Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 1).djvu/337

 guarding the Caspian Gates, now the Pass of Darial, a practicable gorge through the Caucasus, often traversed by the Scythian hordes when carrying their devastations to the south. Alexander is said to have blocked the entry with an iron barrier, and subsequently the pass was kept by the Romans until the Sassanian dynasty became predominant in those parts. The utility to both nations, however, of maintaining the defence, caused the Persians, after the collapse of Julian's expedition, to demand that the Romans should share the expense. Theodosius I bought off the claims, but by the time of Anastasius a Hunnish king, in friendly league with that emperor, had obtained possession of the forts. On his death they passed to the Persians, with the consent of Anastasius, who engaged vaguely to contribute annually. Justin tried to evade this payment, but the Persian monarch declined to be put off, and, as often as the Emperor fell into arrears, proceeded to recover the amount by distraint. His chosen bailiff, whenever he put in an execution, was a ferocious sheik of the Saracens, named Alamundar, who raided