Matthew’s Reviews > Byzantium: The Early Centuries > Status Update

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…