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Revision:Fall of the Old Order
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The last Roman Persian War
- 602 plan to get rid of Avars in winter – could not hide bare foot, racks easy in the snow. Not popular – hard campaign in summer and winter traditional for eave. Already suspicious of Emperor Maurice reforms. Army mutinies and less than half a century brings down entire old order of the near East.
- Phokas led army to C. – elites slit and rioting. Maurice flees to death and Phokas new Emperor – M executed Chalcedon
- Does Maurice instruct Theodosios to Khurso to ask reciprocal favour of 591? In his interest to accept given lack of status due to embarrassing need for Romans 591.
- Attack begins 603 – initial capture of Dara – resistance stiffens – Persians press and in 608 – 610 take Amida, Theodosioupolis, Konstantina, Edessa. Also take Mardin – loss of Tur Abdon staunch M and staunch Orman bastion. All powerful fortresses that Romans had spent money strengthening – led way for Persian to overrun Syria and Palestine.
- Roman civil war characteristics – did they let Theodosios in, was it him, or pretender? Marses, helped 591, let Khursos in. Recaptured later on.
- Armenian relations difficult since in 591 – accused of treachery in Balkans, do not resettle easily, Maurice fails to conscript them. By 609 – major Roman fortresses blocking road west; Kitharizon, Satala, Nikopolis and Theodosioupolis Persian hands. Again Roman generals let some in thinking Theodosios.
- Lesson from previous campaigns that needed full force of Roman army – Phokas tries to pay Avar qaghan to stop – reduces but not completely, maybe not want to ruin shows own Balkan efforts. May have been vital strategic factor in fall of Roman Mesopotamia.
- Phokas kept in power by bloody repression – Chronikon Paschale shows list of officials army officers put to death accusations plotting.
- 608 Herakleios head of Caryhage rebelled – no extra troops to stop him. 609 nephew Niketas marches in and controls Egypt. Constantinople isolated from. 3 October Herakleois son called Herakleois arrived Bosphorus – same day Romans had a new Emperor.
- Withdrew Balkans troops – completely overrun by Slavs and Avars. No difference in Eats
- 611 Persians seize Western Syria – by end 611 Antioch, Apameia, Emesa Persian hands. Counter-attack delayed by Roman push in appadocia where Persians advanced from Armenia. Staregic withdrawal from Persians – counter attack disastrous – defeated in front of Anitoch forced to Anatoloian plateau leaving valuable Cilicia.
- Command of Western Syria by Persia split Empire – Heraleion defending Anatolia from secondary thrusts – Persians attack Egypt and Palestine. Damscus 613 and bloody Jerusalem 614 – take part of True Cross found by Constantine’s mother – handed over to outcast Jews. Symbol of Roman defeat – news to C little hope of future victory. 615 through Asian Minor to Chalcedon, opposite C, effectively beaten – beg to Khurso for terms.
- Roman ambassadors left to die in Persian prison sign Khurso intent on utter destruction of Persian state.
- 616 – Egypt invaded and 619 Alexandria taken – Persian governor operates tax machinery – but grain supply to C cut off as were fiscal revenues. Money to support Persian war effort.
- 621 state bankrupt, Asia minor open, withdrawing troops supposed to have stopped Persians, but Avars taken over Slavs and threatening C with replacement RE with qaghan. Failed to agree with Avars only bought off with humiliating stripping of gold and silver. How Herakleios still in charge? All together little choice but to remain united. Clear Avars would return with major siege.
- Herakleios decides Armenia, Azerbaidjan and Caucasus best route – Armenian allies very helpful, bitter Persians. Terrain luck and local support could undo opposing army, Victory lead way through Zagros mountains to heartlands Persian Iraq. Blow to Persian capital Ctesiphon force shah to negotiate, Getting through Caucasus lead to another source military power – Western Turks.
- Prep 622 but delayed by Avars in 626 – near disastrous attempt to negotiate – Avars bought off for the moment. Set Eastwards 624 – two years doing well in Armenia and negotiating with Turks.
- 626 – not big problem for Persia, need to end Roman resistance – great assault Constantinople – also Avar qaghan amasses people and attack from West – surrounded and under siege, climatic crisis of war had arrived.
- Probably a plan – Persians need European access and boats to cross Bosphorous, Avars need Persian assistance breaking down fortifications.
- 623 – Herakleois no rush back – Avar and Slavs attempt to break in to get city for themselves. So aid Persian dodgy canoes – get whipped by Roman Greek fire. Slav and Avar never recover from humiliation and Persians forced to retreat to Chalcedon.
- Herakeois more political standing and with Turkish armies reopened Eastern battle – summer went through Iberia and Albania – end of season Turkish force retire up north. Push through Azerbaidjan and push Persian army through Northern Iraq devastating
- Kavadh Shiroe deposes father and takes over as Khurso unable to control separate factions – negotiations with Romans as maul Persia – however 6 months later Syria and Palestine still in Persian hands.
- Hereleios agreed with Shahrbaraz took put him on throne if eastern lands back and Christian throne. S agrees to put son on throne with Christian name and give back occupied territories. Came to Jerusalem in 630 must have seen on brink of uncontested hegemony in Near East.
- Syriac Chronicle tells of frontier between states at Euphrates – ceded fortresses which lost in 611. Backs it up by telling of people emigrating across the river.
- S deposed after three months but Romans kept Eastern provinces. Romans held on to Edessa Peace with Persia huge cost – 25-year warm 2 decades astern province sunder Persian control. Much poorer than in 600 – Constantinople loads melted down. Victory with Turkish help and Eastern provinces by negotiation not reconquest.
- Need to reassert power in Syria, Palestine, Egypt – imperial ties etc. Triumphant vindication Christian empire – time to realise opportunities of post-war world.
