Heraclius the Elder (; ca. 550 – ca. October 610) was a Byzantine Roman general and the father of Byzantine Roman emperor Heraclius (r. 610–641).Evans, Helen C. (2018). Armenia: Art, Religion, and Trade in the Middle Ages. Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-58839-660-0.Kaegi 2003, pp. 21–22. Heraclius the Elder distinguished himself in the war against the Sassanid Persians in the 580s. As a subordinate general (or hypostrategos), Heraclius served under the command of Philippicus during the Battle of Solachon and possibly served under Comentiolus during the Battle of Sisauranon. Circa 595, Heraclius the Elder is mentioned as a magister militum per Armeniam sent by Emperor Maurice () to quell an Armenian rebellion led by Samuel Vahewuni and Atat Khorkhoruni. Around 600, he was made the exarch of Africa and in 608, he rebelled with his son against the usurper Phocas (). Using North Africa as a base, the younger Heraclius managed to overthrow Phocas, beginning the Heraclian dynasty, which would rule Byzantium for a century. Heraclius the Elder died soon after receiving news of his son's accession to the Byzantine throne.
Origin Heraclius the Elder was assumed to be of Armenian origin by some modern historians and presumably bilingual (Armenian and Greek) at an early age.; . His Armenian origin is deduced by a passage of Theophylact Simocatta, which was misinterpreted as considering him a native of Byzantine Armenia..The passage is from Book III of Theophylact Simocatta's history: "And so Philippicus had learned during his journey that Priscus had been accredited as general by the emperor (Maurice); on reaching Tarsus he composed messages to Heraclius the Elder which indicated that, after leaving the army, he should return to his own city when he came to Armenia, and surrender the army to Narses, the commander of the city of Constantina." () Anthony Kaldellis argues that "there is not a single primary source that says that Heraclius was an Armenian" and that the assertion is based on an erroneous reading of Theophylact Simocatta. Furthermore, these potential exaggerated and overemphasised distant ancestries are of little significance, as Heraclius identified as Romaios (Roman) and was ethnically Romaios. In a letter, Priscus, a general who had replaced Heraclius the Elder, wrote to him "to leave the army and return to his own city in Armenia". Kaldellis interprets it as the command headquarters of Heraclius the Elder, and not his hometown.Kaldellis, Anthony (2019). Romanland: Ethnicity and Empire in Byzantium, p.183, Harvard University Press. . Heraclius the Elder's city is not specifically mentioned. Mary and Michael Whitby suggest that Heraclius the Elder was at the time the magister militum per Armeniam. If so, "his city" was Theodosiopolis (modern Erzurum), the headquarters of the Roman forces in Armenia.Theophylact Simocatta, III.1.1; ed. . As the chief military stronghold along the northeastern border of the empire, Theodosiopolis held an important strategic location that was contested in wars between the Byzantines and Persians. Emperors Anastasius I (r. 491–518) and Justinian I (r. 527–565) both refortified the city and built new defenses during their reigns..
Nothing is known of the specific ancestry of Heraclius the Elder, but this has not prevented modern historians from speculating on the matter. Cyril Mango has supported a theory which suggests that he was a namesake descendant of Heraclius of Edessa, a 5th-century Roman general.. A passage from Sebeos's History has been understood to suggest an Arsacid origin of Heraclius the Elder. This theory was strongly supported by Cyril Toumanoff, while considered likely by Alexander Vasiliev and Irfan Shahîd. John of Nikiû and Constantine Manasses seem to consider his son, Heraclius the Younger, to be a Cappadocian, which might indicate his place of birth rather than actual ancestry.
Family The Historia syntomos of Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople mentions a single brother of Heraclius the Elder, named Gregoras, who was the father of Nicetas, who succeeded him as Exarch of Africa, in turn father of Gregoria and perhaps Nicetas and Gregory the Patrician.Hollingsworth (1991), p. 875Moore (1999) Theophanes the Confessor mentions Epiphania as the mother of Emperor Heraclius, thus wife of Heraclius the Elder. Heraclius the Elder is mentioned as the father of Emperor Heraclius in several sources, including Theophylact, John of Nikiû, Nikephoros I, Theophanes, Agapius the historian, the Suda, Georgios Kedrenos, Joannes Zonaras, Michael the Syrian, the Chronicle of 1234 and Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos. In contrast, there is no source mentioning him in the same sentence as the siblings of Emperor Heraclius. That he was their father can be safely assumed, though.
The best-attested sibling of Heraclius the Younger was arguably Theodore. Maria, sister of Heraclius the Younger and wife of a certain Martinus, is mentioned by Nikephoros I and identified as the mother of Martina, whom Heraclius the Younger would go on to marry. Both Kedrenos and Michael the Syrian consider Martina to have been a daughter of an unnamed brother of Heraclius the Younger, thus casting some doubt on the precise relation. Finally, Theophanes briefly mentions another Gregoras as a brother of Heraclius the Younger on the occasion of the former's death at Heliopolis (modern Baalbek) circa 652/653. This is the only mention of this sibling. Theophanes, however, might have misunderstood the relationship between Gregoras and the emperor.
