AD 610: Heraclius and the Final Romano-Persian War
The year is AD 610. The Roman Empire stands upon the precipice of ruin.
Only a generation has passed since the reign of the great Emperor Maurice, whose disciplined armies secured the eastern frontier and restored Roman prestige. Yet his brutal overthrow by the usurper Phocas plunged the Empire into years of civil war, political terror, and military collapse. Provinces revolted, loyal generals were executed, and the enemies of Rome seized the opportunity to strike.
Far to the west, in the wealthy Exarchate of Carthage, the respected Exarch Heraclius the Elder refused to recognise the tyrant’s rule. Together with his son, Heraclius the Younger, he prepared a rebellion to restore legitimate government to the Empire. Drawing upon the resources of Roman Africa, the Heraclian dynasty assembled a powerful fleet and forged alliances across the Mediterranean. As Phocas struggled to maintain his crumbling regime, Heraclius sailed for Constantinople, gathering support with every victory.
In October AD 610, the rebellion reached its climax. The fleet entered the Bosporus, Phocas’ supporters deserted him, and the usurper was captured and executed. Heraclius was crowned Emperor of the Romans, inheriting not a triumphant empire, but one already collapsing beneath the weight of invasion and civil war.
To the east, the mighty Sassanid Persian Empire, led by King Khosrow II, had declared war to avenge Maurice’s murder. What began as a campaign of vengeance had become an all-out struggle for dominion over the Near East. Persian armies poured across the frontier, capturing fortress after fortress as the exhausted Roman legions struggled to resist. The greatest war between Rome and Persia had begun.
Nor were the eastern frontiers the Empire’s only concern.
Across the Danube, the fierce Avars and their Slavic allies threatened the Balkans with relentless raids, while the Lombards continued to carve away the last Roman territories in Italy. In Hispania, the Visigoths watched for opportunities to expand their kingdom at the Empire’s expense, while across North Africa, rebellious Berber tribes challenged Roman authority beyond the fortified cities. Every frontier burned. Every neighbour sensed Roman weakness.
This is the world you inherit.
Will you lead Heraclius in one of history’s greatest recoveries, reforming the shattered armies of Rome and defeating Persia against overwhelming odds? Will the Sassanids complete the destruction of the ancient Empire? Or will the barbarian kingdoms of the West divide the Roman world forever?
Forge alliances, command legendary generals, rebuild broken provinces, and rewrite the fate of Late Antiquity in one of history’s most decisive conflicts.
https://www.patreon.com/c/UltimateTotalWarModder
Required DLC:
These DLC should be installed in order to use this item.
Total War: ATTILA - The Last Roman Campaign Pack
