Dara's first day tests Persian confidence

For hours on the first day neither army risks a major attack. Late in the afternoon, a Roman cavalry squadron pretends to panic, draws Persian horsemen into a careless pursuit, and then turns on them. The text treats the success as surprising because Persian cavalry normally had the discipline to resist such a trap, suggesting contempt for opponents Persia had defeated in recent years. A Persian warrior then offers single combat, only to be killed by Andreas, a wrestling instructor attached to a Roman officer's household, who also defeats a second challenger. The double victory raises morale and sends the Roman army back into Dara singing at nightfall.