The Byzantine province of Africa, carved out of former Vandal territory in North Africa, proved the most durable of Justinian's sixth-century reconquests; the Vandal treasury seized there helped finance his broader campaigns, though Moorish incursions during the plague years diverted resources from other fronts. Its relative stability made it the sole province with a functioning army during the chaos of Phocas's reign, providing the base from which governor Heraclius the Elder launched his successful overthrow of that emperor. The province's security ultimately proved temporary, as Muslim forces swept through Egypt and into Africa late in the seventh century.
What each episode says
Episode 9 (2 mentions)
Mentioned as the theater of an earlier reconquest (discussed in a previous episode), and again as the source of new trouble in this episode: while the plague weakened the empire, the less-affected Moors invaded, diverting resources from Italy. Brownworth also notes Justinian's capture of the Vandal treasury here helped finance the overall reconquest.
Episode 10 (4 mentions)
Described as by far the most stable of Justinian's reconquests, and virtually the only area of the empire that had an army and wasn't fighting for its life under Phocas. The governor Heraclius the Elder used his province as the base from which to launch the overthrow of Phocas. At the end of Heraclius' reign, Muslims swarmed over a defenseless Egypt and continued into Africa.
“Of Justinian's reconquests, Africa was by far the most stable, Spain was virtually ignored,”
“Heraclius decided to abandon the capital and move it to his native Carthage in Africa.”
“the Islamic tide, forcing them to take the long way through Africa, overextending their”
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