Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Herberto, post: 2851425, member: 74222&quot;]You meant Heraclius killed Phocas?, and that Phocas was the tyrant?</p><p><br /></p><p>We have to be careful here: the firsthand sources that depict Phocas as a tyrant are written by… the Heraclians. That is his enemies. And they were interested in depicting him in negative way. We have no independent sources from other hand that confirms the Heraclians’ smeared campaign. - A bell should ring here.</p><p><br /></p><p>If some leading democrats accuse Donald Trump of having mental illness due to his (often irrational) remarks/behavior, then it is not convincing. But if some psychologists, independent from democrats, confirm it, and at the same time even some Republicans close to the President also confirm it, then the case is strong.</p><p><br /></p><p>My point is that we do not know whether Phocas was a tyrant or bad since all the sources that depict him in negative way, are from his enemies. So we have to be careful.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Actually, it has also been suggested that The True Cross might have been destroyed by the Persians, and that Heraclius created a new one. – If it is true, then it is was a genial PR-effort of him.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The lost to the Arabs was not caused because of ineptitude from Heraclius or Byzantines. He actually did not participate in that battle indeed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Byzantine-Sasanian war lasted for a long devastating 26 years before it ended in 628, and at the same time a plague arrived which crippled the Byzantines even more. Plagues tend to hit agricultural societies(such of Byzantines or Sassasnians) more than it tends to hit pastoral societies(such of Arabs) as the latter one can always move with their tents. So while the Byzantine Empire was devastated by the war and crippled by plague, the Arabs were “fresh”.</p><p><br /></p><p>During the battle of Yarmouk the Arabs were outnumbered by Byzantines, but it has been argued that the reason was that Byzantines had filled much of its ranks with amateurs while the Arabs in contrary consisted only of professional warriors. It has also been argued that Byzantines army consisted of various nationalities which caused confusion within own lines while the Arabs in contrary consisted only of one language with no confusion.</p><p><br /></p><p>Had Byzantines and Sassanians received better intel, and being aware that something was happening in Arabian Peninsula and that it was united under Muhammad now and that it was a threat for first time in history, then Byzantines and Persians would surely had stopped the war in time to prepare for it.(David Potter, “Rome in the ancient world”).</p><p><br /></p><p>The other way that Byzantines should have won that battle, was that it was giving a couple of decades to recover instead of meeting a new fresh Arab army immediately as they did.</p><p><br /></p><p>And unlike what many think Heraclius did indeed not participate in the battle of Yarmouk as he was an old man and resided in Antioch.</p><p><br /></p><p>So taking all into consideration the lost to the Arabs was not caused of ineptitude, but rather of circumstances that were in favor for Arabs&#039; Bedouins culture, particularly the 26 years war with Persians and plagues(which do not hit nomad culture such of Arabs&#039;). – The Arabs simple arrived in a perfect time.</p><p><br /></p><p>Heraclius was definitely one of the top 3-5 greatest emperors in term of military accomplishments, and his(and his successors’) military reform(s) were also crucial that Byzantine Empire could survive later and even defeat the Arabs during the second siege of Constantinople in 717-718, and later to expand during the Macedonian Dynasty. That defeat at the end to Arabs in 636 was really not Heraclius’ fault as there were not much Byzantines could do, and as he even did not participate personally in that battle.</p><p><br /></p><p>Just some thoughts from what I have read and how I perceive it.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in