Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης First quarter of the 11th century. Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου Last quarter of the 9th century

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1 Περίληψη : Phokas family originated from Cappadocia and was one of the most powerful aristocratic families of Asia Minor in the 9th and 10th century. For five generations they held the highest military positions. The peak of their power was in the period , during the reign of Nikephoros II Phokas. After he was murdered and until the first quarter of the 11th century, members of the family actively participated in, or organized, rebellions and conspiracies. Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης First quarter of the 11th century Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου Last quarter of the 9th century Κύρια Ιδιότητα Military officials 1. Generally about the origin of Phokas family Phokas family was one of the most powerful families of Asia Minor s aristocracy. They appear in the historical sources for the first time in the second half of the 9th century. For five generations they held the highest military and administrative ranks, while one of their members rose to the imperial throne. Most important of the many families with which they became related were the Maleinos and the Skleros families. According to the legendary genealogy of the family, recorded (and possibly created) by Michael Attaleiates, historian of the 11th century, Phokas family descended from the Phabii, an old Roman aristocratic family. 1 Their real origins, though, must be sought in Cappadocia, with which Phokas family was closely related both economically (because of their estates) and politicaly. 2 Through the history of the Phokas lineage one can observe the process of the appearance of the great land owners and its consequences on the internal politics. 2. The rise of the family The emergence and rise of Phokas family are dated back in the times of the Macedonian dynasty, as the first representatives of the family are mentioned in the sources during the times of Basil I. The first known Phokas was a common soldier, of humble origin, who was appointed tourmarches in 872, probably in the theme of Cappadocia. 3 His son, Nikephoros Phokas (mentioned as the Old by modern researchers), had a long and successful career, thanks to which he reached the highest military positions, those of the general (strategos) and the domestic of the schools. Evidently, Nikephoros position in the military hierarchy gave his posterity the ability to rise to the highest classes of Byzantine society. Thus, his son Leo Phokas is first mentioned in the sources as a domestic of the schools already in 917, which means that his career must have started much earlier, while in the same period his other son, Bardas, was a general Phokas family under Romanos I Lekapenos disfavor In the first half of the 10th century, the rise of Phokas family was significantly slowed down. During the reign of Romanos I Lekapenos, the representatives of the third generation of Phokas family, the above mentioned Leo and Bardas, fell out of the emperor s favor. During the regency of empress Zoe ( ), mother of under aged Constantine VII Porphyrogennitos ( ), magistros and domestic of the schools Leo Phokas was one of the most distinguished personalities of the state and he was appointed with the Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 1/16

2 supreme command in the war against Symeon s Bulgarians. But the defeats of the byzantine army in 917, first in the battle of Anchialos and subsequently in the Katasirtes of Thrace, weakened both Leo Phokas and empress Zoe s position. The military defeats accelerated Zoe s fall and gave the opportunity to admiral (droungarios tou ploimou) Romanos Lekapenos to take the throne. As Leo Phokas was favoured by the empress (who considered marrying him), 5 he was bound to come across Romanos and his supporters, who appeared as defenders of Constantine VII s legal rights. In 919, Leo Phokas attempted to seize authority, but was defeated by Lekapenos and paid for his political ambition with the loss of his sight. After that, his traces are lost in the historical sources. The political change of also affected the career of Leo s brother, Bardas Phokas, a personality who attributed greatly to the strengthening of the Phokas family. In the beginning he was not given high positions and honorific titles, but that was just a temporary phase of his career and by the end of Romanos I s governing Bardas appears in the sources as a patrician with high position in the military. 4. The policy of establishing family relations By the late 9th century or the beginnings of the 10th, the Phokas family had established relations by intermarriage with the Maleinos family, when Bardas Phokas married the daughter of Eudokios Maleinos, descendant of a family from Charsianon, older and wealthier than the Phokas family. Offspring to this marriage were Nikephoros, who would later become emperor, Leo and Constantine Phokas. The family relation between the Phokas and the Maleinos families had versatile consequences. First of all, both families were financially strong. Secondly, this relation is also evident in the politics. Since that time, The Maleinoi loyally followed and supported the political aspirations of their relatives from Phokas family, in such an extent that the rise and fall of the two families were interrelated. The Phokas and the Maleinos families became the core of the lineage that was developed around them with the addition of other, less eminent families. Among those, the Parsakoutenos family stands out, as its representatives participated for a period of time in the rebellions of the subsequent members of the Phokas family. Other than that, the Phokas family also established relations by intermarriage with the Skleros family, one of the most powerful families of Asia Minor, with which they had a conflict in the last decades of the 10th century, over the seizure of authority. They were also related by marriage to the Kourkouas family, through Bardas Phokas daughter, mother of the subsequently emperor John Tzimiskes. 5. The golden era of Phokas family Romanos I s fall in 944 was the beginning of Constantine VII s reign ( ). This political change was followed by a golden era for the Phokas family, which had played an important role in the reinstatement of the legitimate representative of the Macedonian dynasty to the throne. During Constantine VII and his son Romanos II s reign ( ), the Phokas family held, as if by right of succession, the highest military positions and they commanded the entirety of the Byzantine armed forces, mainly in the war against the Arabs on the eastern front. Since the beginning of 945 and until 955, Bardas Phokas held the position of the domestic of the schools, while his first-born son, Nikephoros, was general of Anatolikon. Leo Phokas was appointed general of Cappadocia and Constantine Phokas general of Seleukeia. When in 955 Bardas Phokas retired from the position of the domestic of the schools (because of old age and his defeats by the Arabs), the Phokas family did not lose its influence: Nikephoros became domestic of the schools, while his brother Leo was promoted to general of Anatolikon (their younger brother, Constantine, had been captured by the Arabs two years earlier and died in prison). Nikephoros and Leo continued to command the armed forces during Romanos II s reign. As domestic of the schools, Nikephoros reconquered Crete, which was under Arabian occupation, in , and in the following year he conquered Aleppo in Syria. Leo Phokas, domestic of the schools of the West, was distinguished in the wars against the Hungarians in the Balkans, while later (960) he repelled a major Arabian invasion in Andrasus. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 2/16

