Res Gestae

Of this town the regular garrison was formed by the Fifth Legion, Parthica, along with a force of no mean size of natives. But at that time six additional legions, having outstripped the advancing horde of Persians by rapid marches, were drawn up upon its very strong walls. These were the soldiers of Magnentius and Decentius,[*](The soldiers enrolled by Magnentius and called by his name and that of his brother.) whom, after finishing the campaigns of the civil wars, the emperor had forced, as being untrustworthy and turbulent, to come to the Orient, where none but foreign wars are to be feared; also the soldiers of the Thirtieth,[*](Also called Ulpia.) and the Tenth, also called Fortenses,[*](Called in early inscriptions Fretenses.) and the Superventores and Praeventores[*](According to the Notit. Imp. these were light-armed horsemen; the former were used in surprise attacks, the latter as scouts.) with Aelianus, who was then a count; these

There were also in the town the greater part of the comites sagittarii[*](Apparently a division of the household cavalry; see xv. 4, 10, note 2, and Index II. (Index of Officials).) (household archers), that is to say, a squadron of horsemen so-named, in which all the freeborn foreigners serve who are conspicuous above the rest for their prowess in arms and their bodily strength.

While the storm of the first attack was thus busied with unlooked-for undertakings, the king with his own people and the nations that he was leading turned his march to the right from the place called Bebase, as Antoninus had recommended, through Horre and Meiacarire and Charcha, as if he would pass by Amida; but when he had come near two fortresses of the Romans, of which one is called Reman and the other Busan, he learned from the information of deserters that the wealth of many people had been brought there and was kept in what were regarded as lofty and safe fortifications; and it was added that there was to be found there with a costly outfit a beautiful woman with her little daughter, the wife of a certain Craugasius of Nisibis, a man distinguished among the officials of his town for family, reputation, and influence.