Career
Under Philippicus Heraclius the Elder is first mentioned in 586 as a general serving under Philippicus during the Roman–Persian War of 572–591. Heraclius the Elder commanded the center of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Solachon in spring 586. Following the battle, he was sent on a scouting mission to confirm the rumour of the arrival of Persian reinforcements.Theophylact Simocatta, II.5.9–11; ed. .
The Byzantine force went on to invade Arzanene. Philippicus besieged Chlomaron, the chief city of the area. At this point, Jovius and Maruthas, two local leaders, defected to the Byzantines. They promised to help locate the ideal positions for building impregnable forts that would control the passage through the Taurus Mountains and Hakkâri, allowing the Byzantines to control the routes that connected Arzanene with Persarmenia and Lower Mesopotamia. Philippicus assigned Heraclius the Elder, noted at this point as his second-in-command (hypostrategos), to follow the guides to the strong points indicated.Theophylact Simocatta, II.7.1, 7.6–11; ed. .
Twenty men accompanied Heraclius the Elder in the mission. They left without their armour and their party soon encountered Kardarigan leading a new Persian army. Theophylact notes that "Kardarigan was marching against the Romans, having enrolled throngs, who were not soldiers but men inexperienced in martial clamour; he had in addition assembled a herd of baggage animals and camels, and was moving forwards." Nevertheless, Kardarigan attempted to attack Heraclius' ill-equipped unit, and Heraclius had to escape by moving from ridge to ridge. By night, he sent a messenger to warn Philippicus of the approaching threat.Theophylact Simocatta, II.8.1–5; ed. .
Philippicus' forces fled in disorder back into Roman territory. He managed to reach Amida and then set about restoring the old forts on Mount Izala. There, possibly due to illness, he handed over command of his army to Heraclius. Theophylact narrates:
Theophylact indicates Philipiccus and Heraclius the Elder wintered together at Theodosiopolis.Theophylact Simocatta, II.9.16–10.1, 10.4–5; ed. ..
In spring 587, Philippicus was again ill, and unable to campaign in person. He assigned two-thirds of his army to Heraclius the Elder and the remainder to generals Theodore and Andreas, and sent them to raid Persian territory. Heraclius the Elder besieged an unnamed strong fort, using his siege engines day and night until it fell. After installing a garrison in the captured fort, Theophanes the Confessor reports that Heraclius the Elder proceeded to join General Theodore at the siege of Beioudaes, but this seems to be an error. Theophanes seems to have misunderstood the relevant passage of Theophylact which has Theodore and Andreas joining at that siege.Theophylact Simocatta, II.10.6–7, 18.1–6; ed. ..
In late 587, Philippicus planned to return to Constantinople, leaving Heraclius the Elder in charge of the army for the winter season. Heraclius the Elder took measures to restore discipline to the troops. According to Theophylact, "Heraclius inflicted penalties for desertion on the vagrants from the Roman force; and those who had bidden farewell to labour, and who were aimlessly wandering hither and thither, were converted to good sense by punishments." In early 588, Emperor Maurice (r. 582–602) replaced Philippicus with Priscus. Philippicus wrote to Heraclius the Elder, ordering him to leave the army in the care of Narses and return to Armenia. But the same letters notified the soldiers of an imperial decree which reduced their pay by one-quarter.Theophylact Simocatta, II.18.26 and III.1.1–2. This led to a mutiny of the troops, who refused to follow Priscus' orders. The mutiny only ended when the order was rescinded and Philippicus was re-appointed as commander of the eastern army.; ..
Under Comentiolus Heraclius the Elder resurfaces a year later, under the command of Comentiolus, in the Battle of Sisarbanon (autumn 589), in the vicinity of Nisibis. According to the account of Theophylact, Comentiolus supposedly fled towards Theodosiopolis (modern Ra's al-'Ayn) while the battle was still ongoing. Heraclius the Elder took charge of the remaining troops and led them to victory. Theophylact, however, lived and wrote during the reign of Heraclius the Younger, and is strongly biased in favour of his father. His account is thus suspected of exaggerating or even inventing Comentiolus' cowardice with the aim of glorifying Heraclius the Elder. The contemporary Evagrius Scholasticus, for instance, credits Comentiolus with being in the thick of combat, and does not mention Heraclius the Elder at all...
Armenian revolt Heraclius the Elder is mentioned again circa 595 as magister militum per Armeniam, probably succeeding John Mystacon. The history of Sebeos provides the main account of his term. He was sent by Maurice to face Armenian rebels led by Samuel Vahewuni and Atat Khorkhoruni. Heraclius the Elder was assisted by Hamazasp Mamikonian.
Heraclius the Elder seems to have been replaced by Suren. His service in Armenia was brief, but arguably reinforced his ties to the country..
Exarch of Africa Heraclius the Elder is next mentioned in 608 as Patrician and Exarch of Africa. According to Patriarch Nikephoros, Heraclius the Elder had been appointed to the position by Maurice prior to the latter's deposition and death in 602. He might have replaced Innocentius, a temporary exarch appointed between 598 and 600.. The appointment suggests that Heraclius the Elder enjoyed the favor of Maurice and would have reason to remain loyal to him. Heraclius the Elder and his African court notably lamented the death and execution of Maurice and posthumously praised the fallen emperor..