oct 18, 637 - Battle of Gaza

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Heraclonas had spent the previous year gathering reinforcements in Egypt, and ordering major fortifications built around Tamiathas. That done the Emperor advanced into Palaestina in late 637, aiming to resecure the coast, and from there reconquer Syria.

Heraclonas's aim seems to have been to essentially bottle up the enemy armies inland, then steadily advance, retaking positions and fortifying them to provide bases for further attacks to reclaim lost Roman territory. The first step then was to secure Egypt. At the time the province was the wealthiest in the empire, perhaps in the entire world. Its grain fed the population of Constantinople. The taxes it paid provided a full third of all Imperial revenue. If it fell Heraclonas would be hard pressed to keep the army paid and the state functioning.

Near Gaza however Heraclonas met Arabs army, and the battle was another disaster for the Romans. In three days of skirmishing, and then hard fighing Heraclonas's army took heavy losses and were driven south back into Egypt, forced to rely on the fortifications of Pelusium to avoid annihilation.

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