3 6. The peak of Phokas family s power The high position of Phokas family in the military and social hierarchy during the previous decades gave a distinguished member of the family the opportunity to seize authority in 963. After Romanos II s death, magistros Nikephoros Phokas was pronounced emperor by his troops, under the pretext of protecting the rights of the under-aged emperors Basil and Constantine. Nikephoros Phokas aspirations were supported by the members of his family, as well as by other relatives, his nephew John Tzimiskes being one of them. The usurper also had the support of the empress Theophano, Romanos II s widow, and of the patriarch of Constantinople, Polyeuktos. In the August of 963, Nikephoros Phokas was enthroned, married Theophano and assumed authority as protector of the under-aged successors to the throne. During Nikephoros Phokas reign, the Phokas family rose rapidly to the top of the hierarchy of the court: the emperor s father, Bardas, was awarded the title of caesar, while his brother, Leo Phokas was given the title of kuropalates and the high position of logothetes tou dromou. Also, Leo s sons and other relatives of the Phokas family held important administrative and military positions in the provinces of the state. Nikephoros II s reign was the summit of the sovereignty of Phokas family. Nikephoros II s murder (969, was the beginning of a new era for the family. Since then and until the end, the representatives of Phokas family, not wanting to compromise with their loss of authority, appear more and more often as rebels and conspirators. 7. The Phokas family as rebels 7.1. During John I Tzimiskes reign The attempt of Phokas family to recover the throne brought its members into a conflict with the subsequent emperors, beginning with John I Tzimiskes, Nikephoros II s murderer. As soon as he resumed authority, Tzimiskes attempted to politically isolate the Phokas family, by sending its most important members in exile, an act that caused Bardas Phokas, son of Leo and nephew of the previous emperor, to rebel in the autumn of 970. As a result of the failure of the rebellion, which had been supported by his father and his older brother Nikephoros, Bardas was exiled, curopalates Leo and Nikephoros were blinded, and their property was confiscated. Even though, the family s power was not significantly affected, as the subsequent events show During Basil II s reign The times of Basil II ( ) are generally characterized by numerous conflicts between representatives of the powerful aristocracy of Asia Minor. 6 As soon as he resumed authority, the emperor had to encounter the rebellion of Bardas Skleros, a former associate of Tzimiskes and relative by marriage of the Phokas family (his brother had married Sophia, rebel Bardas Phokas sister). In order to repress the rebellion, in 978 Basil brought Bardas Phokas back from his exile and appointed him domestic of the schools of the East. Even though Phokas finally achieved to repress the rebellion, the emperor was trying to keep him away from the highest military positions. Unable to accept such a policy, the last powerful representative of the Phokas family became a rebel himself. In the August of 978, he was proclaimed emperor in Cappadocia, in the house of his relative Eustathios Maleinos. Many representatives of the old and powerful families of Asia Minor, such as the Maleinos family, the Melissenos family and others, were present in this proclamation. This rebellion, which was rather dangerous for Basil II, ended in the April of 989, when Bardas Phokas lost his life (under unusual circumstances) in Abydus, fighting against the imperial armed forces. Despite the repression of their movement, the power of Phokas family remained significant even after 989, as it is evident by the fact that Basil II imposed harsh measures against the remaining members of the family, while he was keeping them away from public positions. When the emperor consolidated his authority, he began to apply even more strict policy to the powerful families of Asia Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 3/16

4 Minor, attempting to limit their financial power. Accordingly, the Phokas and the Maleinos families are specifically mentioned in Basil II s Novel (dated back to 996), through which the emperor declares against dynatoi, who had become wealthy by plundering lands from the farmers. 7 The publication of the novel was followed by an almost complete confiscation of Phokas family s lands. This way, without wealth, titles and positions (that would really give them authority), the social status of the Phokas family was lost. A representative of the Phokas family did not compromise with that situation: Nikephoros Phokas, magistros Bardas Phokas son, rebelled in 1022 against Basil II, assisted by Nikephoros Xiphias, former general of the emperor. But Nikephoros fell victim of Xiphias ambitions and was murdered. His death marked the end of the conflicts between emperor Basil II and Phokas family. 8. The last mention of Phokas family Phokas family s last attempt to end their political isolation was made in the times of Constantine VIII s reign ( ), when Bardas, usurper Bardas Phokas grandson, was accused of conspiracy. After his blinding, there is no more information on the activity of Phokas family in the historical sources. It is assumed that the family ceased to exist during the first half of the 11th century, in any case before Its glory, though, was preserved in the memory of their subsequent, as it is evident by the words of Michael Attaleiates, who wrote that emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates was related to the Phokas family whose glory spreads all over the land and the sea It is considered possible that Michael Attaleiates, in his attempt to promote as much as he could the prestige of emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates, who he admired, created the genealogy, according to which Nikephoros III descended from the renowned Phokas family, who in turn descended from the Phabii. See Bekker, I. (ed.), Michaelis Attaliotae Historia (CSHB, Bonn 1853), pp , 229. There are many speculations about the origin of Phokas family: esp. Djurić, I., Porodica Foka, Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta 17 (1976), pp Grégoire, H., La carrière du premier Nicéphore Phocas, in Προσφορά εις Σίλπωνα Π. Κυριακίδην (Ελληνικά, Παράρτημα 4, Αθήνα 1953), p. 250; Djurić, I., Porodica Foka, Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta 17 (1976), pp Cheynet, J.