In this case,176 Yezdegerd, by rather treacherous means, was able to procure a more or less forced apostasy from most of the Armenian nobles, as a preliminary measure; and then attempted, through them, to force Zoroastrianism on the mass of the people. A national rising followed, the rebels making a fruitless appeal to Rome for help; and a fierce "guerilla" warfare waged for several years--the Armenians finding, as usual, patriots who were able leaders on a small scale, but somehow producing no great general.177 As usual, too, their worst foes were those of their own households, and none did so much to subdue Armenia as Armenian renegades.