After Maurice was murdered by Phocas, Phocas came into power. Khosrau II used that as a reason to reconquer the ex-Roman provence of Mesopotamia. Phocas was widely as a poor ruler, and was considered a tyrant. He was also the target of many senate led assassination plots. Phocas was finally deposed in 610 by Heraclious (HAIR-AH-CLEE-SHA-S). After that the Sassanians pushed deep into Asia Minor, also taking Damascus and Jerusalem. The Sassanians systematically took over Byzantine border cities in Mesopotamia and Armenia and started unprecedented expansion. Antioch fell to the Persians in 611, Jerusalem in 614, and the rest of Egypt in 621.
During the Heraclious’ reign the Byzantines stopped using Latin as an official language and replaced it with Greek. Even through most people in the empire already spoke Greek as their first language, now it was official.
Syria, Palestine, and Egypt all fell to Umayyad Caliphate (Arabs) by 642. Now, the Arabs with control of the Middle East, made frequent attacks on Anatolia, and between 674 and 678, sieged Constantinople. Due to the war in the East, many of the troops stationed in the Balkans had to move to Anatolia.
As a result, the Slavs moved south into Italy. Bulgars moved south, past the Danube. In 681, Constantine IV signed a treaty with the Bulgars and ruled over Slavs and recognized Byzantine authority. From 678 to 688, emperor Justinian II, lead a series of successful campaigns on the Slavs and Bulgars.
Finally, the Arab fleet surrendered after the use of Greek Fire and signed a 30 year peace treaty.
Social Studies for Fun 