-C., Les Phocas, in Dagron, G. Mihăescu, H. (ed.), Le traité sur la guérilla (De velitatione) de l empereur Nicéphore Phocas ( ) (Paris 1986), p. 290, considers possible that the origin of Phokas family may have been partially Georgian, which would explain why the name Bardas appears so often in their family. 3. Cheynet, J.-C., Les Phocas, in Dagron, G. Mihăescu, H. (ed.), Le traité sur la guérilla (De velitatione) de l empereur Nicéphore Phocas ( ) (Paris 1986), p. 291, considers possible that certain stamps may be attributed to the first Phokas, indicating that he rose to the rank of protospatharios, and besides being a tourmarches, he also had other responsibilities. 4. Leo Phokas was presumably appointed domestic of the schools after 913, namely after the murder of domestikos Constantine Doukas, whose rebellion had been fomented by patriarch Nikolaos Mystikos. See Polemis, D., The Doukai. A Contribution to Byzantine Prosopography (London 1968), pp See Djurić, I., Porodica Foka, Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta 17 (1976), p For details on the conflicts between Basil II and representatives of the Byzantine aristocracy, see Cheynet, J.-C., Pouvoir et contestations à Byzance (Byzantina Sorbonensia 9, Paris 1990), pp Svoronos, N., Remarques sur la tradition du texte de la novelle de Basile II concernant les puissants, Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta 8:2 (1964), pp , assumes that the records concerning the Maleinos and the Phokas families in Basil II s Novel were added after 1001, Svoronos, N., Les novelles des empereurs macédoniens concernant la terre et les stratiotes (Athènes 1994), pp , 303a. 8. It is known that Romanos III Argyros, after a failed expedition in the East, took refuge in Phokas house in Cappadocia, thus it is assumed that it was Bardas Phokas, who had been blinded by Constantine VIII in Subsequently, certain persons with the last name Phokas are mentioned, but there is no evidence that they are members of the particular aristoctaric family. See Djurić, I., Porodica Foka, Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta 17 (1976), pp Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 4/16

5 9. Bekker, I. (ed.), Michaelis Attaliotae Historia (CSHB, Bonn 1853), p. 217: «Ἡ μὲ ν οὖ ν τοῦ γένους αὐ τοῦ ἀνωτάτω καὶ πρώτη σειρὰ ἐ κ τῶν Φωκάδων ἐ κείνων ὥρμηται, Φωκάδων ὧν κλέος εὐ ρὺ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆ ν τε καὶ θάλασσαν». Βιβλιογραφία : Ιωάννης Σκυλίτζης, Σύνοψις Ιστοριών, Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Skylitzae Synopsis Historiarum, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973 Μιχαήλ Ατταλειάτης, Ιστορία, Bekker, I. (ed.), Michaelis Attaliotae Historia, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1853 Λέων Διάκονος, Ιστορία, Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem et liber de velitatione bellica Nicephori Augusti, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Βοnn 1828 Συμεών Μάγιστρος, Χρονικόν, Wahlgren, S. (ed.), Symeonis Magistri et Logothetae Chronicon, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 44:1, Berlin New York 2006 Βλυσίδου Β., Λουγγής Τ., Λαμπάκης Σ., Σαββίδης Α., Κουντούρα-Γαλάκη Ε., Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Έρευνες πάνω στη γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Mικράς Aσίας (7ος-11ος αι.), Αθήνα 1998, Eρευνητική Bιβλιοθήκη 1 Cheynet J.-C., Pouvoir et contestations à Byzance ( ), Paris 1990, Byzantina Sorbonensia 9 Συνεχισταί Θεοφάνους, Χρονογραφία συγγραφείσα εκ προστάγματος Κωνσταντίνου του φιλοχρίστου και πορφυρογεννήτου δεσπότου, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838 Συνεχιστής Γεωργίου Μοναχού, Βίοι των νέων βασιλέων, Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn 1838 Krsmanović B., Uspon vojnog plemstva u Vizantiji XI veka, Beograd 2001 Schlumberger G., Un empereur byzantin au Xe siècle: Nicéphore Phocas, Paris 1925 Djurić I., "Porodica Foka", Zbornik Radova Vizantoloskog Instituta, 17, 1976, Grégoire H., "La carrière du premier Nicéphore Phocas", Προσφορά εις Σίλπωνα Π. Κυριακίδην, Αθήνα 1953, Ελληνικά, Παράρτημα 4, Petit L., "Office inédit en l' honneur de Nicéphore Phocas", Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 13, 1904, Morris R., "The Two Faces of Nikephoros Phokas", Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 12, 1988, Kazhdan A., "Nikephoros II Phocas", Kazhdan, A. (ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, 3, New York Oxford 1991, Svoronos J.N., Les Novelles des empereurs Macédoniens concernant la terre et les stratiotes, Athènes 1994 Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 5/16

6 Μπουρδάρα Κ., Καθοσίωσις και Τυραννίς κατά τους Μέσους Βυζαντινούς χρόνους Ι: Μακεδονική δυναστεία , Αθήνα 1981 Schlumberger G., L'épopée byzantine à la fin du Xe siècle 2. Basile II, le Tueur de Bulgares, Paris 1900 Cheynet J.-C., "Les Phocas", Dagron, G. Mihăescu, H. (eds), Le traité sur la guérilla (De velitatione) de l empereur Nicéphore Phocas ( ), Paris 1986, Schlumberger G., L épopée byzantine à la fin du dixième siècle, 1, Paris 1900 Kazhdan A., "Phokas", Kazhdan, A. (ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 3, New York - Oxford 1991, Δικτυογραφία : Liutprand of Cremona: Report of his Mission to Constantinople Nikephorus II. Phokas Η εκστρατεία του Λέοντος Φωκά στη Βουλγαρία (917) Μιχαήλ Ψελλός, Χρονογραφία, Βιβλίο Πρώτο Νομίσματα Νικηφόρου Β Φωκά Γλωσσάριo : caesar In the Roman Empire the title of Caesar was given to the Emperor. From the reign of Diocletian ( ) on this title was conferred on the young coemperor. This was also the highest title on the hierarchy of the Byzantine court. In the 8th c. the title of Caesar was usually given to the successor of the throne. In the late 11th c. this office was downgraded and from the 14th c. on it was mainly conferred on foreign princes. domestikos ton scholon Commander of the regiment of scholae. The first officer with this title appears in 767/8. In the 10th C the domesticos became very powerful among the army of the themata; in mid-10th C the office was divided in two, domestikoi ton scholon of the East and those of the West, commanders in chief of the eastern and the western provinces army respectively. droungarios tou ploimou ("droungarios of the fleet") Commander of the byzantine fleet stationed Constantinople. Droungarios tou ploimou is first mentioned in the midle 9th C (Taktikon of Uspenski). kouropalates A high-ranking dignity, which from Justinian I was conferred on members of the imperial family and on foreign princes. During the 11th c. it was conferred on several generals, not belonging to the imperial family. logothetes tou dromou Administrative Byzantine title. Initially official in charge of the public post. From the 7th C he acquired a new role and his responsibilities included ceremonial duties, protection of emperor, general supervision of diplomatic relations and collection of political information. magistros Higher office that Philotheos in his Kletorologion places above the anthypatos. This title lost its importance from the 10th century and gradually disappeared - most probably in the middle of the 12th century. novel (novella) Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 6/16

