Heraclius: Emperor of Byzantium (review)

Dr. Kaegi states in his introduction that a biography of Heraclius has never been written in English. This book fills that void admirably. Dr. Kaegi begins by surveying the existing scholarship on the reign of Heraclius, and the varying interpretations of his legacy, and in so doing, leaves behind the Ostrogorsky paradigm, which was, and still is, an article of faith in most Byzantine survey courses (p. 10). In this brief survey, Dr. Kaegi illustrates the contradictions in the life of this important emperor, and the disagreement among scholars as to his contributions to and influence on seventh century Byzantium (pp. 16-18).

Heraclius's origins are surveyed, and the events closely following the murder of Phocas are detailed. Dr. Kaegi also explains the methods that Heraclius used to legitimize his reign, such as participation in the city and church rituals, which were so important to daily life in Constantinople, as well as possibly encouraging new ceremonies. "Heraclius for his part may have encouraged the development of new rituals and ceremonies because he understood the need to communicate with his subjects" (p. 62). Heraclius also used his children in these ceremonies to encourage the legitimization of his dynasty (p. 63). Dr. Kaegi then goes on to describe the military campaigns against the Persians, culminating in the eventual victory of the Byzantine armies. The author's description and analysis of Heraclius as military commander is the heart of the book. Beginning with chapter 6, the book describes the closing years of Heraclius's reign, and the rise of the Muslim threat. Dr. Kaegi states that the years 628 to 633 "are pivotal for understanding him [Heraclius] and the history of his empire" (p. 193). Heraclius triumphed over the Persians, and gained a religious victory by obtaining possession of the True Cross. He began the monumental task of rebuilding infrastructure and securing Byzantine territory, as the recent conflict had ravaged much of the eastern territories, and resulted in a huge loss of human life. Another challenge was the reinstitution of Byzantine authority in areas such as Syria and Egypt, which had been out of Byzantine control for more than a decade (p. 195), and would prove difficult at best because of demographic disruption (p. 219). The final two chapters of the book describe the actions Heraclius took to fight off the Muslim advance, as well as his attempt to deal with crises close to home. The emperor attempted to summon troops from Numidia to assist in the defense of Egypt because of the absence of any large garrison of Byzantine troops there, but General Peter refused, which shows some of the limits of Heraclius's authority (p. 233). In Heraclius's final years, the Byzantines suffered a string of military reverses at the hands of the Muslims, culminating in the loss of the Holy Land, Syria, and Mesopotamia, and the beginning of the conquest of Egypt. There were also theological divisions over the nature of Christ, a renewed financial crisis, and a succession dispute between the children from his first and second wives. In evaluating the life of Heraclius, Dr. Kaegi list thirteen major crises that the emperor faced throughout his life, as well as evaluating his performance as both a military commander and politician, and ties it all together in a solid conclusion.

Dr. Kaegi marshals an impressive list of primary sources in Greek, Latin, and Arabic, and provides an extensive bibliography, as well as several maps showing military movements. Overall, this is a good, solid work on a much studied, and much misunderstood, period in Byzantine history, and should find its way immediately onto graduate reading lists.