Small update is better than no update. Some questions.
Heraclius is cutting taxes on Egypt. Okay. How well is the empire doing at handling its expenses? Can he afford to do this, or is it trying to keep the situation stable in Egypt even if that means raising taxes (and the inevitable unhappy response) somewhere else?
In the Persian Empire Shah Rostam is setting to work shoring up his power. Rostam declares Zorastarianism the official religion of the Farrok dynasty and sets about building up a bureacracy of religous loyal Zorastrian Persians to run the empire. The Shah has absolute control over Armenia (the locality he is from and ruled before becoming Shah) Mesopatamia (which he recently liberated) and Ctesiphon (which he conquered in the coup). Using the eastern part of the Empire as his power base (and with a secure and peaceful border with Rome) Rostam slowly extend his power westward. Although this will be a lengthy process and he will not completely finish it, the Farrok Dynasty will replace the Sassanids.
Given the Roman-Iranian tradition of fighting over Armenia, what part of Armenia is within his control?
I presume this part (underlined) means that it won't be finished within his lifetime, but the Farrokids prevail in that of his successor.
And this may seem petty, but...
If he has absolute control over Armenia and Mesopotamia (Ctesiphon is within Mesopotamia if I'm not mistaken), doesn't that mean he controls the empire's western regions, and is extending east?