After a succesful military career, Tiberios II made Maurice his heir. His domestic policy aimed at decentralising Justinian's reforms. Meanwhile, he appointed capable generals for his foreign wars, such as with Persia. The situation in the west detoriated, which resulted in discontent among the soldiers at the Danube. One of their officers, Phocas, led a rebellion that overthrew Maurice, whom was executed alongside his male offspring.

Theophylact Simoncatta records that Maurice remitted one third of taxws and gave thirty talents to the city for the renovation of the aqueducts, which must have been a huge investment (Crow et al., 2008, p. 19).