 In this particular case, both officers and men were additionally motivated by a desire to save their religion and their way of life.The Persian army, said to be three times larger, included war elephants and the famous Savārān, or New Immortal, cavalry.Several Armenian noblemen with weaker Christian sympathies, led by Vasak Siuni, went over to the Persians before the battle, and fought on their side; in the battle, Vardan won initial successes, but was eventually slain along with eight of his top officers.