He was sent by Heraclius to the Pentapolis of Cyrenaica, leading an army consisting of 3,000 Roman (Byzantine) troops and an unknown number of Berbers.
[1] John of Nikiû reports: "Heraclius, who distributed large sums of money among the Berbers of Tripolis and Pentapolis, and thereby prevailed on them to help him in the war.
Next he summoned the captain of his forces, named Bonakis, with 3,000 men, and a large number of Berbers, and dispatched them to Pentapolis to wait for him there.
[1] The narrative continues: "And when they had entered, they found the Balalun, the governor of Alexandria, with a large force of Egyptians arrayed with weapons of war.
And when they engaged [in battle] they slew this misguided man, and cut off his head, and suspending it on a lance they carried it into the city.
"[2] The arrival of general Bonosus, at the head of forces loyal to Phocas, caused Bonakis to retreat from Alexandria.
And when the party of Plato heard this news, they sent a dispatch to Bonakis in Alexandria to this effect : 'Hasten hither with thy forces ; for Bonosus has arrived in the city of Farma.'
And when Bonakis had reached Nakius, Bonosus likewise had already arrived at the city of Athrib, where he found Marcian's troops ready for war.
And Leontius the general and Kudis they put to the sword, and they surrounded a large body of troops, and took them prisoners and threw them into chains.