Assoonasthefirsttransportsofvictoryhadsubsided，Saporwasatleisuretoreflect，thattochastiseadisobedientcity，hehadlosttheflowerofhistroops，andthemostfavorableseasonforconquest。^59ThirtythousandofhisveteranshadfallenunderthewallsofAmida，duringthecontinuanceofasiege，whichlastedseventy—threedays；andthedisappointedmonarchreturnedtohiscapitalwithaffectedtriumphandsecretmortification。Itismorethanprobable，thattheinconstancyofhisBarbarianallieswastemptedtorelinquishawarinwhichtheyhadencounteredsuchunexpecteddifficulties；andthattheagedkingoftheChionites，satiatedwithrevenge，turnedawaywithhorrorfromasceneofactionwherehehadbeendeprivedofthehopeofhisfamilyandnation。ThestrengthaswellasthespiritofthearmywithwhichSaportookthefieldintheensuingspringwasnolongerequaltotheunboundedviewsofhisambition。InsteadofaspiringtotheconquestoftheEast，hewasobligedtocontenthimselfwiththereductionoftwofortifiedcitiesofMesopotamia，SingaraandBezabde；^60theonesituateinthemidstofasandydesert，theotherinasmallpeninsula，surroundedalmostoneverysidebythedeepandrapidstreamoftheTigris。FiveRomanlegions，ofthediminutivesizetowhichtheyhadbeenreducedintheageofConstantine，weremadeprisoners，andsentintoremotecaptivityontheextremeconfinesofPersia。AfterdismantlingthewallsofSingara，theconquerorabandonedthatsolitaryandsequesteredplace；buthecarefullyrestoredthefortificationsofBezabde，andfixedinthatimportantpostagarrisonorcolonyofveterans；amplysuppliedwitheverymeansofdefence，andanimatedbyhighsentimentsofhonorandfidelity。Towardsthecloseofthecampaign，thearmsofSaporincurredsomedisgracebyanunsuccessfulenterpriseagainstVirtha，orTecrit，astrong，or，asitwasuniversallyesteemedtilltheageofTamerlane，animpregnablefortressoftheindependentArabs。^61

　　[Footnote59:Ammianushasmarkedthechronologyofthisyearbythreesigns，whichdonotperfectlycoincidewitheachother，orwiththeseriesofthehistory。1ThecornwasripewhenSaporinvadedMesopotamia；\"Cumjamstipulaflaveateturgerent；\"acircumstance，which，inthelatitudeofAleppo，wouldnaturallyreferustothemonthofAprilorMay。SeeHarmer\'sObservationsonScripturevol。i。p。41。Shaw\'sTravels，p。335，edit4to。

　　2。TheprogressofSaporwascheckedbytheoverflowingoftheEuphrates，whichgenerallyhappensinJulyandAugust。Plin。

　　Hist。Nat。v。21。ViaggidiPietrodellaValle，tom。i。p。696。

　　3。WhenSaporhadtakenAmida，afterasiegeofseventy—threedays，theautumnwasfaradvanced。\"Autumnopraecipitihaedorumqueimprobosidereexorto。\"Toreconciletheseapparentcontradictions，wemustallowforsomedelayinthePersianking，someinaccuracyinthehistorian，andsomedisorderintheseasons。]

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