 Beginning in 614 the Persians encroached on Asia Minor.In 614 they captured Melitene and Shahin divided his armies in two, one army marching to sack Sardis and Miletus and his army move towards Chalcedon.Despite the successful retreat back to Syria, the Persians did keep Caesarea (modern Kayseri) and the key Armenian fortresses of Theodosiopolis (modern Erzurum) and Martyropolis.