Religion and a disputed adoption deepen the Persian crisis

In the early 520s Kavadh tried to impose the Sasanian religion on his Iberian subjects, a step with political as well as religious implications. Christian Iberians appealed to Rome, while both empires encouraged allied attacks across the frontier. Kavadh then sought to secure the succession of his younger son Khosrow by asking Emperor Justin to adopt him. Justinian's court feared that a full Roman adoption might create a claim to the imperial throne and instead offered the limited form used for foreign rulers. Persia received that counterproposal as an insult, demonstrating how dynastic law and diplomatic status could push the two powers toward open war.