Editing 613 (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* Emperor [[Heraclius]] marries his niece [[Martina (empress)|Martina]]; she becomes empress (''[[Augusta (honorific)|Augusta]]'') of the [[Byzantine Empire]]. This second [[marriage]] is considered to fall within the [[prohibited degree of kinship]], and is approved by the [[Catholic Church]] in [[Constantinople]].
* [[January 22]] &ndash; [[Constantine III (Byzantine emperor)|Constantine]] is crowned co-emperor (''[[Caesar (title)|Caesar]]'') by his father Heraclius and shortly after betrothed to his cousin, [[Gregoria]], daughter of [[Nicetas (cousin of Heraclius)|Nicetas]]. Only 8 months old, Constantine has no real power and his dynastic title is purely [[Ceremony|ceremonial]].
* [[Byzantine–Sasanian War of 602–628#Persian dominance|Byzantine–Persian War]]: Heraclius appoints himself [[commander-in-chief]], along with his brother [[Theodore (brother of Heraclius)|Theodore]] (''[[curopalates]]''), to solidify command of the army.<ref>[[Walter Kaegi|Walter Emil Kaegi]] (2003), ''Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium'', Cambridge University Press, p. 75. {{ISBN|0-521-81459-6}}</ref>
* [[Battle of Antioch (613)|Battle of Antioch]]: Heraclius [[Mobilization|mobilises]] a Byzantine expeditionary force to [[Antioch]] ([[Syria]]), but is completely defeated outside the city by the Persians. [[Shahin Vahmanzadegan]] makes further inroads into Central and [[Chalcedon|Western Anatolia]].{{sfn|Foss|1975}} In Syria, [[Shahrbaraz]] captures the cities of [[Damascus]], [[Apamea, Syria|Apamea]] and [[Homs|Emesa]].