Status Updates From Byzantium: The Early Centuries

On the severed head was a message
-"We and the Khangan are now reconciled. He has taken charge of the first two of your ambassadors. As for the third, here he is!"

Afterwards, its reasonable to assume the Romans discovered the plans of attack and thwarted the invasion when Persians ferries were ambushed and the Avar fleet who tired to sail into the Horn were lured into a trap and annihilated being scattered in sea

The dignitaries in turn for attempting to bribe Bonus were in unison promised a fate contrary to their tricks. The First attempting to hide under some blankets was beheaded on the spot. The Second had his hands severed and delivered back to the Khan. The Thirds was sailed to a spot at Chalcedon and in full view of the Persian camp was executed on the spot...

For two months the catapults pelted massive stones along the defenses and swords clashing along the perimeter defenses with neither side finding an advantage. Sometime in August, the Persians sent three dignitaries to the Patrician Bonus to sue for terms. Once again the Persians were refused their offer for peace and as the dignitaries were sailing across the Bosphorus, they were intercepted by a Roman ship...

The barbarian contenders consisting of Avars, Huns, Gepids, Bulgars, Scythians and Slavs dug in along the Theodosian Walls;numbered around eighty-thousand of both sexs. The Roman force defending the city consisted of twelve thousand dismounted cavalry and citizens who took up the spear voluntarily. The Patriarch Sergius walked the length of the walls holding an icon of the defender of the city the all-holy Theotokos.

"It was 29 June 626. The night sky glowed red with light of blazing churches as Persians and Avars signaled to each other across the Bosphorus, confirming that they arrived in their prearranged positions and they they were ready to mount their concerted attack.The inhabitants of the suburbs outside the walls hastily loaded their possessions on to barrows and sought refuge within the gates;which were bolted behind."

For some time, the persians had been colluding information and supplying arms in their conjoined siege of Constantinople. With the persians having a foothold in Chalcedon and the Avar siege engines lined along the walls it was only a matter of time before the attack began. It isnt mentioned what Heraclius knew of the true nature of their plans, but their is no doubt that he knew something was off.

In Mesopotamia, Theodore commanding the 2nd army in which his brother had given him command of. Achieved a great victory over Shahin being granted the fortune of fighting in a massive hail storm;mysteriously being sheltered from the vollies. Shahin, knowing his life was forfeit, took his own life. Chosroes, on the other hand ordered for his body to be packed in salt and delivered to him, where it would be flogged.

Heraclius’s next step was to secure an alliance with the Hunnic tribes of the Caucasus. He dazzled the Khan of the splendor and wealth of his empire, allegedly showing him a picture of his daughter Epiphania offering her hand in marriage. The Khan was so enthralled by the image that he agreed to send forty thousand of his men to aid in Heraclius’s campaigns…

One being sent home to defend the capital, the second being under the command of the emperors brother Theodore to keep Shahin company in Mesopotamia, while the third would stay with Heraclius keeping a watchful eye of Shahr-Baraz. The Patriarch Sergius and the Patrician Bonus were granted commands of the defense of the city, being sent letters from the emperor fervently giving them advice and encouragement.

The Emperor retreated to Trebizond along the lower Black Sea where he received word of a major Avar offensive on Constantinople. The Khangan had already begun wheeling his siege engines through Thrace. Heraclius knew that to leave for the defense of the city would in turn mean the loss of four years of hard campaigning. The result would be that he would split his army into three groups…

As the Emperor pressed forward, arrows began to strike him, but not critically and cut down many Persians that crossed his path. This act of courage was notes by Shahr-Baraz who was said to have exclaimed-

”Look at your emperor! He fears these arrows and spears no more than would and anvil!”

His courage had won him the day, the Persians scattered the field and the Romans had won a stunning victory.

If we are to believe Theophanes, an engagement took place in the spring of 625 around Sarus(Seyhan) which Shahr-Baraz had led the Romans into an ambush. During the thick of battle, Hearclius is said to have ridden towards the Persian lines with some of his bodyguard and began to catch his enemy by surprise. The persian general ordered his archers to unleash upon the advancing Romans…

During this period the Empress Martina delivered a child sometime during the period of 625-26. It is unclear however which child she bore(either Theodosius or Heraclonas) two children, with one of them perhaps dying of symptoms from the incestuous marriage with Heraclius.

The army would remain in a region known as Albania which boarded the Caspian. Further fighting took place, although nothing significant.

All through the ashes, no trace of their sacred relics being found at Ganzak of Thebrames. It was enough of a moral victory for the Romans after the Persian destruction of Jerusalem and desecration of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. The army then march southwards towards Ctesiphon, the capital of the Persians leaving a path of destruction in their wake. There would be delays however with winter approaching….

“Hearclius, however was not in a merciful mood. One glance at the temple, with its central statue of Chosroes surrounded by winged figures representing the sun, moon, and stars, was enough to throw him into a fury…

The building was razed to the ground, and the palace too; after which the army passed onto the neighboring town of Thebarmes, the birthplace of Zoroaster, and reduced it to ashes.”(303-304)

Of the Romans closing in on the city abandoned the inhabitants and retreated to the ancient capital of Ninevah. It’s reasonable to assume that the garrison of some forty-thousand at Ganzak either fled with the Great King, or surrendered its Gates to Heraclius’s mercy.

The beginning of the new season in 623 began with Heraclius sailing alongside his wife Martina to Trebizond. The army had awaited his return in Armenia where they would march through the birthplace of Zoroaster and the Zoroastrian religion. Having received word that Chosroes and the true cross were nearby, the imperial army hastened with great determination. Chosores at his palace in Ganzak, heard of the armies….

Following the victory around Pontus over Shahr-Baraz. Heraclius hurried back to Trebizond so he could sail back to Constantinople to deal with the Avars, this time around the soldiers did not complain upon the instructions that they would not return to their families this season;as mentioned, the emperor had led the men to believe that their cause was that of divine instruction. If they fled, all would be lost.

The first crucial events of Heraclius first campaign are unclear in this book, however the author iterates the inexperienceness of the Emperor to that of Shahr-Baraz. The Emperor seems to have won an engagement in the Cappadocian high-lands.

George of Pisida writes
-”while the imperial troops pursued them through rocks and gullies-for all the world-as if they were hunting wild goats.”

Sometime before his campaign, Heraclius’s first wife Eudoxia had suddenly died and from scrutiny by the Patriarch Sergius, married his niece Martina. Eventually, due to a recent agreement between the emperor and church, granting all expenditures from the church and into the funding of the campaign had seldomly solved the nation’s economic problem. Sergius decided to pardon all the internal affairs of Heraclius

exercising his own command and training alongside his men. Preparing for whatever the Persians would throw at him, believing to be in the time of Anti-Christ and instilling in them as the instruments that god had chosen to defend the faith.

George of Pisida, whom the author includes remarks of the two opposing camps. The persin being “loud with every kind of music”, while the roman”psalms sung echoing”

On Easter Monday, April 5 622. The first emperor to lead his men in the field of battle since Theodosius I. Boarded his flagship and sailed off to deal with the Sassanid Persians. Surprising the Persians who expected him to sail through the Black Sea into Armenia. Sailed south towards Issus; the site of Alexanders great victory over Darius a thousand years before. Here he spent the summer training his men…

The next eight years sees little to no action from the empire at this time. It is not known what the emperor was up to, but it is likely he spent these years training his armies, reforming his administrations and solving the constant problems between the Orthodox and Monophysite communities. The Avars controlled the Wheat supplies in Greece, The Persians seized the grain in Egypt and the Lombards threatened Italy.