The Taurus mountain range of Cilicia passes first Cappadocia and Armenia and the land of the so-called Persarmenians, then also Albania and Iberia and all the other countries in this region, both independent and subject to Persia.  For it extends to a great distance, and as one proceeds along this range, it always spreads out to an extraordinary breadth and rises to an imposing height.  And as one passes beyond the boundary of Iberia there is a sort of path in a very narrow passage, extending for a distance of fifty stades.  This path terminates in a place cut off by cliffs and, as it seems, absolutely impossible to pass through.  For from there no way out appears, except indeed a small gate set there by nature, just as if it had been made by the hand of man, which has been called from of old the Caspian Gates.  From there on there are plains suitable for riding and extremely well watered, and extensive tracts used as pasture land for horses, and level besides.  Here almost all the nations of the Huns are settled, extending as far as the Maeotic lake.  Now if these Huns go through the gate which I have just mentioned into the land of the Persians and the Romans, they come with their horses fresh and without making any detour or encountering any precipitous places, except in those fifty stades over which, as has been said, they pass to the boundary of Iberia.  If, however, they go by any other passes, they reach their destination with great difficulty, and can no longer use the same horses.  For the detours which they are forced to make are many and steep besides.  When this was observed by Alexander, the son of Philip, he constructed gates in the aforesaid place and established a fortress there.  And this was held by many men in turn as time went on, and finally by Ambazouces, a Hun by birth, but a friend of the Romans and the Emperor Anastasius.  Now when this Ambazouces had reached an advanced age and was near to death, he sent to Anastasius asking that money be given him, on condition that he hand over the fortress and the Caspian Gates to the Romans.  But the Emperor Anastasius was incapable of doing anything without careful investigation, nor was it his custom to act thus:  reasoning, therefore, that it was impossible for him to support soldiers in a place which was destitute of all good things, and which had nowhere in the neighbourhood a nation subject to the Romans, he expressed deep gratitude to the man for his good-will toward him, but by no means accepted this proposition.  So Ambazouces died of disease not long afterwards, and Cabades overpowered his sons and took possession of the Gates.