| Keywords |
|
| ID |
5339 |
| Text |
De Bellis (530 - 560) Procopius |
| Quotation |
Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον Περόζης ὁ Περσῶν Βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸ Οὄννων τῶν Ἐφθαλιτῶν ἔθνος, οὕσπερ λευκοὺς ὀνομάζουσι, πόλεμον περὶ γῆς ὁρίων διέφερε, λόγου τε ἄξιον στρατὸν ἀγείρας ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς ᾔει. Ἐφθαλῖται δὲ Οὐννικὸν μὲν ἔθνος εἰσί τε καὶ ὀνομάζονται, οὐ μέντοι ἀναμίγνυνται ἢ ἐπιχωριάζουσιν Οὔννωυ τισὶν ὧν ἡμεῖς ἴσμεν, ἐπεὶ οὔτε χώραν αὐτοῖς ὅμορον ἔχουσιν οὔτε πη αὐτῶν ἄγχιστα ᾤκηνται, ἀλλὰ προσοικοῦσι μὲν Πέρσαις πρὸς βορρᾶν ἄνεμον, οὗ δὴ πόλις Γοργὼ ὄνομα πρὸς αὐταῖς που ταῖς Περσῶν ἐσχατιαῖς ἐστιν, ἐνταῦθα δὲ περὶ γῆς ὀρίων διαμάζεσθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰώθασιν. οὐ γὰρ νομάδες εἰσὶν ὥσπερ τὰ ἄλλα Οὐννικὰ ἔθνη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ χώρας ἀγαθῆς τινος ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἵδρυνται. ταῦτά τοι οὐδέ τινα ἐσβολὴν πεποίηνται πώποτε ἐς Ῥωμαίων τὴν γῆν ὅτι μὴ ξὺν τῷ Μήδων στρατῷ. μόνοι δὲ Οὔννων οὗτοι λευκοί τε τὰ σώματα καὶ οὐκ ἄμορφοι τὰς ὄψεις εἰσίν. |
| Translation |
At a later time the Persian King Perozes became involved in a war concerning boundaries with the nation of the Ephthalitae Huns, who are called White Huns, gathered an imposing army, and marched against them. The Ephthalitae are of the stock of the Huns in fact as well as in name; however they do not mingle with any of the Huns known to us, for they occupy a land neither adjoining nor even very near to them; but their territory lies immediately to the north of Persia; indeed their city, called Gorgo, is located over against the Persian frontier, and is consequently the centre of frequent contests concerning boundary lines between the two peoples. For they are not nomads like the other Hunnic peoples, but for a long period have been established in a goodly land. As a result of this they have never made any incursion into the Roman territory except in company with the Median army. They are the only ones among the Huns who have white bodies and countenances which are not ugly. |
| Summary |
In the context of a war between the Persian king Peroz I and the Ephthalite Huns, Procopius explains their difference from other Hunnic peoples, ranging from their geographical location, a lack of friction with the Romans and a sedentary lifestyle to their outer appearance. |
| Quotation source |
1. 3.1-5 Dewing (1914) (pp. 13-15) |
| Temporal Coverage |
471 - 474 |
| Associated use case(s) |
|
| Comment |
|
