In the previous article, we tackled the tenure of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora who did a great job in alleviating the Copts’ suffering. Then, we spoke of Emperor Justin II who left the state’s affairs to his wife Sophia, which led to the country’s deterioration. He adopted Tiberius Constantine and declared him Caesar in 574. By the end of his life, he became crazy. He was succeeded by Tiberius Constantine.
Tiberius Constantine (574-582 A.D.)
He was born in Thrace which includes southeast Romania, center and east of Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. He was appointed Notarius. In 552, he became a friend of Justin’s. He was appointed in many posts later. During the war with the Avars, Tiberius was appointed Count of the Excubitors which is the highest military rank to counteract the Avars’ demands. Yet, his peaceful solutions were not welcomed by either party. Thus, a war broke out between them in 570. The Avars were defeated by Tiberius in Thrace, after which he returned to Constantinople. However, this victory did not last long, for he was defeated in 571, and was miraculously saved from death after the Roman armies had escaped from the battlefield. This led to making a treaty with the Avars.
In 574, Justin suffered from a mental illness. So, Empress Sophia made Tiberius participate in running the country’s affairs, especially the provinces that were fighting the Persians in the east and suffering plague. In that very year, Justin elevated Tiberius Caesar and adopted him. Tiberius added the name Constantine to his own.
Tiberius’ enthronement was contemporary to the recession of the plague, which gave the new Emperor the freedom to work more than Justin. One historian maintains that Caesar found two treasures which he distributed among the poor. This troubled Empress Sophia. Also, he reduced the taxes imposed by Emperor Justin I and banned the sale of governorships which had spread at that time. Moreover, he negotiated the Avars on truce against which the Roman Empire was to pay in order to protect the Danube. In 575, he made a three-year truce with the Persians. He sent reinforcements to Italy to stop the Lombardian invasion and made an alliance with the king of France to fight them. Yet, his army was defeated there, to the loss of several Italian territories. At that time, Armenia was invaded by the Persians in 576. So, he sent troops to the east which were also defeated. In return, he added more troops to his army, avoiding any other conflict that would divert him from the war with the Persians. Then he sent Commander Maurice to confront the Persians. In 578, he invaded Persian Armenia and Mesopotamia, thus, compelling the Persians to stop advancing. At that time, Emperor Justin died and Tiberius replaced him.
Empress Sophia tried to gain more influence by marrying the new Emperor. Yet, he declined her offer, which led to her conspiring and igniting seditions against him. Also, she tried to instigate the soldiers to overthrow him, but failed. However, the Emperor treated her kindly and forgave her. Though Tiberius Constantine was firm, he clung to Christian teachings.
Historians maintain that this Emperor’s tenure was a good one, and his subjects wished he had continued. However, he died, having nominated his son-in-law Maurice heir apparent and elevated him Caesar in 582. His last words were, “I do bequeath you my authority which also extends to you through my daughter. Use it, but be fair.”
Historians assert that Tiberius Constantine was generous. He never persecuted the Orthodox, unlike his predecessor. Moreover, he dedicated a lot of money for new projects, especially the expansion of Constantinople’s palace. Historians differ regarding his tenure period and authority. Some of them said he was fair and good. Others think he was a great warrior, but not a good emperor!
Tiberius Constantine loved Egypt exceedingly. When he got to know that Egyptians were Orthodox, Pope Dioscorus’ creed, he exerted a great effort to sustain the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt.
Emperor Maurice (582-602 A.D.)
Maurice was born in Cappadocia. Then he came to Constantinople to assist the Count of Excubitors who became later Tiberius Constantine. In 577, despite his lack of experience, he was appointed military commander of the Byzantine Army in the east which was getting ready to fight the Persians. He overcame them in 581, and married the Emperor’s daughter on the following year, only to rule the country after the Emperor’s death in 582.
Maurice’s war against the Persians lasted till 586 in which his troops defeated them south Dara. In 590, he helped Khosrow, the king of Persia, restore his country after a major sedition had been instigated by one of his commanders, Bahrām Chōbin, having conspired with Khosrow II. They fought quite fiercely, and the soldiers took sides of their leader Chōbin. Khosrow was defeated. He fled to the Byzantine court to seek Maurice’s help. In spite of the senate’s warning, Maurice helped Khosrow by sending troops that defeated Chōbin and restored his throne. On the other hand, Khosrow restored to Maurice the cities which Chōbin seized from the Romans. Thus, the Roman Empire became more extensive than ever, having restored Armenia and Mesopotamia.
At the beginning of his tenure, rebellions broke out in Lower Egypt led by three brothers from Zawyat Saqr, namely, Abiskhairun, Mena, and Jacob. When the ruler of Gharbiya arrested two Coptic elites, the Egyptians rebelled near Samanud and expelled the Romans from their houses, which made the ruler complain to the emperor. The latter ordered the ruler of Alexandria to overcome the rebels who seized Alexandria and hindered the arrival of wheat to her.
This rebellion caused famine. Likewise, it instigated the people against the ruler. They almost slew him, had he not resorted to some Copt elites for protection. The rebels continued their feud until they were able to seize many Roman ships, which troubled the Emperor. So, he reconciled with the three brothers through Julius, the Roman patriarch, who was loved by the Egyptians for his decency.
The brothers demanded that the ruler of Alexandria, their friend, be restored. The Emperor approved. He also appointed a Theodorus, commander of the army who summoned five Coptic prisoners and made them stand before the rebels on the other bank of the river. He ordered them to throw their weapons into the water. Most of the rebels obeyed in pity for the prisoners, but the three brothers continued fighting the Romans until they were arrested and imprisoned.
Though the ruler of Alexandria tried to save them, they were put to death when a new one was appointed. This was not the first rebellion: for the Egyptians rebelled a lot against the Romans. Yet, all ended up in massacres. The Egyptians had always hated the Roman colonizers, and … Stories never end in Beautiful Egypt.
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