7 Τerm meaning ad verbum "new decree" and used since around the 4th century in order to denote the provisions of the emperors as separate from the organized codes. They were written mainly in Greek and used extensively in the Middle Byzantine Era. Since the days of Komnenoi and after, they were replaced by other more specialized terms and they are very rare in the Late Byzantine era patrikios (from lat. patricius) Higher title of honour, placed, according to the "Tactika" of the 9th and the 10th centuries, between anthypatos and protospatharios. It was given to the most important governors and generals. Gradually, however, it fell into disuse and from the 12th century did not exist any more. strategos ("general") During the Roman period his duties were mainly political. Οffice of the Byzantine state s provincial administration. At first the title was given to the military and political administrator of the themes, namely of the big geographic and administrative unities of the Byzantine empire. Gradually the title lost its power and, already in the 11th century, strategoi were turned to simple commanders of military units, responsible for the defence of a region. tourmarch Civilian and military commander of a tourma, subdivision of a theme. Πηγές Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), , , , ˉ12, Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem (Bonn 1828), , , , Svoronos, N. (ed.), Les novelles des empereurs Macédoniens (Athènes 1994), Bekker, I. (ed.), Michaelis Attaliotae Historia (CSHB, Bonn 1853), Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), , , , , , , , , Παραθέματα Mention of the Phokas family in a legislation text from the late 10th century: Εἰ μὴ γὰρ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν, πάροδον δώσομεν τῷ πλεονέκτῃ τοῦ λέγειν ὅτι, ἐπεὶ ἐγὼ σήμερον εὐημερῶ καὶ οὐ δύναται κατ ἐμοῦ ὁ πένης κινῆσαι, ἐὰν εὐημερήσῃ καὶ ὁ υἱός μου καὶ διὰ τῆς εὐημερίας ἡμῶν διαβῇ τεσσαρακονταετία, ἢ ἐγὼ χρονίσω εὐημερῶν, ἔχομεν ἀναφαίρετα τὰ ἐπικτηθέντα καὶ συμφέροι μοι πλεονεκτεῖν. Τοῦτο δὲ φανερόν ἐστι καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς τῶν Μαλεΐνων καὶ πάλιν τῶν Φωκάδων ὁ μὲν γὰρ πατρίκιος Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ Μαλεΐνος καὶ ὁ μάγιστρος Εὐστάθιος, ὁ τούτου υἱός, μέχρι τῶν ἑκατὸν χρόνων ἢ καὶ τῶν ρκ τὴν εὐημερίαν ἔσχον συμπαρεκτεινομένην αὐτοῖς, οἱ δὲ Φωκάδες πολὺ τούτων ἐπέκεινα ὅ τε γὰρ πρόπαππος αὐτῶν καὶ πάλιν ὁ πάππος, εἶτα καὶ ὁ πατήρ, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ τούτου υἱοί, ἀδιάδοχον σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν ἕως ἡμῶν εἶχον τὴν δυναστείαν καὶ πῶς οἱ τοιοῦτοι βοηθοῦντα τὸν χρόνον ἕξουσι; Svoronos, N. (ed.), Les novelles des empereurs Macédoniens (Athènes 1994), Byzantine historian of the 11th century refers to the mythological descent of the Phokas family: Ἀλλ ὁ μὲν περὶ τοῦ κράτους αὐτοῦ λόγος ἀναμεινάτω μικρόν ἐπεὶ δὲ περὶ τῆς τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ μεγαλειότητος ἐπεμνήσθημεν, βραχύ τι περὶ τούτου διαλεξώμεθα, ἵνα γνῶσι πάντες οἵων αὐτῷ τῶν προγόνων ὄντων εἰς περιφάνειαν ἀνδραγαθίας καὶ δόξης ὅσον οὗτος ὑπερηκόντισε, ὡς μήτε τοῦτον ἄξιον εἶναι προγόνους ἑτέρους ἔχειν ἢ ἐκείνους μόνους, μήτ ἐκείνους ἀπόγονον ἕτερον ἢ τὸν νῦν εὐφημούμενον. ὅπερ δὴ καλῶς ποιοῦν καὶ συνέδραμεν. Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ γένους αὐτοῦ ἀνωτάτω καὶ πρώτη σειρὰ ἐκ τῶν Φωκάδων ἐκείνων ὥρμηται, Φωκάδων ὧν κλέος εὐρὺ κατὰ πᾶσαν γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν. οὗτοι γὰρ ὑπερφυῶς τῶν ἄλλων τὸ κράτος ἐν βασιλείοις ἐκέκτηντο, στρατηγίαις τε καὶ δημαγωγίαις καὶ ἀνδρείῳ βραχίονι καὶ γένους ἐπισημότητι πάντας ἐπιεικῶς ὑπεραίροντες ἐνενήκοντα γὰρ καὶ δύο γενεὰς εὐημεροῦντες κατὰ τὸ συνεχὲς κατὰ πάντων εἶχον τὰ νικητήρια, μηδενὸς ἀνθαμιλληθῆναι δυναμένου καὶ συγκριθῆναι τῷ γένει τῶν Φωκάδων ὑπὲρ ἀνδρίας ἢ ἀνδραγαθίας τινὸς ἢ ὑπατείας μεγίστης Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 7/16

8 καὶ στρατηγίας ἐπιφανοῦς. εἰ δέ τις ἀναδράμοι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐνενήκοντα καὶ δύο γενεῶν ἀρχὴν καὶ ἀκρότητα (μέχρι γὰρ τοῦ τῆς ἀοιδίμου λήξεως βασιλέως κυρίου Νικηφόρου τοῦ Φωκᾶ τὸ ποσὸν τῶν τοιούτων συνεψηφίζετο γενεῶν), εὑρήσει κατηγμένους αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ τρισμάκαρος καὶ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου, τοῦ πάντων βασιλέων ὑπέρτερον ἐσχηκότος κράτος ἐν ὑπεροχαῖς ἀγωνισμάτων πολεμικῶν καὶ τοῦ ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ζήλου, ὡς καὶ ἰσαπόστολον λογισθῆναι καὶ τῆς Χριστιανῶν ἀμωμήτου πίστεως κρηπῖδα τελεσθῆναι καὶ πρόβολον. οὗτος γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς πρεσβυτέρας Ρώμης μεταθεὶς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰς τὸ Βυζάντιον, ἀφ ὅτου τὸν Μαξέντιον περὶ τὰς κάτω Γαλλίας κατετροπώσατο, τῇ ἐπιδείξει τοῦ σταυρικοῦ σημείου τὴν νίκην ἄνωθεν μνηστευθείς, τοὺς ἀξιολόγους τῶν εὐπατριδῶν καὶ τιμίων ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ νέᾳ Ρώμῃ μεθ ἑαυτοῦ παραλαβὼν μετῴκισέ τε καὶ συμπολίτας ἑαυτοῦ ἀπειργάσατο, λαμπρὰς οἰκίας τούτοις ἐπιδειμάμενος κατὰ τὴν ἐμφέρειαν τῶν ἐν τῇ παλαιᾷ Ρώμῃ πολυτελῶς κατεσκευασμένων οἴκων, ἐκ τούτων οὖν, ὡς ὁ λόγος αἱρεῖ καὶ ἡ τοῦ γένους ἀναφορὰ περιάγει, οἱ Φωκάδες οὗτοι καταγόμενοι τήν τε περιφάνειαν ἄνωθεν ἔσχον καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνδρίας ἀλκιμώτατον καὶ ἀνύποιστον, ἐκ τῶν ὀνομαστῶν ἐκείνων Φαβίων, ὥς που διὰ βίβλου τινὸς παλαιᾶς ἐχειραγωγήθην ποτέ, τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ γένους ἐφέλκοντες. Bekker, I. (ed.), Michaelis Attaliotae Historia (CSHB, Bonn 1853), Theophanes Continuatus describe the activity of Nikephoros Phokas the Old in Italy: Οὕτω τοίνυν τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν πάλιν κρατυνομένων ἐχθρῶν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς παρούσης εὐτυχίας καὶ κατὰ τῶν προσεχεστέρων ἐκστρατεῦσαι προσδοκωμένων, ἀποστέλλεται Στέφανος ὁ καὶ Μαξέντιος προσαγορευόμενος, ὃς ἐκ Καππαδοκῶν, στρατηγὸς τῶν ἐν Λαγοβαρδίᾳ δυνάμεων μετὰ Θρᾳκῶν καὶ Μακεδόνων καὶ ἐπιλέκτων Χαρσιανιτῶν καὶ Καππαδοκῶν. ὃς τὴν ἀποδειχθεῖσαν τῆς ἀρχῆς χώραν καταλαβών, καὶ τὴν πόλιν Ἀμαντίας ὑπὸ τῶν Σαρακηνῶν κατεχομένην ἀφελέσθαι πειραθεὶς ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ μέλλησιν καὶ ῥαθυμίαν, ὡς ἔοικε, μᾶλλον δε ἀνανδρίαν τε καὶ τρυφήν, μηδὲν ἄξιον λόγου καὶ τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν δυνάμεως καταπράξασθαι δυνηθείς, παραλύεται τῆς ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἀντ αὐτοῦ ἀποστέλλεται Νικηφόρος ὁ κατὰ τὸν Φωκᾶν προσαγορευόμενος, ἀνὴρ ἐπιμελής τε καὶ ἄγρυπνος καὶ κατὰ χεῖρά τε καὶ βουλὴν γενναῖός τε καὶ συνετός, προσεπαγαγὼν καὶ πλείονα δύναμιν ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν ἀρχόντων καὶ τὸν Διακονίτζην ἐκεῖνον, ὃς ὑπηρέτης ποτὲ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν Τεφρικὴν Χρυσόχειρος ἦν, στῖφος τῶν ἀπὸ Μάνεντος τὴν θρησκείαν ἑλκόντων προσεπαγόμενον. ἑνωθεὶς οὖν ὁ Νικηφόρος ταῖς μετὰ Στεφάνου δυνάμεσι πολλὰ καὶ συνέσεως ἔργα καὶ πολεμικῆς ἀνδρίας καὶ γενναιότητος ἀπεδείξατο. τήν τε γὰρ πόλιν Ἀμαντίας εὐθὺς ἐχειρώσατο, τοὺς ἀντιταξαμένους ἐχθροὺς φόνῳ πολλῷ τρεψάμενος, καὶ τὸ κάστρον ὃ Τρόπας κατωνομάζετο καὶ τὸ τῆς ἁγίας Σευερίνης πρὸς τὴν προτέραν δεσποτείαν τῆς Ρωμαϊκῆς ἀρχῆς μετηγάγετο, καὶ μάχαις ἄλλαις καὶ παρατάξεσι τοὺς ἐκ τῆς Ἄγαρ νενίκηκε, καὶ τοῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν λαφύροις τὸν ὑπ αὐτὸν στρατὸν ἱκανῆς ὠφελείας ἐνέπλησε. καὶ ταῦτα μέν, ἕως ὁ ἐν βασιλεῦσιν ἀοίδιμος ἔζη Βασίλειος, ὁ ἀνὴρ κατεπράξατο τὰ δὲ λείποντα προσέθηκεν ὕστερον ἐπὶ τοῦ πραοτάτου καὶ σοφωτάτου βασιλέως ἁπάντων Λέοντος τοῦ ἐκείνου υἱοῦ. Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), Theophanes Continuatus describe the activity of Nikephoros Phokas the Old in Bulgaria: ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς διά τε γῆς καὶ θαλάττης διέγνω τοὺς Βουλγάρους πολεμεῖν. καὶ διὰ μὲν θαλάττης Εὐστάθιον δρουγγάριον ἀποστέλλει, διὰ γῆς δὲ πατρίκιον Νικηφόρον τὸν Φωκᾶν, δομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν Ἀνδρέου γενόμενον. ὧν μέχρι Βουλγαρίας καταλαβόντων, ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν κυαίστωρα Κωνσταντινάκιν πρὸς Συμεὼν ἐξαπέστειλεν, ἔτι τὴν εἰρήνην στέργων καὶ βουλόμενος σπείσασθαι πρὸς αὐτόν ὃν Συμεὼν κατασχὼν ἐν φρουρᾷ κατακλείει, δόλῳ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑποπτεύσας παραγενέσθαι. τοῦ Συμεὼν οὖν ἐπὶ τὸ στράτευμα Νικηφόρου ἀσχολουμένου, οἱ Τοῦρκοι καταδραμόντες πᾶσαν τὴν Βουλγαρικὴν ἐληΐσαντο γῆν. ὃ Συμεὼν ἐκμαθὼν κατὰ τῶν Τούρκων ἐτράπετο. οἱ δὲ ἀντιπεράσαντες πόλεμον πρὸς Βουλγάρους συμβάλλουσι καὶ νικῶσι τούτους κατὰ κράτος, ὡς μόλις τὸν Συμεὼν ἐν τῇ Δίστρᾳ περισωθῆναι. ᾐτήσαντο οὖν οἱ Τοῦρκοι τὸν βασιλέα τοὺς Βουλγάρων αἰχμαλώτους ὠνήσασθαι ὃ δὴ καὶ πεποίηκεν, τοὺς πολίτας ἐξαποστείλας εἰς τὴν τούτων ἐξώνησιν. ὁ δὲ Συμεὼν δι Εὐσταθίου δρουγγαρίου τὸν βασιλέα περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης ἱκέτευεν πρὸς ἣν ὑπεῖξεν ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ τὸν Χοιροσφάκτην Λέοντα πρὸς τὸ ταύτην ποιήσασθαι ἐξαπέστειλεν. ὁ δὲ δομέστικος Νικηφόρος καὶ ὁ δρουγγάριος Εὐστάθιος ὑποστρέψαι μετὰ λαοῦ ἐκελεύσθησαν. Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838) The close relation between the first members of the Phokas family and the Macedonian dynasty, as it is presented in the narration of the Continuatus: Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 8/16

9 Τοῦ δὲ δομεστίκου Νικηφόρου πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐξόχως ἀγαπωμένου, ὁ βασιλεοπάτωρ Ζαούτζας τοῦτον ὡς δυνάστην προεβάλλετο, γαμικὸν μετ αὐτοῦ ποιῆσαι συνάλλαγμα βουλόμενος. τοῦ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτο ἀπαναινομένου, μήποτε δῷ ὑπόνοιαν τῷ βασιλεῖ Λέοντι, μανεὶς ἐπὶ τούτῳ ὁ Ζαούτζας αἰτίας ἐκίνησε κατ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦτον μετέστησεν. προεβλήθη δὲ ἀντ αὐτοῦ δομέστικος τῶν σχολῶν ὁ μάγιστρος Κατακαλών. ἐπὶ πολὺ δὲ σχολάσας ὁ Νικηφόρος αὖθις στρατηγὸς ἐν τῷ τῶν Θρᾳκησίων θέματι προχειρίζεται. πολλὰς δὲ καὶ γενναίας ἀνδραγαθίας διὰ πάσης αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις καταπραξάμενος βιοτῆς καὶ πολλὰ κατὰ τῶν Ἀγαρηνῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν στησάμενος τρόπαια, τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον ἐν γήρᾳ καλῷ, υἱοὺς καταλιπὼν Βάρδαν καὶ Λέοντα, ὧν ὁ Βάρδας οἰκειότατος ὢν τῷ βασιλεῖ Λέοντι ἐστέργετό τε καὶ ἠγαπᾶτο καὶ δουλείαις ἐξυπηρετεῖτο ταῖς ἀνηκούσαις τῷ βασιλεῖ. Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), Historian John Skylitzes refers to the positions held by members of the Phokas family during Constantine VII s reign: ἠμείψατο δὲ καὶ τοὺς συνεργήσαντας αὐτῷ πρὸς τὴν τῶν αὐταδέλφων καθαίρεσιν ταῖσδε ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις, Βάρδαν μὲν τὸν Φωκᾶν μάγιστρον τιμήσας καὶ δομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν τῆς ἀνατολῆς, Νικηφόρον τε καὶ Λέοντα τοὺς τούτου υἱεῖς, τὸν μὲν τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν στρατηγόν, τὸν Νικηφόρον, τὸν δὲ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, τὸν Λέοντα, προσειρισάμενος, καὶ Κωνσταντῖνον θάτερον τῶν υἱῶν τῆς Σελευκείας. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), The activity of Phokas family in the wars during Constantine VII s reign: Ἤδη δέ, ὡς εἴπομεν, προχειρισθεὶς δομέστικος τῶν σχολῶν Βάρδας ὁ Φωκᾶς οὐδὲν ὅ τι καὶ λόγου ἄξιον ἀπειργάσατο. ὁπότε μὲν γὰρ ὑφ ἑτέρους ἐτάττετο, στρατηγὸς θαυμαστὸς ἀνεφαίνετο, ὁπηνίκα δὲ ἡ ἐξουσία τῶν στρατευμάτων ἁπάντων τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γνώμης ἐξήρτητο, ὀλίγα, ἢ οὐδὲν ὤνησε τὴν Ρωμαίων ἀρχήν. νοσήσας γὰρ τὴν πλεονεξίαν ἐξέστη τῶν ἑαυτοῦ λογισμῶν. ὅθεν καί ποτε τοῖς τοῦ Χαμβδᾶν ἀπροσδοκήτως περιπεσών, πάντων, ὥς φασι, καταλελοιπότων αὐτόν, μικροῦ δεῖν αἰχμάλωτος ἐγεγόνει, εἰ μὴ συνασπίσαντες οἱ θεράποντες τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας αὐτὸν ἐλυτρώσαντο. ἐτρώθη δὲ κατὰ τὸ μέτωπον γενναίῳ καὶ βαθεῖ τῷ τραύματι, ὡς καὶ μέχρι τελευτῆς ἁδρὰν τὴν οὐλὴν περιφέρειν. Νικηφόρος δὲ καὶ Λέων οἱ τούτου υἱοί, ἐφύπερθεν παντὸς ὄντες αἰσχροῦ λήμματος καὶ τοὺς ὑπηκόους ὡς γνησίους υἱοὺς περιέποντες, μεγάλα τὴν τῶν Ρωμαίων ἀρχὴν ὠφέλησαν. καὶ τὰ μὲν τοῦ Νικηφόρου προτερήματα, ἵνα μὴ τὸ τῆς ἱστορίας συνεχὲς διακόπτηται, ἐν τοῖς περὶ ἐκείνου λελέξεται. ὁ δὲ Λέων Ἀπολασαεὶρ, ἐπίσημον ἄνδρα καὶ τοῦ Χαμβδᾶν συγγενῆ, σὺν ἀπείρῳ πλήθει κατὰ Ρωμαίων ἐξελθόντα τρεψάμενος καὶ κατασχὼν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει ἀπέστειλε, τοῦ ἄλλου πλήθους τὸ μὲν ἐν τῇ τοῦ πολέμου προσβολῇ κατακτείνας, τὸ δὲ ζωγρήσας. ὃν ἀχθέντα πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνσταντῖνος θρίαμβον ποιήσας καὶ κατὰ τοῦ τραχήλου πατήσας τιμαῖς τε καὶ δωρεαῖς ἐφιλοφρονήσατο. Κωνσταντῖνον δὲ τὸν λοιπὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Φωκᾶ ζωγρίαν λαβὼν ὁ Χαμβδᾶν καὶ εἰς τὸ Χάλεπ ἀγαγών, καὶ πολλὰ σπουδάσας εἰς τὴν μυσαρὰν αὐτοῦ θρησκείαν τοῦτον μεταγαγεῖν, ὡς οὐκ ἔπεισε, φαρμάκοις αὐτὸν διέφθειρε. τῇ ἀκοῇ δὲ ταύτῃ περιαλγὴς γενόμενος ὁ Βάρδας πάντας, οὓς κατεῖχεν αἰχμαλώτους συγγενεῖς τοῦ Χαμβδᾶν ξίφει κατέκοψε. καὶ παρὰ τοῦτο ὁ τὸ ἀλλάγιον πεμφθεὶς ποιήσασθαι Παῦλος μάγιστρος ὁ Μονομάχος ἄπρακτος ὑπέστρεψεν. ἀσχέτῳ δὲ περιωδυνίᾳ διὰ τοὺς συγγενεῖς ληφθεὶς ὁ Χαμβδᾶν ἐκστρατεύει κατὰ Ρωμαίων, ἄγων μετ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸν παρὰ βασιλέως πεμφθέντα ὡς αὐτὸν πρεσβευτὴν περὶ εἰρήνης, Νικήταν πατρίκιον τὸν Χαλκούτζην, καὶ πολλοὺς κἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας τῶν ἀνδρειοτάτων καὶ γενναίων Ρωμαίων ἐζώγρησε. τοῦ δὲ Νικήτα λάθρᾳ τῷ Φωκᾷ μηνύοντος πάντα τὰ βουλευόμενα τῷ Χαμβδᾶν καὶ τὰς ὁδούς, ὅθεν μέλλει ποιήσασθαι τὴν ὑποστροφήν, λόχους ὁ Φωκᾶς ἐγκαθίζει περί τινα τόπον εἴσοδον ἔχοντα στενὴν καὶ κρημνώδη, ἐν ᾧ γενόμενος ὁ Χαμβδᾶν, ἐπεὶ κατὰ μέσην ἐγένετο τὴν στενοχωρίαν, κυκλοῦται παρὰ τῶν λόχων. ἐξαναστάντες γὰρ τῆς ἐνέδρας οἱ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τεταγμένοι πέτρας τε ὑπερμεγέθεις κατ αὐτῶν ἐκύλιον καὶ βέλη εἰς αὐτοὺς ἔπεμπον παντοδαπά. καὶ ὁ μὲν Χαλκούτζης προευτρεπισάμενος καὶ δώροις ὑποποιησάμενός τινας τῶν Σαρακηνῶν τῆς φυγῆς ὑπηρέτας, ἔλαθεν ἀποδρὰς μετὰ πάντων αὐτοῦ τῶν οἰκείων, τῶν Ἀγαρηνῶν δὲ πέπτωκε πλῆθος ἀμύθητον. ὁ δὲ Χαμβδᾶν οὓς εἶχε δεσμίους ἀποσφάξας, σὺν ὀλίγοις ἀκλεῶς καὶ ἀτάκτως τὸν κίνδυνον ἴσχυσε διαφυγεῖν. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Nikephoros Phokas is appointed domestikos of the scolae Ὁ δὲ πορφυρογέννητος διὰ τὸ τὸν μάγιστρον καὶ δομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν Βάρδαν τὸν λεγόμενον Φωκᾶν ἀδυνάτως ἔχειν καὶ εἰς Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 9/16

