Domentziolus (nephew of Phocas)

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Domentziolus
Allegiance
Byzantine-Sassanid War of 602–628
RelationsEmperor Phocas (uncle), Comentiolus (uncle), Domentziolus (?father/uncle)

Domentziolus (

Byzantine–Sassanid War of 602–628. His defeats opened the way for the fall of Mesopotamia and Armenia and the invasion of Anatolia by the Persians. In 610, Phocas was overthrown by Heraclius
, and Domentziolus was captured but escaped serious harm.

Biography

Background

The exact parentage of Domentziolus is unclear: Phocas had two known brothers,

curopalates.[1][4]

General in the East

Gold solidus of Emperor Phocas (r. 602–610).

Domentziolus, however, is better known as a general in the

Germanus and Leontius had both been defeated, the former killed in battle and the latter recalled and imprisoned by Phocas.[6][7][8]

According to the Life of St. Theodore of Syceon, Domentziolus fell into a Persian ambush but was able to escape. In 604/605, he also surrounded Narses and his troops, and persuaded him to surrender on guarantees of his personal safety. Phocas, nonetheless, had Narses executed by burning him alive.[6][7][8] At about the same time, Dara, an important Byzantine city in Mesopotamia, fell to the Persians. Khosrau was encouraged to cease simply raiding the Byzantine provinces, instead attempting to conquer them. In 607, he launched concurrent invasions on Mesopotamia and Armenia.[9]

With the Byzantine forces at the Persian front having already suffered heavy casualties in previous confrontations, Domentziolus was unable to oppose the Sassanid raids during 605. There was also little chance of further reinforcements. Phocas had concluded peace treaties with the

Slavic invasion, notably endangering Thessalonica.[8]

While one Persian force, under

Persarmenia, which had been ceded to Byzantium in 591. In 608, Shahrbaraz and Shahin continued their respective efforts to conquer Mesopotamia and Armenia.[9]

By 609, the Sassanid conquest of Mesopotamia and Armenia was mostly complete. Shahin next led an invasion of Cappadocia. Domentziolus's forces were bypassed, while another kinsman of Phocas, called Sergius, attempted to face the invaders and was killed in combat. Sergius was possibly magister militum per Armeniam. Shahin managed to capture Caesarea Mazaca (modern Kayseri), the main city of the area. His forces were then able to make raids "all the way to Chalcedon" in Bithynia, in the vicinity of Constantinople.[10]

Downfall of the regime

Meanwhile, another front had opened. The

Jews were revolting and lynching Christians. Even in Constantinople, the crowds taunted Phocas for his love of liquor, implying alcoholism.[11]

In 610, Shahrbaraz was approaching Antioch. But the Persian front was not the immediate threat: the rebels of Africa were. Having secured control of Egypt, they proceeded to invade Syria and Cyprus while a large fleet under Heraclius the Younger, a son of the exarch, set sail for Constantinople. Supporters from Sicily, Crete and Thessalonica were joining his campaign. The rebels reached Constantinople in October 610. The only forces available to Phocas to defend the city were the Excubitors of his bodyguard and the irregular forces of the Blues and Greens, the city's racing factions. Priscus, the commander of the Excubitors, chose the moment to reveal his allegiance to Heraclius, having apparently secretly conspired for some time. The Greens also changed sides. Constantinople fell with relative ease.[12]

Heraclius the Younger became the new Byzantine emperor. Phocas was executed, along with several of his kinsmen and loyalists.

Theodore of Syceon.[13]
Nothing further is known of him after that.

Family

According to the

prior to this date.[14]

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Martindale 1992, p. 417.
  2. ^ Martindale 1992, p. 326.
  3. ^ cf. Kaegi 1981, p. 142.
  4. ^ Bury 2009, p. 199.
  5. ^ Treadgold 1997, pp. 237–238; Kaegi 1981, p. 140.
  6. ^ a b Kaegi 1981, p. 141.
  7. ^ a b Martindale 1992, pp. 417–418.
  8. ^ a b c Treadgold 1997, p. 238.
  9. ^ a b Treadgold 1997, p. 239.
  10. ^ a b Treadgold 1997, p. 240.
  11. ^ Treadgold 1997, pp. 240–241.
  12. ^ a b Treadgold 1997, p. 241.
  13. ^ Martindale & 1992, p. 418.
  14. ^ Halsall 1997, Chapter 140.

Sources

  • ISBN 978-1-60520-405-5
    .
  • Halsall, Paul (1997). "Medieval Sourcebook: The Life of St. Theodore of Sykeon". New York: Fordham University. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  • ISBN 90-256-0902-3
    .
  • ISBN 0-521-20160-8
    .
  • ISBN 0-8047-2630-2
    .


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