Having subdued the spearmen of the surrounding marches, King Dara turned his mighty host toward the prosperous realm of Rum to extend the dominion and sovereign glory of Iran. In those days, Rum was ruled by King Philip, a monarch renowned for his wisdom and counsel, unto whom even the ruler of Sus deferred. When intelligence reached Philip that the son of Queen Homay was advancing with an uncounted army, the memories of ancient wars stirred within his heart. Forthwith, he summoned from Amorium the finest warlords and armored champions of his realm to make a desperate stand.
Upon the plains of Amorium, the two colossal armies collided. For three days, a furious war raged beneath a cloud of dust, as spears shattered and swords bit through steel helmets. But when the light-bringing sun crested the horizon on the fourth morning, fortune abandoned the forces of Rum. Philip and his host broke ranks and fled in utter disarray, casting away their heavy helms and shields to hasten their escape. The Iranian cavalry swept through the enemy camp, taking captives, women, and children, while many a Roman warrior fell beneath the rain of arrows and blades. Barely two-thirds of the shattered Roman army managed to reach the fortified walls of Amorium, with the lances of Iran pressing hard upon their backs.
Entrenched behind the high ramparts of Amorium, the defeated Romans cried out for mercy. Realizing the futility of further resistance, Philip dispatched an eloquent and wise envoy to Dara, bearing vast wealth: purses of coin, precious slaves, and two caskets brimming with royal jewels. The envoy delivered Philip's solemn message, pleading for peace: 'O Great King, let us turn the end of this cruel battle into a joyful banquet. You are a king and the son of a king; if Amorium is my seat, the whole world is yours. Act as befits a majestic sovereign and spare our land.'
King Dara assembled his chieftains and sages to deliberate upon the offer. The nobles praised Dara's wisdom and revealed that Philip possessed a daughter named Nahid—a maiden of sublime grace, tall as a cypress, with a visage like springtime and a beauty surpassing the radiant idols of China. They counseled that marrying this royal princess would seal a lasting peace. Hearing this, Dara instructed the envoy to inform Philip that peace would be granted only if Princess Nahid were given to him as a bride, accompanied by a monumental annual tribute from Rum.
When the messenger returned, Philip and his commanders rejoiced, deeming it an immense honor that the Shahanshah of Iran should become their son-in-law. Philip agreed to the terms, binding his kingdom to yield an annual tribute of one hundred thousand solid gold eggs—each weighing forty mithqals and studded with precious gems—to the Iranian treasury. Philosophers, scholars, and bishops prepared the royal princess for her journey. Nahid was set upon a golden litter guided by learned monks and high bishops, accompanied by ten mule-loads of Roman brocade, three hundred camel-loads of rich furnishings, and sixty beautiful maidens carrying golden goblets filled with crown jewels. The chief bishop delivered the noble bride to Dara, who then turned his victorious banners back toward Iran, entering Pars in triumph to wear the grand crown of Kianian kingship.