6. Theophanes of Byzantium[98], The History[99]

[98] Theophanes Byzantios was a Byzantine historian. He wrote, in ten books, the history of the Eastern Roman Empire during the Persian war under Justin II, beginning from the second year of Justin [567], in which the truce made by Justinian I with Khosrau I was broken, and going down to last year of the war. The work has not survived; only some fragments are handed down.

[99] This book records the history of the Byzantine Empire in 566-581 CE, during the author’s lifetime.

6.1 [Fr. III]

6.1.1 Now in the reign of Justinian[100] a certain Persian exhibited in Byzantium the mode in which (silk) worms were hatched, a thing which the Romans had never known before. This Persian on coming away from the country of the Seres[101] had taken with him the eggs of these worms (concealed) in a walking-stick, and succeeded in bringing them safely to Byzantium. In the beginning of spring he put out the eggs upon the mulberry leaves which form their food; and the worms feeding upon those leaves developed into winged insects and performed their other operations. Afterwards when the Emperor Justinian showed the Turks the manner in which the worms were hatched, and the silk which they produced, he astonished them greatly. For at that time the Turks were in possession of the marts and ports frequented by the Seres, which had been formerly in the possession of the Persians. For when Ephthalanus King of the Ephthalites (from whom indeed the race derived that name)[102] conquered Perozes and the Persians, these latter were deprived of their places, and the Ephthalites became possessed of them. But somewhat later the Turks again conquered the Ephthalites and took the places from them in turn.67

[100] Justin, i.e., Justin II, Byzantine Emperor [r. 565-578]. English translation reads “Justinianˮ, which is incorrect.

[101] Seres were inhabitants of the land Serica, named by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It meant “of silk”, or people of the “land where silk comes from”, and is thought to derive from the Chinese word for silk.

[102] Ephthalanus, King of the Ephthalites: The similar record can also see in the Chinese literature: Liu Fan’s 劉璠 Liangdian 梁典, quoted in the item titled “Xirong 西戎 5” of the “Bianfang 邊防 9” section of Tongdian 通典 (ch. 193), also states: “The [king of the] state of Hua’s 滑 surname is Yeda 嚈噠. His descendants named the state after their surname. As the name was mispronounced, the state also became known as ‘Yida 挹怛’”. Thus, we know that the name of this state came from the name or surname of their king.