the further ancestry of the two brothers is uncertain. cyril mango in "deux études sur byzance et la perse sassanide" (1985) speculated they were descendants of heraclius of edessa, a general under leo i and zeno. he was appointed comes rei militaris prior to 468. he assisted the kingdom of egrisi against the invasions of peroz i of the sassanids and vakhtang i of iberia but had to withdraw when his supply support proved insufficient.