it is noticed that "he gained all that he sought," (tamen quæ voluit perfecit) which Julianus evidently did not accomplish.[1]
The advantages derived from this conquest over Yemen appear to have been very trifling; for the troops sent over became so enamoured with the country, that they permanently settled there, and soon lost every tie, except a nominal allegiance, which bound them to the mother state. About seventy years after the death of Aretas (according to the Arabian accounts) the Persians, whose consequence had revived in proportion to the degradation of the Roman empire, sent an overpowering force against the Abyssinians in Yemen; reconquered that country;[2] and, as it appears, gained a naval superiority in the Red Sea, the tradition of the country as-
- ↑ This circumstance is confirmed also by Procopius, who after noticing Julianus's want of success in his embassy to Esimiphæus, remarks, "sed et Abramus postremo, qui et regnum firmissimé obtinuit, sæpe Justiniano promisit in Persidem irruptionem se facturum; semelque tantum iter ingressus, statim remigravit."
- ↑ This was not effected by one effort; for, after the first Persian expedition, the Abyssinians recovered their power on a fresh force being sent over from the mother country, (Vide Hist. Joct. 135. Horum Habassiorum aliquis imperium iterum invasit Jemanamque cædibus miscuit atque evastavit) which was probably the expedition of the emperor Caleb, so particularly noticed in the Abyssinian Chronicles; a circumstance very likely to have swallowed up the remembrance of their other conquests, owing to its having been the last great effort made by the country; this probably occurred in about 584, two years before the death of the Persian Emperor Nushurwan, and the final conquest of Yemen must be brought down few years later.
the same source; Dunowas being called Damnus, and Andas having been changed through Adadus to David. The confusion of those names baffled the research even of the indefatigable Ludolf, (vide L. ii. c. 4) who rather hastily observes, "at falsa prorsus sunt, quæ a Cedreno et Nicephoro de Adado vel Davide scribuntur!"
