As the hour of war with the Roman Caesar drew near, King Khosrow Anushirvan combined grand banquets with martial preparation. Every evening, a thousand armored champions dined at the royal table, and the monarch opened his treasuries, lavishing coin and gear upon his host. He assembled his grand commanders and ordered the ranks of his army: the wise and prudent Shirovi Bahram was appointed army commander; the left wing was entrusted to Farhad; the right wing and baggage vanguard to Goshasp the World-Seeker; the center to Mehran, whose heart remained steadfast in vengeance; and the vanguard patrol to Hormozd-e Khorrad.
Scouts and intelligence gatherers were dispatched in all directions so that no secret of the land remained hidden. The King then gathered the veterans of his army and delivered a stern decree of chivalry and justice: he swore by Almighty Yazdan—Lord of Saturn, Mars, and the Sun—that if any soldier strayed from the path of righteousness, caused distress to a beggar or a noble, trampled a farmer's crop, or harvested fruit without leave, their head would fall by the sword. The King himself rode at the vanguard and commanded the center, watching over the war-elephants, baggage, and troops.
Rashnavad, the royal herald, galloped through the endless tents, proclaiming the King's unyielding edict. Yet Anushirvan's approach to warfare was tempered by wisdom; he would first dispatch truthful envoys to offer terms of justice and peace. If the enemy chose war, he transformed into a furious crocodile of battle, sweeping away their lands with the sword. His royal majesty radiated like the sun, withholding its light from none, making victory and royal generosity seem effortless.
The Persian host marched upon the fortress of Shurab, a citadel anchored in deep waters with towers reaching into the clouds. Setting up siege engines on all four sides, Khosrow battered the walls of the Catholicos until they crumbled into dust amid smoke, fire, and the cries of the besieged. He captured the grandees and bound them atop war-elephants, yet spared the helpless.
Next, the King advanced upon the fortress known as the 'Ornament of Rome', which housed the royal treasures of Caesar. Ordering a barrage of arrows that darkened the sky like spring hail, the fortress fell, and Khosrow distributed Caesar's wealth among his soldiers. As the common folk, women, and children emerged crying for mercy, the King extended royal pardon and granted them protection.
Caesar dispatched a massive army led by a champion named Porphyrios (Farfuryos). Facing them with a confident smile, Khosrow arrayed his ranks, and the Persian horsemen struck like leopards upon wild sheep. Porphyrios was wounded, his banners shredded, and his forces scattered. The Persian army then reached Qaliniyos, a fortress with towers higher than an eagle's flight and a deep moat. After a fierce battle where arrows and naptha flasks rained down, the city walls were breached. To prevent pillage and harm to non-combatants, Khosrow ordered his army to withdraw into the plains under the cover of night. At dawn, the townsfolk surrendered, and the merciful King spared their lives and restored their property.
Finally, the army arrived at Antioch. Khosrow delayed three days to allow a peaceful surrender, but on the fourth day, the Iranian warriors struck like an avalanche. The Roman nobles surrendered their crowns and treasures, and the captive warriors were dispatched to Ctesiphon (Madain). As Anushirvan toured the majestic city of Antioch, beholding its sapphire waters, ruby-like trees, and golden structures, he turned to his mobads in wonder, declaring that this was no mere city, but a living paradise and eternal spring on earth.