A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

404 -HERACLIUS. HERACLIUS.
aarchate was exposed to the attacks of the Lombards was in the neighbourhood with 40,000 veteran
and some Slavonian tribes: the latter conquered soldiers. Thence the emperor marched into the
-Istria, where they still continue to dwell. In Caucasian countries, destroying some of the most
Spain and on the opposite coast of Africa, part of famous temples of the Magi, on his way through
the Greek dominions was conquered by the West- Albania (Da'ghestan), along the Caspian Sea. His
Gothic king, Sisibut, in 616, and the remaining motive in approaching the Caucasus was probably
part by king Suinthila, in 624. These calamities, to put himself into communication with Ziebel,.however, were trifling in comparison with those the khan of the Khazars, with whom he afterinflicted upon the empire by the inroads and con- wards concluded a very advantageous alliance. The
quests of the Persians. The war which broke out Khazars-were masters of the steppes north of the
in A. D. 603 between the emperor Phocas and the Caucasus as far as the Don and the Ural. Joined
Persian king Chosro&s or Khosrew II., was still by the Colchians and other Caucasian nations, he
raging, and to the conquest of Mesopotamia and directed his attacks against the northern part of
parts of Arminia, the king added, in the beginning Media, and he penetrated probably as far, and
of the reign of Heraclius, all Syria and Palaestine. perhaps beyond, the present Persian capital, IspaSarbar, the Persian general, conquered and pillaged han. He then returned to the Caucasus, but
Jerusalem in A. D. 615, and sent the holy lance, as before taking up his winter-quarters, he was
-his noblest trophy, to his master at Ctesiphon. In attacked by the main army of the Persians comA.D. 616, Sarbar took and plundered Alexandria, manded by Chosroes in person, who, however,
conquered Egypt, and penetrated as far as Abys- suffered a total defeat. Having been informed
sinia; the export of corn from Egypt to Constan- that Chosroe's meditated another expedition against
tinople was interrupted, and famine soon began to Constantinople, which would be commanded by
increase the sufferings of the capital. Having been' Sarbar, Heraclius descended, in 625, into Mesopourged by a Greek officer to abandon Egypt as a tamia, and from thence went ~into Cilicia in order
country of which the Persians could only keep to fall upon the rear of the Persians, if Sarbar
transient possession, the proud victor pointed out a should venture to penetrate into Asia Minor with
lofty column in Alexandria, and said, " I shall a Greek army at his back. In order to drive the'leave Egypt after you have swallowed that co- emperor before him, Sarbar attacked him on the
lumn!" During this year, another Persian army river Sarus, now Sfhfin. A terrible conflict took
overran Asia Minor, laid siege to Chalcedon, oppo- place;the Persians were routed with great slaughter,
site Constantinople, and took it, in A. D. 616. and Heraclius gained the entire devotion of his
The Greeks, however, reconquered it a few years soldiers, not only for having led them to a decisive
afterwards. Heraclius made an attempt to enter victory, but also for the most splendid proofs of
into negotiations with Chosrois, but his ambassa- personal courage: on the bridge of the Sarus he
dors were thrown into prison, where they were slew a giant-like Persian, whom nobody dared to
afterwards put to death. It seems that Heraclius meet in single combat. Sarbar hurried into Persia,
remained unshaken in the midst of all these tem- and Heraclius once more marched into Pontus.
pests: he kept his eye upon Persia; he organised During this year Chosro6es concluded an alliance
and increased his means, and when at last the time with the Avars: they had been on friendly terms
was come when he thought himself able to keep with the emperor since the year 620, but they now
the field, he took the command of his troops in listened to the proposals of the Persian, and in
person, against the persuasion of his courtiers, and 626 they descended into Thrace, laying siege to
astonished the world by a series of campaigns Constantinople, while Sarbar with a powerful army
worthy of comparison with those of the most con- advanced from Persia, and took up his former
summate generals of all times. " Since the days quarters on the Asiatic shore of the Bosporus.
of Scipio and Hannibal," says Gibbon, "no bolder Heraclius was then'encamped on the lower Halys.
enterprise has been attempted than that which Every body expected he would fly to the relief of
Heraclius achieved for the deliverance of the his capital; but he did just the contrary. He
empire." despatched his son Theodore with an army against
Heraclius spent a whole year in disciplining a Sais, the lieutenant of Chosrois, who invaded
host of Greeks and barbarians into a compact Mesopotamia, and he himself, with the main body,'army. In 622 he embarked them on vessels lying tookup a position in the Caucasus, taking no notice
in the Bosporus, and made sail for Cilicia. He of Sarbar and the Avars. His plan was admirable,
pitched his camp in the plain of Issus, and occupied and crowned with complete success. In the Cauthe Pylae Ciliciae and the other passes of the casus he was joined by the khan Ziebel, with whom
Taurus and Anti-Taurus that lead into the plain lie had just concluded an offensive and defensive
round the corner of the gulf of Iskenderun, between alliance, and who now hastened to his assistance
Mount Taurus and Mount Amnanus. He was soon with a powerful army of Khazars. The khan with
surrounded by a Persian army, but defeated it in a his main army invaded Media; Heraclius, with
decisive battle, and, in spite of repeated attacks, his Greeks and.50,000 Khazarian auxiliaries, atfought his way across the Taurus and Anti-Taurus tacked Assyria; and Constantinople stood firmly
into the province of Pontus. There his army took against its assailants. As neither of the besiegers
up its winter-quarters. He himself returned to had ships, they could not effect a junction, and thus
Constantinople, and in the spring of 6'23 sailed with the Avars withdrew, after having sustained several
another army, small but select, to Trebizond. This severe defeats, and Sarbar amused himself with
campaign and those of the following years led to besieging Chalcedon, thus running the risk of being
great results: the campaign of 624, however, is cut off from Persia: for in the following year, 627,
full of obscurities. Heraclius crossed -Armenia, Heracliusmade an irresistible attack against the very
and soon was in sight of Gandzaca, now Tauris, heart of the Persian empire. He crossed the Great
which yielded to him after a short siege, Chosroes Zab, and encamped on the ruins of Nineveh. Rhabeing unable or unwilling to defend it, although he. zates, the Persian general, took up a fortified position