10 γῆρας ἐλάσαι τοῦ δομεστικάτου ἀποκινεῖ, καὶ ἀντ αὐτοῦ προβάλλεται δομέστικον Νικηφόρον πατρίκιον καὶ στρατηγὸν τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν, τὸν φίλτατον υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἄνδρα ἐν πολλοῖς καὶ διαφόροις πολέμοις εὐδοκιμήσαντα καὶ ἄριστον ἀναφανέντα καὶ τῇ ἡδυτάτῃ διαλαλιᾷ καὶ θωπείᾳ αὐτοῦ κοσμήσας τὰ στρατεύματα καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους Ἀγαρηνοὺς ἐχώρει, ὡς πάντα τὰ στρατεύματα θαρρεῖν καὶ ὡς ἐν ἰδίῳ χώρῳ παροικίαν ποιήσασθαι καὶ μήτε κρυπτομένων ἢ βακχευόντων ἢ ὑποστρεφόντων, ὡς ἔθος ἦν αὐτοῖς ἀλλὰ πάντες τομῶς ἐχώρουν πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους ταῖς ἀσπίσι περιφραξάμενοι καὶ τοῖς δόρασιν ἀμυνόμενοι καὶ κατὰ κράτος τοὺς Ἀγαρηνοὺς ἀφανίζοντες. καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν θάμβος καὶ ἔκπληξιν τοῖς ὁρῶσιν τὸν νικητὴν Νικηφόρον τὰς παρατάξεις καὶ δυνάμεις καὶ τὰ φοῦλκα τοῦ ἀθέου Χαμβαδᾶ συγκόπτοντα καὶ ἀπορραπίζοντα, καὶ τὴν τύχην τοῦ νικητοῦ ἀριστέως θαμβεῖσθαι καὶ μεγαλύνειν τοῖς ὁρῶσιν, ὡς τὰς πόλεις καὶ κώμας καὶ χώρας πυρὶ κατατεφρῶσαι καὶ αἰχμαλώτους ἄγειν καὶ ὑποσπόνδους τῇ βασιλείᾳ Ρωμαίων προσφέρειν. καὶ δὴ πρὸς τὸν πιστὸν Κωνσταντῖνον ἀφικόμενος ἐπαίνων καὶ τιμῶν παρ αὐτοῦ ἠξιώθη, οἷον ἐν τοῖς πάλαι χρόνοις οἱ Ρωμαίων στρατηγοὶ ἂν ἐκτήσαντο. Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), Theophanes Continuatus praise the brothers Nikephoros and Leo Phokas: Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τὸν πατρίκιον Λέοντα τὸν υἱὸν Βάρδα τοῦ Φωκᾶ στρατηγὸν εἰς Ἀνατολικοὺς ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ Νικηφόρου προχειρίζεται, ἄνδρα ἄριστον καὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀγαρηνοὺς καὶ πολεμίους μαχιμώτατον. καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν τοὺς αὐταδέλφους ὑπὲρ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀγωνιζομένους καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους χωροῦντας καὶ κατασφάττοντας, καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν ὁρμὴν μὴ φέροντας. Bekker, I. (ed.), Theophanes Continuatus, Joannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (CSHB, Bonn 1838), Nikephoros Phokas reconq uers Crete ( ): Τούτῳ τῷ ἔτει Νικηφόρον μάγιστρον τὸν Φωκᾶν, δομέστικον ἤδη προβεβλημένον τῶν σχολῶν τῆς ἀνατολῆς παρὰ Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ πολλὰ τρόπαια στήσαντα κατὰ τῶν ἑῴων Σαρακηνῶν, καὶ τόν τε τῆς Ταρσοῦ ἀμηρᾶν Καραμώνην καὶ Χαμβδᾶν τὸν τοῦ Χάλεπ καὶ τὸν Τριπόλεως Ἰζὴθ ὁλοσχερῶς ταπεινώσαντα, πέμπει κατὰ τῶν ἐν Κρήτῃ Σαρακηνῶν, πλῆθος ἐπιλέκτων στρατιωτῶν ἐπιδοὺς αὐτῷ καὶ στόλον κατηρτισμένον καλῶς. ἐν τῇ νήσῳ δ οὗτος περαιωθείς, καὶ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἀπόβασιν παροῦσι καὶ κωλύουσι συμπλακεὶς τοῖς Ἀγαρηνοῖς καὶ τούτους τρεψάμενος, αὐτός τε ἀσφαλῶς ἀπέβη καὶ τὸν στρατὸν ἀπεβίβασεν ἀκινδύνως. χάρακά τε οὖν ἐπήξατο καρτερόν, τάφρῳ βαθείᾳ καὶ σταυρώμασι καὶ πασσάλοις τοῦτον κατοχυρώσας, καὶ τὸν στόλον ἐν ὅρμοις γαληνοτάτοις ὁρμίσας καὶ πάντα καταστησάμενος κατὰ τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἐνεργῶς ἥπτετο τῆς πολιορκίας τῶν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ πόλεων, καὶ δι ὅλων ἑπτὰ μηνῶν πάσαις μηχαναῖς πολιορκητικῶν ὀργάνων χρησάμενος καὶ τὰ τείχη καταστρέφων τάς τε πόλεις καὶ τὰ φρούρια ἐχειρώσατο. τῇ ἑβδόμῃ δὲ τοῦ Μαρτίου μηνός, τῆς τετάρτης ἰνδικτιῶνος, καὶ τὴν πασῶν ὀχυρωτέραν πόλιν, ἣν ἐγχωρίως Χάνδακα ἐκάλουν, πεπορθηκώς, καὶ τὸν ἀμηρεύοντα τῆς νήσου Κουρούπην ὄνομα λαβὼν αἰχμάλωτον καὶ Ἀνεμᾶν τὸν μετ αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ πρωτεύοντα, καὶ τὴν νῆσον ὅλην δουλωσάμενος, ἔμελλε μὲν ἐπὶ πλείονα προσμεῖναι χρόνον καὶ τὰ κατ αὐτὴν καταστήσεσθαι, φήμης δὲ κρατούσης, ὡς ὁ μέλλων κατασχεῖν αὐτὴν Ρωμαῖος ἀνὴρ ἐξ ἀνάγκης βασιλεύσει Ρωμαίων, ἅμα τῷ γνωσθῆναι τὴν τῆς νήσου κατάσχεσιν ταῖς τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ὑποθήκαις ἀποστείλας ὁ Ρωμανὸς προσεκαλέσατο τὸν Νικηφόρον ἐκεῖθεν. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Historian Leo the Deacon describes Leo Phokas activity against the Hungarians: ὁ δὲ αὐτοκράτωρ Ρωμανὸς, τὴν ἔφοδον τούτου αἰσθόμενος καὶ τὴν ὕπαιθρον καὶ βιαίαν καταδρομὴν, Λέοντα τὸν Φωκᾶν, ὁμαίμονα τοῦ Νικηφόρου τελοῦντα, καὶ τῶν τῆς Εὐρώπης στρατιωτικῶν καταλόγων κατάρχοντα (Δομέστικον δύσεως Ρωμαῖοι τὴν τοιαύτην ἀρχὴν ὀνομάζουσι), τῷ Χαμβδᾶν ἀντίξουν ἐκπέμπει ἄνδρα γενναῖον καὶ νεανικὸν, φρενήρη τε διαφερόντως, καὶ τὸ ξυνοῖσον ἐν περιστάσεσιν ἐπιφράσασθαι πάντων, ὧν ἴσμεν, ἐπιβολώτατον ᾧ θεία τις, οἶμαι, κατὰ τὰς μάχας συνεμάχει ῥοπὴ, ἅπαν τὸ ἀντίπαλον καταστρεφομένη καὶ τιθεῖσα ὑπόσπονδον. Πολλῶν γὰρ αὐτῷ συῤῥαγέντων πολέμων παρὰ τὸν τῆς στρατηγίας καιρὸν, οὐδέποτε τοῦ ἀντικαθισταμένου ἀπῆλθε μειονεκτῶν, ἀλλ ἀεὶ τὸ πλέον τῆς νίκης ἀποφερόμενος. τῷ τοι καὶ Σκυθικῆς στρατιᾶς τὸν Ἴστρον περαιωθείσης τὸ κατ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ (Οὕννους τὸ ἔθνος κατονομάζουσιν), ἐπεὶ μὴ οἷός τε ἦν ὁ στρατηγὸς Λέων ἐξ ἀντιπάλου ταύτῃ συμπλέκεσθαι, ὑπεράριθμον ἐπαγαλλομένης τὸ πλῆθος τῆς φάλαγγος, σπανίζουσαν αὐτὸς καὶ οὐκ ἀξιόμαχον ἴλην στρατιωτῶν ἐπαγόμενος, ἔγνω μὴ ἐς προῦπτον κίνδυνον φέρων ἐνσεῖσαι αὑτόν τε καὶ τοὺς συνεπομένους, λαθραίως δὲ μᾶλλον τοῖς Σκύθαις ἐπιπεσεῖν, καί τι γενναῖον δρᾶσαι καὶ ἀνδρικὸν, καὶ δόξαν εὐκλεᾶ Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 10/16

11 σφετερίσασθαι. ἄρτι γοῦν διὰ τῶν δρυμῶν κρύβδην παραδραμὼν, καὶ τὴν ἔπαυλιν τῶν Οὕννων ἐξ ἀπόπτου περιαθρήσας, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἐς τὸ ἀκριβὲς κατασκοπήσας, ἀωρὶ τῶν νυκτῶν τριχῇ διαιρήσας τὴν φάλαγγα, ἐπῄει τοῖς Σκύθαις, καὶ τοσοῦτον φόνον αἰφνίδιον εἰσπεσὼν ἐν μικρᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ ἀπειργάσατο, ὡς εὐαριθμήτους ἐκ τοῦ ἀμυθήτου πλήθους διαφυγεῖν. Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem (Bonn 1828), Leo Phokas repels Arabian invasion (960): ἔτι δὲ τοῦ Νικηφόρου τῇ Κρήτῃ ἐνδιατρίβοντος, ἵνα μὴ τὴν ἑῴαν κατατρέχοιεν οἱ τῆς ἀνατολῆς Ἄραβες, καὶ μᾶλλον Χαμβδᾶν ὁ τοῦ Χάλεπ ἀμηρᾶς, πολεμικὸς ὢν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων δραστηριώτερος, Λέοντα τὸν Φωκᾶν τὸν τοῦ Νικηφόρου ἀδελφὸν μάγιστρον τιμήσας ὁ Ρωμανὸς τὴν τοῦ δομεστίκου διακονίαν διέπειν ἀπέστειλεν. οὗτος δὲ διαπεράσας καὶ τῷ Χαμβδᾶν συναντήσας ἔν τινι χωρίῳ Ἀδρασσῷ λεγομένῳ τρέπεται τοῦτον κατὰ κράτος καὶ ἀφανισμῷ παραδίδωσι, τῶν μὲν ἐν τῇ προσβολῇ πεσόντων οὐδ ἀριθμῷ καθυποβληθηναι δυναμένων, τῶν δὲ ἁλόντων καὶ ἐν τῇ πόλει πεμφθέντων τοσοῦτον ἦν τὸ πλῆθος, ὡς πληρῶσαι δούλων καὶ τὰς ἀστικὰς οἰκίας καὶ τοὺς ἀγρούς. μόνος δὲ ὁ τούτων ἀρχηγὸς Χαμβδᾶν σὺν ὀλίγοις λίαν τὸν κίνδυνον διαδρὰς εἰς τὰ οἰκεία ἤθη ἀνεκομίσθη. εἰσελθόντα δὲ τὸν Λέοντα μάλα φιλοφρόνως ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑπεδέξατο ἐπινικίοις τε θριάμβοις τετίμηκε καὶ γερῶν τῶν κατ ἀξίαν ἠξίωσε τιμήσας καὶ προβιβάσας καὶ πάντας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἀριστεύσαντας. