Strategikon, a practical military manual of lasting influence, is attributed to Maurice (r. 582–602), last of the Justinian emperors of Byzantium. Maurice’s chapter on the Persians (Iranians) is revealing of Iranian mindsets vis-à-vis fortitude and patience; and military and diplomatic strategies. This holds true today. I have reproduced in pertinent part two paragraphs from Strategikon, with comments that relate to the current military situation.
The Persian nation is wicked, dissembling, and servile [ed. standard polemics!], but at the same time patriotic and obedient . . . For the most part they prefer to achieve their results by planning and generalship; they stress an orderly approach rather than a brave and impulsive one. . . They are formidable when laying siege, but even more formidable when besieged. They are extremely skillful in concealing their injuries and coping bravely with adverse circumstances, even turning them to their own advantage. They are intractable in negotiations. They will not initiate any proposal, even one they regard as vitally important for themselves, but will wait until the proposal is made by their opponents [Strategikon, pp. 113–114; emphasis and ellipsis added].
Comment: We see today the “planning and generalship” of Iran’s political and military leaderships, and their patient and determined adherence to an overarching strategy (viz., “to boil the Israeli frog”; see also the lecture on “Asymmetrical Warfare: How to boil the Israeli frog”). In contrast, Israelis are “impulsive,” and engaging in a “strategy of tactics.” If one is being generous, they can say that the overarching strategy to which the Israelis are adhering to is to draw the U.S. into fighting Israel’s war with Iran. Lastly, Iran has been “besieged” for decades, making the Iranian nation a very formidable foe.
The excerpt below was advice to the Byzantine army. It holds true for the Iranians with respect to the “strategic patience” employed by Iran despite manifold provocations by the U.S. (e.g., assassination of Qasim Suleimani in 2020) and the State of Israel (assassinations in Iran, etc.); and the “hit-and-run” tactics employed by IRGC over the past two decades.
If the army is not really ready for combat, it must not engage in a pitched battle. Instead, employ it safely in skirmishes and raids against the enemy, which can be done smoothly on favorable terrain. Neither the enemy nor our own troops should be allowed to discover the reason for putting off a pitched battle, since it would embolden the one and make cowards out of the other [Strategikon, p. 115].
The era of strategic patience exhibited by Tehran expired. The Iranian Armed Forces have spent the 22 years that have passed since the “Axis of Evil” speech (29 January 2002) preparing for war. They are finally ready for “pitched battle.”
The three pages from Strategikon on the Persians are reproduced below:
Perspectives 
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