Difference between revisions of "Phocas and the Final Persian-Roman War"
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| + | In 603 CE, In the 14th year of the Persian king Khosrau and in the 20th year of the Roman Emperor Maurice's reign, the Byzantine army which was in Thrace rebelled from the emperor and enthroned as their king a certain man named Phocas. Going together to Constantinople, they killed the emperor Maurice and seated Phocas on the throne of the kingdom.<ref>"Sebeos' History", Chapter 21, as translated by Robert Bedrosian (New York, 1985) in his webpage Armenian Historical Sources of the 5-15th Centuries Selected Works.</ref> Phocus had the Emperor's five sons executed in front of him, and then had the Emperor also killed and hung their heads in a thoroughfare in Constantinople. A few days after this he had the Empress and her three daughters also put to death.<ref>Syed Abu-Ala' Maududi in his "The Meaning of the Qur'an"</ref> | ||
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| + | Now a rumor spread throughout the entire country that one of Maurice's sons, Theodosius, had escaped and gone to the Persian king. Thus there was no small agitation throughout the Romans dominions: in Constantinople, in Alexandria in Egypt, in Jerusalem and Antioch and in all parts of the country, people took up the sword and killed one another. Emperor Phocas ordered all the rebels who wavered in their loyalty to his rule to be killed. Many were slain there in the capital. He dispatched a certain prince Bonos with troops against Antioch, Jerusalem, and everywhere there was rebellion. He went and struck Antioch and Jerusalem and indeed the entire multitude of cities in that country were consumed by the sword. Phocus was a ruthless Emperor and is said to have spent more time killing his own subjects then the Persians.<ref>"Sebeos' History", Chapter 21</ref> | ||
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| + | General Heraclius, who was in Alexandria, rebelled from Phocas along with his own troops. He forcibly detached the country of Egypt from Roman control. In Syrian Mesopotamia general Nerses also rebelled. Together with his troops he entered and took the city of Edessa. But a Byzantine force came against him and besieged the city and Nerses' troops.<ref>Ibid.</ref> | ||
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| + | The event provided Khosrau a good moral excuse to attack Byzantium. For Emperor Maurice had been his benefactor; with his help he had regain the throne of Persia after he had lost it. Khosrau declared that he would avenge his godfather's and his children's murder upon Phocus, the usurper. He assembled the entire multitude of his troops, went to the West. He reached the city of Dara which he invested and besieged and started battling with. In the regions of Armenia, troops were assembled. Then king Khosrau divided his forces into two parts: one part he left around the city; with the other he himself went against those forces which were besieging Edessa. Byzantine general Nerses dressed a youth in royal garb, placed a crown on his head and sent him to Khosrau, saying: "This is Theodosius, emperor Maurice's son. Have mercy upon him, just as his father had mercy on you."<ref>Ibid.</ref> | ||
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| + | King Khosrau received him with great delight, departed, and went to the city of Dara. He kept Theodosius with him in royal honor. Khosrau besieged Dara for one and a half years. He dug beneath the city walls, demolished the wall, and took the city, putting everyone to the sword. He looted the city, then went to Ctesiphon, since his troops were worn and wasted from battle. But another force from Byzantium came upon Edessa, fought with and took the city. The Romans seized and killed the rebel general Nerses, and shed blood there.<ref>Ibid.</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
| + | [[Category:Islam and Judaism]] | ||
[[Category:The Persian and Islamic conquests of Jerusalem]] | [[Category:The Persian and Islamic conquests of Jerusalem]] | ||
Latest revision as of 07:08, 14 September 2008
In 603 CE, In the 14th year of the Persian king Khosrau and in the 20th year of the Roman Emperor Maurice's reign, the Byzantine army which was in Thrace rebelled from the emperor and enthroned as their king a certain man named Phocas. Going together to Constantinople, they killed the emperor Maurice and seated Phocas on the throne of the kingdom.[1] Phocus had the Emperor's five sons executed in front of him, and then had the Emperor also killed and hung their heads in a thoroughfare in Constantinople. A few days after this he had the Empress and her three daughters also put to death.[2]
Now a rumor spread throughout the entire country that one of Maurice's sons, Theodosius, had escaped and gone to the Persian king. Thus there was no small agitation throughout the Romans dominions: in Constantinople, in Alexandria in Egypt, in Jerusalem and Antioch and in all parts of the country, people took up the sword and killed one another. Emperor Phocas ordered all the rebels who wavered in their loyalty to his rule to be killed. Many were slain there in the capital. He dispatched a certain prince Bonos with troops against Antioch, Jerusalem, and everywhere there was rebellion. He went and struck Antioch and Jerusalem and indeed the entire multitude of cities in that country were consumed by the sword. Phocus was a ruthless Emperor and is said to have spent more time killing his own subjects then the Persians.[3]
General Heraclius, who was in Alexandria, rebelled from Phocas along with his own troops. He forcibly detached the country of Egypt from Roman control. In Syrian Mesopotamia general Nerses also rebelled. Together with his troops he entered and took the city of Edessa. But a Byzantine force came against him and besieged the city and Nerses' troops.[4]
The event provided Khosrau a good moral excuse to attack Byzantium. For Emperor Maurice had been his benefactor; with his help he had regain the throne of Persia after he had lost it. Khosrau declared that he would avenge his godfather's and his children's murder upon Phocus, the usurper. He assembled the entire multitude of his troops, went to the West. He reached the city of Dara which he invested and besieged and started battling with. In the regions of Armenia, troops were assembled. Then king Khosrau divided his forces into two parts: one part he left around the city; with the other he himself went against those forces which were besieging Edessa. Byzantine general Nerses dressed a youth in royal garb, placed a crown on his head and sent him to Khosrau, saying: "This is Theodosius, emperor Maurice's son. Have mercy upon him, just as his father had mercy on you."[5]
King Khosrau received him with great delight, departed, and went to the city of Dara. He kept Theodosius with him in royal honor. Khosrau besieged Dara for one and a half years. He dug beneath the city walls, demolished the wall, and took the city, putting everyone to the sword. He looted the city, then went to Ctesiphon, since his troops were worn and wasted from battle. But another force from Byzantium came upon Edessa, fought with and took the city. The Romans seized and killed the rebel general Nerses, and shed blood there.[6]