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), The seizure of authority by Nikephoros Phokas, as it is described in John Skylitzes work: οὔπω παρῆλθεν ὁλόκληρος ἡμέρα, ἀφ οὗ τοῦτο εἴρηκε (κυριακὴ γὰρ ἦν, ἐννάτην ἄγοντος τοῦ Αὐγούστου μηνός), καὶ τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ τῆς αὐτῆς ἡμέρας Βασίλειος ὁ Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ βασιλέως παρακοιμώμενος, δυσμενὴς καὶ ἔχθιστος ὢν τῷ Ἰωσήφ, τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ φίλοις καὶ συγγενέσι τοὺς οἰκείους μίξας θεράποντας κατὰ πολλὰ μέρη τῆς πόλεως πέπομφεν εἰς τοὺς οἴκους τῶν ἀντιπραττόντων αὐτῷ. καὶ ἀπὸ πρώτης ὥρας τῆς δευτέρας ἡμέρας μέχρις ἕκτης κατέστρεψαν καὶ ἐξηδάφισαν οἰκίας πλείστας τῶν πολιτῶν, ὧν ἐπισημοτέρα ἦν ἡ τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. οὐ γὰρ μόνον τῶν ἀντιβαίνειν δοκούντων ἐμφανῶν καὶ πολιτικῶν ἀνδρῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῶν ἄλλων εὐτελεστέρων, ὧν οὐκ ἀριθμητὸν τὸ πλῆθος, οἰκίαι κατεσκάφησαν. ᾧ γάρ ποτε διαφορὰ μετά τινος ἦν, πλῆθος ἀτάκτων μεθ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπαγόμενος, μηδενὸς κωλύοντος, τοῦτον ἠφάνιζε. πολλοὶ δ ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ ἀταξίᾳ καὶ ἄνθρωποι ἐφονεύθησαν. ταῦτα δὲ ποιοῦντες ἐν τε ταῖς πλατείαις τῆς πόλεως λεωφόροις ἔν τε ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἔν τε τοῖς στενωποῖς Νικηφόρον ἀνευφήμουν καλλίνικον. τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον ἐξάγει μὲν τῆς μεγάλης ἐκκλησίας Βάρδαν τὸν πατέρα τοῦ Φωκᾶ, φυγάδα οἰκτρὸν καὶ ὅσον οὐδέπω τὸν κίνδυνον ἐκδεχόμενον, Ἰωσήφ τε τὸν παρακοιμώμενον, τὸν πρὸ τοῦ μεγάλα φυσῶντα καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον, εἰς αὐτὴν ἀντεισάγει ἱκέτην ἐλεεινὸν καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σωτηρίαν ἀμφίβολον ἔχοντα. οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν παρακοιμώμενον Βασίλειον τριήρεις καταρτίσαντες καὶ τὸν βασιλικὸν εἰληφότες δρόμωνα μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ στόλου περαιούνται ἐν Χρυσοπόλει, καὶ τὸν Νικηφόρον ἐκεῖθεν ἀναλαβόμενοι ἄγουσιν εἰς τὸ Ἕβδομον, αὐτόθεν τε αὐτοί τε καὶ πᾶς ὁ δῆμος τῆς πόλεως μετ εὐφημιῶν καὶ κρότων καὶ σαλπίγγων καὶ κυμβάλων δημοσίας γενομένης προόδου διὰ τῆς Χρυσῆς πόρτης εἰσάγουσιν εἰς τὴν βασιλίδα. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Leo Deakon mentions the death of caesar Bardas Phokas (autumn 969): κατὰ ταύτας δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας συνέβη καὶ τὸν Καίσαρα Βάρδαν, τὸν τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος Νικηφόρου πατέρα, τοῦ βίου μεταναστῆναι, ὑπὲρ τὰ ἐννενήκοντα ἔτη διαβιώσαντα, κἀν τοῖς στρατιωτικοῖς καταλόγοις ἐξ αὐτῆς ἥβης καταγηράσαντα, καὶ πολλὰ τρόπαια καὶ νίκας ἐν τοῖς κατὰ πόλεμον ἀνδραγαθήμασιν ἀναδησάμενον. ὃν ἐπένθησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τεθνηκότα, ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἐκ τῶν ἀνακτόρων τε καὶ μέχρι τῆς ἑστίας αὐτοῦ κατὰ μεσημβρίαν κειμένης τοῦ ἄστεος, πρὸς τὸ κάταντες τῆς ἐπὶ θάλασσαν φερούσης ὁδοῦ, ἵνα ὁ τῆς Σοφίας λιμὴν ἥπλωται, τὸν τούτου νεκρὸν προέπεμψε, καὶ τῇ σορῷ περιέστειλε. Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem (Bonn 1828), Leo the Deakon praises Nikephoros II Phokas: τοιαύτην μὲν δὴ Νικηφόρος ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ τὴν τοῦ βίου εὗρε καταστροφὴν, πάντα μὲν τὸν τῆς ζωῆς χρόνον πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑπτὰ ἔτη διαβιοὺς, ἓξ δὲ καὶ μόνους ἐνιαυτοὺς πρὸς μησὶ τέσσαρσι τὴν τῆς βασιλείας ἰθύνας ἀρχήν ἀνὴρ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ σώματος ῥώμῃ Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 11/16

12 πᾶσαν ἀδηρίτως ὑπερβαίνων τὴν κατ αὐτὸν γενεὰν, ἐμπειρότατός τε καὶ δραστικώτατος τὰ πολέμια, καὶ πρὸς πᾶσαν ἰδέαν πόνων ἀνένδοτος, καὶ σώματος ἀμείλικτος καὶ ἀκολάκευτος ἡδοναῖς μεγαλόφρων τε καὶ μεγαλοφυὴς τὰ πολιτικὰ, ἐννομώτατα δικάζων, καὶ νομοθετῶν ἀσφαλῶς, καὶ μηδενὸς τῶν ἐν τούτοις κατατριβέντων ἡττώμενος ἐν δὲ ταῖς εὐχαῖς καὶ ταῖς παννύχοις πρὸς Θεὸν στάσεσιν ἄκαμπτός τε καὶ ἀδαμάντινος, ἀμετεώριστον ἐν ταῖς ὑμνῳδίαις τὸν νοῦν συντηρῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὰ μάταια μηδόλως ῥεμβόμενον. ἐλάττωμα δὲ τοῦτο προσῆπτον οἱ πολλοὶ τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ὅτι τε ἀπαρεγχείρητον ἐβούλετο πρὸς ἁπάντων συντηρεῖσθαι τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ μὴ παραχαράττεσθαι τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἀκρίβειαν. διὸ καὶ ἀπαραίτητος ἦν εἰς τὴν τούτων ἐκδίκησιν, καὶ τοῖς ὀλισθαίνουσιν ἀδυσώπητος καὶ φορτικὸς ἐδόκει, καὶ ἐπαχθὴς τοῖς ἀδιάφορον ἀντλεῖν τὸν βίον ἐθέλουσιν. ἐγὼ δέ φημι, ὡς εἰ μή τις κατὰ ῥοῦν φερομένοις τοῖς πράγμασι βάσκανος νεμεσήσασα τύχη τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ταχὺ τοῦ βίου ἀπήγαγε, μεγίστη ἂν ἡ τῶν Ρωμαίων ἡγεμονία καὶ οἵαν οὐκ ἄλλοτε εὔκλειαν ἀπηνέγκατο. Hase, C.B. (επιμ.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem (Bonn 1828), The decline of Phokas family after the murder of Nikephoros Phokas: ὃς εὐθὺς τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν εἰληφὼς τῶν πραγμάτων πάντας τοὺς εὔνοιαν τῷ Νικηφόρῳ φυλάττοντας ἐκ μέσου πεποίηκε, Λέοντα μὲν τὸν κουροπαλάτην ἐν Λέσβῳ περιορίσας καὶ Νικηφόρον βέστην τὸν τούτου υἱὸν ἐν τῇ Ἴμβρῳ, Βάρδαν δὲ τὸν νεώτερον δοῦκα τότε Χαλδίας καὶ Κολωνείας τυγχάνοντα τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀφελόμενος ἐν Ἀμασείᾳ παρέπεμψε γράμμασι. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), The repression of Bardas Phokas rebellion (970), as it is described by Skylitzes: πάσης δὲ βοηθείας ἔρημος οὗτος ἀπολειφθεὶς καὶ ἀνίᾳ βαπτισθεὶς καὶ λύπῃ κατὰ τῶν παρακινησάντων, εἶτα προδεδωκότων, κατηνέχθη πρὸς ὕπνον ἤδη νυκτὸς ἐπιστάσης. ἔδοξεν οὖν ὑπνώττων ἀγανακτεῖν καὶ ἀλύειν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀδικησάντων διαλέγεσθαι τῷ θεῷ «δίκασον κύριε», λέγων, «τοὺς ἀδικοῦντάς με». ἐν ᾧ δὲ ἔμελλε καὶ τὰ ἑπόμενα εἰπεῖν τοῦ ψαλμοῦ, ἤκουσε φωνῆς λεγούσης μὴ περαιτέρω προβῆναι. ἔφθασε γὰρ ὁ Σκληρὸς προειληφέναι τὸ ἐπίλοιπον τῆς ᾠδῆς. διαναστὰς οὖν σύντρομος, ὡς ἔγνω πάσης ἐλπίδος ὠλισθηκώς ὡς εἶχεν ἐξιππασάμενος μετὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸ φρούριον ἔφευγε τὸν Τυροποιόν. γνωσθέντος δὲ τοῦ δρασμοῦ τῷ μαγίστρῳ Βάρδᾳ τῷ Σκληρῷ, ἱππεῖς ἀπεστέλλοντο εὔζωνοι καταταχῆσαι καὶ καταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸ τοῦ εἰς τὸ φρούριον εἰσελθεῖν. οἵτινες συντόνῳ χρησάμενοι τῇ διώξει καταλαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ πεδίον καὶ μέλλοντα ὅσον οὐδέπω ταῖς τοῦ φρουρίου προσεγγίζειν ὑπωρείαις. εἷς δὲ τούτων τόλμῃ προφέρων τῶν ἄλλων καὶ γενναιότητι, τοὔνομα Κωνσταντῖνος, Χάρων τὴν προσηγορίαν, τοὺς ἄλλους κατόπιν λιπὼν μετὰ συντονίας ἐπήρχετο τῷ Φωκᾷ, ὄπισθεν οὐραγοῦντι τῶν ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἤν τις ἐπίῃ δέξασθαι προθύμως παρεσκευασμένῳ. τοῦτον πόρρωθεν ἰδὼν καὶ γνωρίσας ὁ Χάρων ὕβρεσιν ἀσέμνοις καὶ ἀπρεπέσιν ἔβαλλεν, ἀγεννῆ καὶ ἄνανδρον ἀποκαλῶν, καὶ προσμένειν κελεύων μικρόν, ὥστε τὰ γέρα τῆς ἀποστασίας λαβεῖν. ὁ δὲ τῶν ὕβρεων ἐπακούων, καὶ ὅστις ὁ λέγων μὴ ἀγνοήσας, ἐπισχὼν τὸν χαλινὸν καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐπιστραφείς «ἔδει σε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε», ἔφη, «τὸ ἀστάθμητον λογισάμενον τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τύχης μὴ προσονειδίζειν, μηδ ἐπεμβαίνειν ἀνθρώπῳ ταῖς ἐξ αὐτῆς ἐπηρείαις ἠναγκασμένῳ, ἀλλ οἰκτείρειν μᾶλλον καὶ ἐλεεῖν τὸν δυστυχοῦντα ἐμέ, πατέρα μὲν ἐσχηκότα κουροπαλάτην, πάππον καίσαρα, θεῖον βασιλέα, δοῦκα δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν