Editing Narseh (section)

==== Peace negotiations ====
Anxious to make peace with the Romans, Narseh dispatched his envoy Aphraban to Galerius with the following message:

{{Cquote|"The whole human race knows that the Roman and Persian kingdoms resemble two great luminaries, and that, like a man's two eyes, they ought mutually to adorn and illustrate each other, and not in the extremity of their wrath to seek rather each other's destruction. So to act is not to act manfully, but is indicative rather of levity and weakness; for it is to suppose that our inferiors can never be of any service to us, and that therefore we had better get rid of them. Narseh, moreover, ought not to be accounted a weaker prince than other Persian kings; thou hast indeed conquered him, but then thou surpassest all other monarchs; and thus Narseh has of course been worsted by thee, though he is no whit inferior in merit to the best of his ancestors. The orders which my master has given me are to entrust all the rights of Persia to the clemency of Rome; and I therefore do not even bring with me any conditions of peace, since it is for the emperor to determine everything. I have only to pray, on my master's behalf, for the restoration of his wives and male children; if he receives them at your hands, he will be forever beholden to you, and will be better pleased than if he recovered them by force of arms. Even now my master cannot sufficiently thank you for the kind treatment which he hears you have vouchsafed them, in that you have offered them no insult, but have behaved towards them as though on the point of giving them back to their kith and kin. He sees herein that you bear in mind the changes of fortune and the instability of all human affairs."}}

But Galerius dismissed Aphraban without giving any definite answer, at the same time accusing the Iranians of ill-treating [[Valerian (emperor)|Valerian]]. In the meantime, he consulted Diocletian at Nisibis, and he persuaded Galerius to offer terms of peace to the Iranians. Accordingly, terms of peace were agreed upon, and were ratified by a treaty concluded by Narseh with the Romans.

According to this treaty,

* Five provinces beyond the Tigris were to be ceded to the Romans. One writer gives these provinces as [[Ingilene]], [[Sophene]], [[Arzanene]], [[Corduene]], and [[Zabdicene]]; by another as Arzanene, [[Moxoene]], Zabdicene, [[Rehimene]], and Corduene.
* The semi-independent kingdom of Armenia was to be extended up to the fortress of Zintha, in Media.
* Iran was expected to relinquish all her rights over [[Kingdom of Iberia (antiquity)|Iberia]].
* Formal dealings between Iran and Rome would henceforth be conducted at Nisibis.

Narseh did not survive for long after the conclusion of this humiliating treaty. He died in 303 and was succeeded by his son, [[Hormizd II]].