Circa 595, Heraclius the Elder is mentioned as a magister militum per Armeniam sent by Emperor Maurice (r. 582–602) to quell an Armenian rebellion led by Samuel Vahewuni and Atat Khorkhoruni.

Using North Africa as a base, the younger Heraclius managed to overthrow Phocas, beginning the Heraclian dynasty, which would rule Byzantium for a century.

[4][5] 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".

[7] 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.

[9] 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.

[9] The Historia syntomos of Patriarch Nikephoros I of Constantinople mentions a single brother of Heraclius the Elder, named Gregoras, who was the father of Nicetas.

Both Kedrenos and Michael the Syrian consider Martina to have been a daughter of an unnamed brother of Heraclius the Younger, thus casting some doubt on the precise relation.

Finally, Theophanes briefly mentions another Gregoras as a brother of Heraclius the Younger on the occasion of the former's death at Heliopolis (modern Baalbek) circa 652/653.

Theophylact notes that "Kardarigan was marching against the Romans, having enrolled throngs, who were not soldiers but men inexperienced in martial clamour; he had in addition assembled a herd of baggage animals and camels, and was moving forwards."

Accordingly Heraclius left Thamanon [a location on the eastern banks of the Tigris], advanced towards the southern parts of Media, and ravaged the whole of that area.

He assigned two-thirds of his army to Heraclius the Elder and the remainder to generals Theodore and Andreas, and sent them to raid Persian territory.

After installing a garrison in the captured fort, Theophanes the Confessor reports that Heraclius the Elder proceeded to join General Theodore at the siege of Beioudaes, but this seems to be an error.

[15][16] In late 587, Philippicus planned to return to Constantinople, leaving Heraclius the Elder in charge of the army for the winter season.

According to Theophylact, "Heraclius inflicted penalties for desertion on the vagrants from the Roman force; and those who had bidden farewell to labour, and who were aimlessly wandering hither and thither, were converted to good sense by punishments."

Heraclius the Elder and his African court notably lamented the death and execution of Maurice and posthumously praised the fallen emperor.

Historians of the late 19th and early 20th centuries ascribed much significance to this appointment, even suggesting it would require prominent ties between Heraclius the Elder and Africa or the wider Western Roman Empire.

In the 6th century, several prominent Byzantine military commanders had started their careers in the eastern regions of the Empire, often in the vicinity of Upper Mesopotamia.

[25] Charles Diehl regarded early 7th-century Byzantine Africa to have undergone an economic and demographic decline, being under constant threat by hostile Berbers.

Later historians, however, have had to revise this picture in light of archaeological evidence: the Exarchate was among the most affluent areas of the Byzantine Empire, though of lesser wealth and significance than Egypt.

[27][28] The subsequent campaign against Phocas was portrayed by Byzantine historians as avenging the death of Maurice, which might have been part of the motivation for this revolt.

The other part, however, would be what Walter Emil Kaegi termed "cold political calculations":[25] Carthage was at a safe distance from Constantinople and Phocas could not easily launch an attack against it.

Meanwhile, the Persian shah Khosrau II had secured control of Dara and was mobilizing his troops for a large-scale invasion into Byzantine territories.

With Phocas facing two separate military fronts, the emperor would be unable to concentrate the majority of his troops on either one of them, encouraging Heraclius the Elder of his chances to succeed in this confrontation.

There is no indication in the sources on how this was achieved, i.e., whether Heraclius the Elder was self-appointed or officially proclaimed by the Senate of Carthage, "whose members had no legal right to designate a Roman consul".

By this proclamation, Heraclius the Elder was arguably making a first step towards becoming emperor himself, while legitimizing his connection to the long history of Rome.

The mints of Carthage and later Alexandria produced coins depicting Heraclius the Elder and his namesake son wearing consular robes.

[30] John of Antioch and the Patriarch Nikephoros both report that Heraclius the Elder maintained correspondence with Priscus, the Count of the Excubitors and former commander of the army.

Having secured control of Egypt, they proceeded to invade Syria and Cyprus while a large fleet under Heraclius the Younger set sail for Constantinople.

The Byzantine historians covering his career were arguably attempting to magnify their importance to give Heraclius the Younger an exalted ancestry.