Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium

Rating:
Summary: Heraclius - Hero of Byzantium
Review: Heraclius saved the Byzantine Empire from sure destruction at the hands of the Persians, only to be confronted by the onslaught of Islam in the early seventh century. Piecing together Heraclius' life and remarkable achivement from fragmentary sources is no easy task, but Walter Kaegi has succeeded in creating an account of Heraclius that will long remain the oft cited standard. Critics will find details to quibble about, but what book is beyond criticism? In fact, Kaegi demonstrates the art of the careful and critical historian, sifting through pieces of evidence to arrive at well balanced judgments. His extraordinary handling of the Greek sources is matched by that applied to the Arabic (how many western historians can say that?), and his knowledge of the Armenian and Syraic sources is no less inferior. Moreover, Kaegi is among the few historians who has ever set foot in the area of Syria and Palestine where the critical battles between Byzantines and Persians/Arabs occurred, not to mention Iraq. Kaegi takes the reader through all this and shows just what can be known in a sure handed way, so that even the novice reader can learn of the heroic Heraclius and the great events of his day.

Rating:
Summary: Heraclius - Hero of Byzantium
Review: Heraclius saved the Byzantine Empire from sure destruction at the hands of the Persians, only to be confronted by the onslaught of Islam in the early seventh century. Piecing together Heraclius' life and remarkable achivement from fragmentary sources is no easy task, but Walter Kaegi has succeeded in creating an account of Heraclius that will long remain the oft cited standard. Critics will find details to quibble about, but what book is beyond criticism? In fact, Kaegi demonstrates the art of the careful and critical historian, sifting through pieces of evidence to arrive at well balanced judgments. His extraordinary handling of the Greek sources is matched by that applied to the Arabic (how many western historians can say that?), and his knowledge of the Armenian and Syraic sources is no less inferior. Moreover, Kaegi is among the few historians who has ever set foot in the area of Syria and Palestine where the critical battles between Byzantines and Persians/Arabs occurred, not to mention Iraq. Kaegi takes the reader through all this and shows just what can be known in a sure handed way, so that even the novice reader can learn of the heroic Heraclius and the great events of his day.

Rating:
Summary: Academic Fustian
Review: This is a disappointing book. The author contrives to make the amazing, dramatic events of Heraclius' reign banal, even boring. No doubt the source material is sparse and unreliable and this is some excuse. Regretably there is no serious attempt to assess the military resources and tactics of the participants in the struggle; the Avars come on to the scene and depart from it undescribed. The question of how Heraclius managed to maintain his army so long in the formidable mountains of Eastern Anatolia is not adequately addressed.

The reign of Heraclius is very important; its consequences reverberate down to the present day, but unfortunately it still awaits treatment in extenso by a scholar who is endowed not only with diligence but with literary talent as well.

Rating:
Summary: A superb work
Review: This work depicts the trials of a man placed at the helm of one of the most tumultuous times in history, and is a must read for anyone interested in the Middle East. Most fascinating is Kaegi's depiction of the rise of Islam, which greatly diminished the massive Byzantine Empire and changed the history of the world. Kaegi not only examines why the Byzantines lost to the invaders, but also tries to understand Heraclius' role as an effective military leader. Kaegi makes the history come alive to the reader, but does not overstep the bounds of reality by creating fiction. All of his claims are cited and well-reasoned.
Besides being the first major comprehensive biography of Heraclius in the English language and being a compelling read, this is a work to be emulated. Walter Kaegi examines myriad Arabic and Greek primary sources, while also providing a thorough examination of secondary sources and arguments from academia. He does not stop there. His research into libraries throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East is then coupled with his on the ground research in both North Africa and the Near East. Walter Kaegi actually visited the sites about which he writes, and knows well the geography.
I strongly recommend this work for both experts and non-experts alike.