γεγονότα καὶ τοῖς ἀνωτάτω συναριθμηθέντα, νυνὶ δὲ ἐσχάτοις κακοῖς ὑποβεβλημένον καὶ ἀκληρήμασι». τοῦ δέ «καλὰ ταῦτα, ὦ κακὴ κεφαλή, λέγεσθαι πρὸς παῖδας τοὺς δυναμένους ἀπατηθῆναι, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ φενακίσεις τοῖς τοιούτοις σου λογυδρίοις», καὶ τὸν ἵππον μυωπίζοντος καὶ θρασύτερον προσιόντος, σπασάμενος ὁ Φωκᾶς τὴν ἐν τῇ ἐφεστρίδι παρῃωρημένην κορύνην καὶ ὑπαντιάσας παίει τοῦτον κατὰ τοῦ κράνους. καὶ αὐτὸν μὲν ἀποδείκνυσι νεκρὸν παραυτίκα, ἐμποδίσαι μὴ δυνηθείσης τῆς κόρυθος τῇ βίᾳ τῆς πληγῆς, ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἀποστρέψας τὸν χαλινὸν εἴχετο τῆς ὁδοῦ. οἱ δὲ διώκοντες κατόπιν ἐρχόμενοι καὶ ἔνθα ὁ Χάρων τεθνηκὼς ἔκειτο γενόμενοι, καὶ τῷ ἀνυποστάτῳ τοῦ πτώματος ἐκπληττόμενοι πάντες ἵστων τὴν δίωξιν, μηδενὸς τολμῶντος προσωτέρω ἰέναι, καὶ οὕτως ἀδείας λαβόμενος ὁ Φωκᾶς ἄνεισιν εἰς τὸ φρούριον. παρεγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ Σκληρός, συνεχῶς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον πέμπων, καὶ κήδεσθαι μεθ ὅρκων γράφων ὡς κηδεστοῦ (νύμφην γὰρ ἐπὶ τἀδελφῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ τὴν ἐκείνου εἶχεν ἀδελφὴν Σοφίαν) καὶ συμβουλεύων προσχωρῆσαι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διὰ τῆς αὐτομολίας συμπάθειαν ἐπισπάσασθαι. ὅρκους λαβών, ὡς οὐδέν τι πείσεται φλαῦρον, παραδίδωσιν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Σκληρῷ σὺν τοῖς συνοῦσιν αὐτῷ. ὃν μηδὲν ἄλλο παθόντα κακόν, μόνον δὲ γενόμενον κληρικὸν ἐν τῇ νήσῳ Χίῳ ὑπερορίζει ὁ βασιλεύς. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Skylitzes refers to the outbreak of Bardas Phokas rebellion (987): Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 12/16

13 Οἱ δὲ τῶν Ρωμαίων μεγιστᾶνες μηνιῶντες τῷ βασιλεῖ, ὁ μὲν Φωκᾶς Βάρδας καί τινες σὺν αὐτῷ, ὅτι περ εἰς Βουλγαρίαν ἐκστρατεύσας ὑπερεῖδεν αὐτούς, μηδ ἐν Καρὸς λογισάμενος μοίρᾳ, ἄλλοι δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι δι ἄλλους προπηλακισμούς τε καὶ παροινίας, ὁ δὲ μάγιστρος Εὐστάθιος ὁ Μαλεΐνος διὰ τὸ ἀτίμως ἀπὸ τῆς εἰρημένης ἐκστρατείας ἀποπεμφθῆναι, συναθροισθέντες ἐν τῷ Χαρσιανῷ, κατὰ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ ῥηθέντος Μαλεΐνου, πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ τοῦ Αὐγούστου μηνός, τῆς πεντεκαιδεκάτης ἰνδικτιῶνος, Βάρδαν τὸν Φωκᾶν ἀνεῖπον βασιλέα, διάδημά τε περιθέντες αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς βασιλείας γνωρίσματα. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Leo the Deacon describes the events of Bardas Phokas rebellion ( ): Μήπω δὲ τοῦ τοιούτου πάθους τελευταίως ὑπολωφήσαντος, Βάρδας Μάγιστρος ὁ Φωκᾶς κατὰ τῶν κρατοῦντων ἐτραχηλίασε, καὶ τὴν τῆς Ἀσίας Ρωμαϊκὴν ὑπεποιήσατο δύναμιν, καὶ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἐπίνεια καὶ πτολίσματα πλὴν Ἀβύδου εἶλε καὶ τριήρεις συχνὰς νεολκήσας, ἐφρούρει τὸν τοῦ Ἑλλησπόντου πορθμὸν, οὐκ ἐῶν τὰς φορτίδας ἀνάγεσθαι πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν στρατιάν τε πλείστην, ἧς Λέων Μάγιστρος ὁ Μελισσηνὸς ἡγεῖτο, παρὰ τὴν ἤπειρον τῆς Ἀβύδου καθίδρυσε, τάς τε σφετέρας τριήρεις φρουροῦσαν, καὶ πολιορκοῦσαν τὴν Ἄβυδον. αὖθίς τε χάρακα καρτερὸν πρὸ τοῦ Βυζαντίου ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς Χρυσῆς πόλεως λόφου ἔπηξεν, ἱππικὴν ὅτι πλείστην καὶ πεζικὴν στειλάμενος δύναμιν ἀρχηγοὺς δὲ τῆς στρατιᾶς ταύτης τόν τε σύναιμον αὑτοῦ τὸν Πατρίκιον Νικηφόρον, καὶ Καλοκύρην Πατρίκιον, ᾧ ἐπίκλησις Δελφινᾶς προεστήσατο. τούτους ὁ αὐτοκράτωρ αὖθις Βασίλειος, μετὰ δυνάμεως ἀποχρώσης τὸν Βόσπορον περαιωθεὶς, ἐξ ἀντιπάλου μάχης ἐτρέψατο καὶ ζωγρίας συνειληφὼς, τὸν μὲν Νικηφόρον καὶ ὁμαίμονα τοῦ Φωκᾶ πεδήτην ἀποφήνας, εἱρκτῇ συνέκλεισε τὸν δέ γε Καλοκύρην τὸν Δελφινᾶν αὐτοῦ που παρὰ τὸν τῆς Χρυσοπόλεως λόφον, ἵνα καὶ ἡ σκηνὴ αὐτῷ ἐπήγνυτο, ἀνεσκολόπισε. Βάρδας δὲ ὁ Φωκᾶς, τὴν ἐν Χρυσοπόλει πανολεθρίαν τῆς στρατιᾶς διενηχηθεὶς, τήν τε τοῦ ὁμαίμονος σύλληψίν τε καὶ κάθειρξιν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Δελφινᾶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου προσπαττάλευσιν, τὰς περὶ αὑτὸν δυνάμεις συνηθροικὼς, εἰς Ἄβυδον κάτεισι, τό, τε φρούριον τὸ ἐκεῖσε πειρώμενος πολιορκῆσαι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν Εὐρώπην διαπεράσαι, ὡς καὶ ταύτην ὑποποιήσαιτο. ὁ δὲ αὐτοκράτωρ Βασίλειος, τὴν ἐν Ἀβύδῳ κάθοδον τοῦ τυράννου ἐνωτισθεὶς, τὴν περὶ αὑτὸν στρατιὰν συναγηοχὼς, καὶ τὰς πυρφόρους τριήρεις ἐξαρτυσάμενος, ἀντίπαλος τούτῳ καθίσταται καὶ, περαιωθεὶς τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον, ἐν τῷ πρὸ τῆς Ἀβύδου πεδίῳ τὴν βασίλειον σκηνὴν ἐπήξατο, ὁσημέραι τὰς φάλαγγας συντάττων καὶ ἐξασκῶν, καὶ γνωματεύων ὅτῳ τρόπῳ τῷ ἀποστάτῃ ἐπέλθοι. μιᾷ γὰρ τοιγαροῦν τῶν νυκτῶν ἐς λόχους συντάξας τὸ στράτευμα, διὰ τῆς παρὰ θάλασσαν ἀταρπιτοῦ τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἐπέθετο, καὶ, ἤδη τῆς ἡμέρας διαφαυούσης, τάς τε τριήρεις πάσας ἐνέπρησε, καὶ τοὺς ἐναντίους κατακαίνων οὐκ ἀνίει. Βάρδας δὲ ὁ Φωκᾶς, τῷ αἰφνιδίῳ τῆς ἀφίξεως καὶ ἐπιθέσεως τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος ἐκπλαγεὶς, ἀντιμέτωπος τοῦ χάρακος ἔξεισι καὶ δῆτα κατὰ τὸ μεταίχμιον ἀντικαταστὰς, καὶ τοῦ ἵππου ἀθρόον κατενεχθεὶς, ξίφει τὸν αὐχένα ἐκκόπτεται. καὶ τὸ μὲν γιγαντῶδες τούτου σῶμα κατὰ τὴν Ἄβυδον τῇ γῇ κατορύττεται ἡ δὲ κεφαλὴ, πρὸς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἐκπεμφθεῖσα καὶ τῷ δορατίῳ περιπαρεῖσα, κατὰ τὰς ἀγυιὰς θριαμβεύεται, καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐκπέμπεται στασιάζουσι. καὶ οὕτω τὰ τῆς ἀποστασίας εἰς σταθηρὰν γαλήνην μετεσκευάζετο. Hase, C.B. (ed.), Leonis Diaconi Caloensis Historiae libri decem (Bonn 1828), Description of Nikephoros Phokas rebellion (1022) in Skylitzes historical work: Γεωργίου δὲ τοῦ ἄρχοντος Ἀβασγίας τὰς πρὸς Ρωμαίους ἀθετήσαντος συνθήκας καὶ τὰ ὅμορα κατατρέχοντος, ἔξεισι κατ αὐτοῦ ὁ βασιλεὺς πανστρατί, κατόπιν λιπὼν Νικηφόρον πατρίκιον τὸν Ξιφίαν καὶ Νικηφόρον πατρίκιον τὸν υἱὸν Βάρδα τοῦ Φωκᾶ. οἱ δὲ διὰ τὸ τῆς στρατείας ἀπολελεῖφθαι δεινοπαθήσαντες οὐ μικρῶς, λαόν, ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἠθροικότες ἀπό τε Καππαδοκίας καὶ Ροδαντοῦ καὶ τῶν πέριξ χωρίων, ἀποστασίαν κινοῦσιν. οὗπερ ἀγγελθέντος τῷ βασιλεῖ ταραχὴ κατεῖχε τὴν παρεμβολὴν καὶ ἀγωνία, δεδοικυῖαν, μή πως ἐν μέσῳ Ἀβασγῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἀποστατῶν συνειλημμένοι (διεδίδοτο γὰρ καὶ λόγος, ὡς οἱ περὶ τὸν Ξιφίαν διεκηρυκεύσαντο περὶ τούτου πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα Ἀβασγίας) ἀνήκεστόν τι πάθωσιν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς γράμματα πρός τε τὸν Ξιφίαν καὶ τὸν Φωκᾶν γράψας ἐξέπεμψε, παραγγείλας τῷ λαβόντι σπουδάσαι πάντα τρόπον λαθεῖν καὶ ἑκάστῳ ἀσυγγνώστως δεδωκέναι τὸ γράμμα. τοῦ δέ, ὡς ἐκελεύσθη, ποιήσαντος καὶ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἐγχειρίσαντος λεληθότως, ὁ μὲν Φωκᾶς εὐθὺς ὑπανέγνω τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τῷ Ξιφίᾳ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀποκρύψας καὶ γράμμα δέξασθαι ὅλως ἀπαρνησάμενος ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν καλεῖ τοῦτον ἐπὶ κοινολογίαν καὶ ἐλθόντα, λόχους ἔχων προευτρεπισμένους, ἀποκτίννυσι. καὶ ἡ ἐπισύστασις τῶν ἀποστατῶν εὐθὺς διεσκεδάσθη. Thurn, I. (ed.), Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5, Berlin New York 1973), Δημιουργήθηκε στις 26/2/2017 Σελίδα 13/16