Editing Heraclonas (section)

==Early life and family==
Heraclonas was born in 626, in the suburban [[Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs|Palace of Sophianae]]. He was the son of Emperor [[Heraclius]], and his niece-wife [[Martina (empress)|Martina]],{{sfn|Kaegi|2003|p=324}}{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=307}}{{sfn|PmbZ|loc=[https://www.degruyter.com/view/PMBZ/PMBZ13681 Heraclonas (#2565/corr.)]}} and was born while Heraclius [[Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628#Byzantine assault on Persia|campaigned in the east against the Persians]].{{Sfn|Jones|Martindale|Morris|1992|p=588}}

Under Heraclius, the [[Byzantine Empire]] was invaded in 639 by the Arabs, due to the failure of the [[Mesopotamia (theme)|Theme of Mesopotamia]] to pay tribute. The cities of [[Edessa]] and [[Dara (Mesopotamia)|Dara]] were quickly captured. In the same year, another group of Arabs, led by [['Amr ibn al-'As]], invaded [[Egypt (Roman province)|Byzantine Egypt]]. He quickly occupied the coastal towns of Egypt, but was unable to cross the Nile, due to stiff resistance by Byzantine forces led by John (Prefect of Egypt). After a bloody battle between John and 'Amr, in which John perished, 'Amr was forced to appeal to the Rashidun Caliph [[Umar]] for more troops. John was replaced by another general, Theodore, who gathered his forces around [[Babylon Fortress]], a major fortress in Egypt. By summer 640, 'Amr's forces had swelled to around 15,000 men.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=305}} With these men, 'Amr decisively defeated Theodore north of Babylon, before laying siege to the fortress itself.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=306}}