Hermogenes (magister officiorum)

Hermogenes (Greek: Ἑρμογένης; died 535/536 AD) was an Eastern Roman official who served as magister officiorum, military commander and diplomatic envoy during the Iberian War against Sassanid Persia in the early reign of Emperor Justinian I (r. 527–565).

In the 510s, he served as an assessor (head legal assistant) to the general Vitalian, who in 513–515 led a series of revolts against Emperor Anastasius I (r.

In April 529, he was sent as an envoy with many gifts to the Persian shah Kavadh I (r. 488–531) to formally announce Justinian's accession to the Byzantine throne and propose peace in the ongoing war.

While Rufinus remained at Hierapolis, Hermogenes joined the Byzantine army commanded by Belisarius, newly promoted to magister militum per Orientem, at the fortress of Dara on the Persian border.

When the Persian army under Mihran advanced across the border to Ammodius (June 530), the Byzantines too exited Dara, arraying their forces in front of the city.

When Rufinus returned to the shah bearing Justinian's agreement, the Persian ruler had changed his mind and resolved to renew the war.

[9][10] Emperor Justinian instructed Hermogenes to accept the truce, and after an exchange of hostages, the Persian army withdrew from Byzantine territory.