580–590),[1] was a prominent Eastern Roman general in the wars with Sassanid Persia during the reigns of Byzantine emperors Tiberius II (r. 578–582) and Maurice (r. 582–602).
[1] Soon after this, possibly in autumn 582, he fought a major pitched battle with the Sassanid Persians under Kardarigan near the junction of the rivers Nymphius (modern Batman) and Tigris.
Initially, the battle went well, the center and left pushing the Persians back, but Cours did not follow up, allegedly due to his jealousy of John, causing the East Roman army to retreat in defeat.
[3] By 589, he was back in command in Armenia as magister militum, a post he held until a few years after the 591 peace with Persia, when relieved by Heraclius the Elder.
[4] In 589, he laid siege to the Armenian capital Dvin, but raised it when he heard of the rebellion of general Bahram Chobin against the Persian shah, Hormizd IV (r. 579–590).