From Damascus the Saracen army advanced northward, guided by the snow-clad peaks of Libanus and the beautiful river Orontes.

It captured on its way Baalbec, the capital of the Syrian valley, and Emesa, the chief city of the eastern plain.

To resist its further progress, Heraclius collected an army of one hundred and forty thousand men.

A battle took place at Yermuck; the right wing of the Saracens was broken, but the soldiers were driven back to the field by the fanatic expostulations of their women.

The conflict ended in the complete overthrow of the Roman army.