NOTE: Sorry for not posting for a while. I almost forgot about this timeline. Hope you enjoy this new part.
THE FALL OF SYRIA
Roman Syria is extinguished
Map of the Roman Diocese of Syria in c. 400 AD, all of which fell to the Persians under Shah Khorsau II
The Roman army commanded under Bonosus rode east in the break of spring, never to return again. Bonosus' plans to flank Khorsau's army utterly failed at the Battle of Heirapolis where the Persian cavalry rode in from the south and smashed Bonosus' infantrymen down while Khorsau's main army swept down from the north in a field of fire. Bonosus is said of compared the battle's failure to the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC where the Roman General Crassus' army was annihilated by the Parthians.
Soon enough Bonosus was captured by the Persians and taken off to Ctesiphon. What remained of the Roman legions in Syria fled south into Palestine or to Cilicia where Phocas' army was preparing to join with Bonosus' Syrian command. The now utterly defeated Emperor realised he would need the support of the rest of the empire to defeat the Persians and sent diplomats west to Heraclius in Hellas to plead for peace and to send their armies east where they were needed. But Heraclius the Younger was no longer seen as a rebel however, as many of the nobles and peasants alike favoured him over Phocas' failed regime. Priscus was a viable option to many, whom already gathered a formidable force and marched westward across Thrace. Supporters fielded their forces and held up their swords for the 'new emperor'. The Exarch of Ravenna refrained from sending new forces from Italy as he feared the continuity of Roman rule in Italy as organisation dwindled across the Empire.
What the people gave hiwas enough and in the summer of 610, the pretender Heraclius marched on Constantinople. The vast organised army of Priscus was prepared for him and the climatic Battle of Adrianople was inconclusive to say the least. Priscus showed valour and capability in defence against Heraclius' much larger (but vastly undertrained) army. Heraclius held his vows in high regard, and moved his army to Phillippolis, where the prefect supported Heraclius' army. While the rebels recupriated, Priscus continued his plans and sent parties east seeking the alledgiance of the prefects of Pontus and Asia. Yet the prefects in the East did not kneel before Priscus. and they affirmed their allegiance to Emperor Phocas, for their sons lay their swords in his army.
Khorsau and Phocas met on the battlefield, forming the climax of the entire war. The Persian army had regrouped and seized Antioch from the governor there and planned their forward march into Cilicia. With just as many recruits from Asia Minor, Galatia, and Cappadocia as the Shah had from his own land, the Persians found their match in battle. For it was the Shah's pride that won Phocas the battle, not his numbers. Yet even for Phocas it was a Pyrrhic victory. His armies numbers were halved and he could barely feed his men. This is what led to various officers and their men working against their Emperor, which culminated in the Mutiny in Antioch. The Muntiny in Antioch was a quick battle of wits between the officers within the army, who subsequently planted Phocas' head on a spike in the city's forum. The soldiers then went so far to abandon Antioch to the Persians, taking as much food and water with them, marching back to their homes across Asia Minor. Most of these soldiers declared their allegiance to Emperor-in-the-East, Priscus, rather than the Emperor-in-Africa, Heraclius. All the while, Khorsau gained the support of various cities across the Diocese of Syria, the rest of which were bribed or beaten into submission, where he organised Syria into various satrapies, given to his loyal generals.
It seemed like Heraclius yet to have won his empire, and what he had was far from the empire which Phocas had taken from Maurice less than a decade ago. The Persians had still taken Syria and were ready to march on Constatinople, a march to end Rome once and for all.
). This is about the Heraclian dynasty, rulers of the Exarchate of Africa. Now the Point of Divergence will be explained as such at a later date. The text above should give some clues to the divergence from our timeline. Feel free to ask questions about the direction of this timeline and other things.
