From Wikipedia (I know, I know): "Heraclius the Elder was possibly of Armenian origin and presumably bilingual (Armenian and Greek) at an early age. His Armenian origin is deduced by a passage of Theophylact Simocatta, which considers him a native of Byzantine Armenia. Anthony Kaldellis argues that "there is not a single primary source that says that Heraclius was an Armenian" and that the assertion is based on an erroneous reading of Theophylact Simocatta. In a letter, Priscus, a general who had replaced Heraclius the Elder, wrote to him "to leave the army and return to his own city in Armenia". Kaldellis interprets it as the command headquarters of Heraclius the Elder, and not his home town. Heraclius the Elder's own city is not specifically mentioned. Mary and Michael Whitby suggest that Heraclius the Elder was at the time the magister militum per Armeniam. If so, "his city" was Theodosiopolis (modern Erzurum), the headquarters of the Roman forces in Armenia. As the chief military stronghold along the northeastern border of the empire, Theodosiopolis held an important strategic location that was contested in wars between the Byzantines and Persians. Emperors Anastasius I (r. 491–518) and Justinian I (r. 527–565) both refortified the city and built new defenses during their reigns.
Nothing is known of the specific ancestry of Heraclius the Elder, but this has not prevented modern historians from speculating on the matter. Cyril Mango has supported a theory which suggests that he was a namesake descendant of Heraclius of Edessa, a 5th-century Roman general. A passage from Sebeos's History has been understood to suggest an Arsacid origin of Heraclius the Elder. This theory was strongly supported by Cyril Toumanoff, while considered likely by Alexander Vasiliev and Irfan Shahîd. John of Nikiû and Constantine Manasses seem to consider his son, Heraclius the Younger, to be a Cappadocian, which might indicate his place of birth rather than actual ancestry."
The passage from Theophylact Simocatta's books mentioned above is "And so Philippicus had learned during his journey that Priscus had been accredited as general by the emperor (Maurice); on reaching Tarsus he composed messages to Heraclius the Elder which indicated that, after leaving the army, he should return to his own city when he came to Armenia, and surrender the army to Narses, the commander of the city of Constantina."
I would suggest that we disconnect Heraclius the Elder, Exarch of Africa from parent Florus Valentinian. Any thoughts?
Sincerely,
Tamas Caldwell-Gilbert
