3. Agathias[67], The Histories[68]

[67] Agathias or Agathias Scholasticus [c. 530-582/594], of Myrina (Mysia), an Aeolian city in western Asia Minor (now in Turkey), was a Greek poet and the principal historian during the reign of Justinian I [552-558].

[68] Agathias’ The Histories are a source of information about pre-Islamic Iran, providing — in summary form — “our earliest substantial evidence for the Khvadhaynamagh tradition”35, that later formed the basis of Ferdowsi’s Shahname and provided much of the Iranian material for al-Tabari’s History.

3.1 [IV, xxvii, 4]

3.1.1 Consequently he lost his life in an expedition against the Ephthalites not so much, I imagine, through the strength of his opponents as through his own recklessness. Though he should have taken all the necessary precautions and reconnaissance measures to safeguard his advance into enemy territory against ambush he fell straight into a trap, a series of carefully camouflaged pits and trenches that stretched over the plain for a very great distance. He perished there together with his army in the twenty-fourth year of his reign, outmanoeuvred by the Huns — an ignominious way of ending his life.[69] The Ephthalites are in fact a Hunnic people.36

[69] For detail, see A.2.2.1.

3.2 [IV, xxviii, 3]

3.2.1 But it was not long before Kavad escaped either aided and abetted by his wife who chose to die for his sake as Procopius tells us or by some other means.[70] At any rate the fact remains that he did escape from prison to the land of the Ephthalites where he threw himself on the protection of their king.37

[70] For detail, see A.2.3.2.