October 5, 610 CE: Heraclius (Flavius Heraclius Augustus, left coin) sails to Constantinople as his cousin Nicetas defeated Phocuss (right coin) general, Bonosus, in Egypt and secured it. Upon reaching Constantinople, Heraclius made contact with city leaders and informed him that he was going to remove Phocus and ascend as the new emperor. The Excubitors (the Imperial Guard) deserted Phocus to join the other side, and Heraclius marched into the city without opposition. He captured Phocus, whose own soldiers had abandoned him, and asked, Is this how you have ruled, wretch? Phocus replied, And will you rule better. With that, Heraclius took off his head as well as his genitals or a rape he had committed against a prominent citizens wife and was crowned as the new emperor in the Chapel of St. Stephen. His reign included reforms to reduce corruption that had taken hold under Phocus. He also recaptured eastern territory that had been lost to the Persians. Heraclius is most remembered for making Greek the official language of the Eastern Roman Empire instead of Latin, opening the way for more diplomatic relations. Heraclius supported the doctrine of monotheletism put forth by Sergius and issued the Ekthesis edict. However, this did not resolve the conflict between those holding this doctrine and the doctrine of monoenergism. Ultimately, both Christologies were declared heresies. In the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Edward Gibbon wrote, Of the characters conspicuous in history, that of Heraclius is one of the most extraordinary and inconsistent. In the first and last years of a long reign, the emperor appears to be the slave of sloth, of pleasure, or of superstition, the careless and impotent spectator of the public calamities. But the languid mists of the morning and evening are separated by the brightness of the meridian sun; the Arcadius of the palace arose the Caesar of the camp; and the honor of Rome and Heraclius was gloriously retrieved by the exploits and trophies of six adventurous campaigns. [...] Since the days of Scipio and Hannibal, no bolder enterprise has been attempted than that which Heraclius achieved for the deliverance of the empire.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 06:04:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015