Table of Contents

Introduction
1: Khusro's War of Revenge
2: The Heraclian Revolution
3: The Persian Break-Through
4: Khusro's Fateful Decision
5: The Middle East in the 620s
6: Opening of the Battle for Survival
7: Heraclius' First Counteroffensive
8: Climax of the War
9: Heraclius' Second Counteroffensive
10: The Difficult Road to Peace
11: Conclusion
Afterword
Appendix I. Dramatis Personae
Appendix II. Scene
Appendix III. Sources

About the Author

James Howard-Johnston is Emeritus Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was previously a Junior Research Lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford between 1966 and 1971, Junior Fellow at Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C. from 1968-9, and University Lecturer in Byzantine Studies at the University of Oxford and Fellow of Corpus Christi College from 1971 until 2009. He has also served as both an Oxford City Councillor and an Oxfordshire County Councillor and is married
to the novelist Angela Huth.

Reviews

The Last Great War...offers a much-needed and indispensable introduction into a period that is, due to the complexity and pace of geopolitical changes, and the scattered nature of the evidence, notoriously difficult to grasp.
*Nadine Viermann, Durham University , Early Medieval Europe*

Howard-Johnston provides a useful education in disciplined and meticulous historiography. He also explores larger themes, such as imperial motivations, grand strategy, foreign relations, military geography, and religion. This accessible volume reveals a relatively unknown topic and fills a significant gap in the history of warfare.
*J. D. Lyons, CHOICE*

James Howard-Johnston succeeds in providing a gripping and detailed account of the Persian-Roman War.
*Usman Butt, Middle East Monitor*

His (James Howard-Johnston) narrative is lively, his knowledge of the sources is unmatched, his interpretations masterful, and he exposes the inner workings of the book regularly in philosophical comments on the job of the military historian, causation in history, and the problems of source interpretation.
*Stephen Morillo, Shepherd*

Howard-Johnston's book is a masterpiece of positivist historiography.
*Federico Montinaro, Plekos 25*