Nikephoros II Phokas and Warfare in the 10th-Century Byzantine World

Description

This volume throws light not just on the military and on warfare during a period of increasing Byzantine military success and expansion, but it also draws on the latest in academic debate and examines afresh the varied aspects of different thematics regarding the reign of the emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. That includes military theory, tactics and equipment in the 10th century, ‘war ideology’ and the ideological justification of war, Byzantine society’s attitudes to warfare, Nikephoros’ approaches to domestic affairs and the Church, and the emperor’s foreign policy. Contributors are Jesse S. Arlen, Gennadiy Baranov, Georgios Chatzelis, Jean-Claude Cheynet, Phoebe-Irene Georgiadi, Konstantinos Karatolios, Taxiarchis Kolias, Alexandru Madgearu, Lucas McMahon, Marco Miotto, Ioannis S. Sarantidis, Filip Schneider, Dimitrios Sidiropoulos, Denis Sullivan, Konstantinos Takirtakoglou, Georgios Theotokis, and Mamuka Tsurtsumia. Front Cover Half Title Series Informations Title Page Copyrights Page Contents Figures, Plates, Maps, and Tables Figures Plates Maps Tables Notes on Contributors Preface: Les hommes de Nicéphore Phocas 1 Les sources du règne 2 Nicéphore : sa situation au printemps 963 3 Les modalités de la prise du pouvoir 4 La mise en place de ses hommes par le nouvel empereur 5 Nicéphore Phocas et ses soutiens civils 6 Les autres chefs de l’armée sous Nicéphore Phocas 7 La réussite d’un complot palatin : l’extrême audace des comploteurs 8 Conclusion Annexe: Sceaux inédits mentionnés dans le texte 1 Figure 0.1 : Joseph, patrice, préposite, vestès, épi tès trapézès et stratège des Anatoliques (seconde moitié du Xe siècle) 2 Figure 0.2 : Mélias, protospathaire et domestique des Excubites (vers 965 ?) 3 Figure 0.3 : Eustathe [Maléïnos], anthypatos, patrice et stratège de Cappadoce (968 ? – 969) 4 Figure 0.4 : Michel Bourtzès, patrice et stratège des Arméniaques (après 969 et avant 976) 5 Figure 0.5 : Théodore Bourtzès, protospathaire et stratège des Arméniaques (avant 1025) Introduction Part 1 Strategies, Tactics, and Foreign Policies 1 The Bulgarian War of Nikephoros II Phokas: Lessons Learned from the Past and Strategic Mistakes 1 Field Offensive Combined with a Naval Offensive to a Black Sea Harbor 2 Field Offensive Combined with a Naval Offensive on the Danube, without the Cooperation of Some Northern Allies 3 Landing in a Black Sea Harbor 4 Field Offensive through Southern Bulgaria 5 Field Offensive Combined with a Fleet Offensive on the Danube, with the Cooperation of Some Northern Allies Ferried by this Fleet 6 Naval Offensive on the Danube, without the Cooperation of Northern Allies Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 2 Nikephoros Phokas’ Heritage on the Grand Strategy of the Komnenian Emperors in Cilicia 1 Introduction 2 The Byzantine Grand Strategy in East: the Politico-Diplomatic Aims and the Military Strategy of Nikephoros Phokas (960–969) 3 The Grand Strategy of the Komnenian Emperors in Cilicia and Northern Syria (1081–1180): Strategic Aims, Diplomacy, and Military Strategy 4 Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 3 Succeeding Where Others Failed: Nikephoros Phokas’ Conquest of Crete Reconsidered 1 Leadership 2 Tactical and Strategic Approach 3 Numbers 4 Diplomacy 5 Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 4 Strangling Antioch: a Spatial Approach to Conquest 1 The Campaign of 968 2 Baghras and the Blockade of Antioch 3 Cost-Distance Methods 4 Situating Qalʿat Simʿān and Baghras 4 Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources Part 2 Reconsidering Military Reforms and Equipment 5 Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas and the Military Lands Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 6 Byzantine (Mediterranean) Swords with Sleeve Cross-Guards: Constructing a Typology 1 Type 1 1.1 Subtype 1.А 1.2 Subtype 1.B 2 Type 2 3 Type 3 4 Chemical Composition of Cross-Guards’ Alloys 5 Pommels 5.1 Type 1 5.2 Type 2 6 Scabbard Details 7 Ethnocultural Attribution – Geographic Distribution of Finds in Eastern Europe 8 Mediterranean Swords 9 Conclusion Bibliography Part 3 Kinship and Imperial Portraits 7 Theodosios the Deacon’s “The Capture of Crete” as an Encomium of Two Emperors 1 The Importance of the Conquest of Crete by the Byzantines 2 The Author 3 The Historical Period 4 A Similar Poem 5 How Contemporary Researchers Have Viewed the Text So Far 6 An Analysis of the Poem: the First Recitation 7 The Second Recitation 8 The Third Recitation 9 The Fourth Recitation 10 The Fifth Recitation 11 The Preface Addressing Nikephoros Phokas 12 Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 8 Le campagne militari di Niceforo Foca nella storiografia araba medievale Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 9 Nikephoros II Phokas and David IV the Builder: Military and Political Portraits Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources Part 4 Portraits of ‘Us’ and the ‘Other’ 10 ‘Us,’ as Reflected in the Byzantine Perception of the ‘Other’ 1 The ‘Other’ as Seen by Leo the Deacon 2 The Arabs 3 The Bulgarians 4 The Rus’ 5 Conclusion Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 11 Martial Culture, Literary Culture, and Alterity: Nikephoros II Phokas Through the Scope Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 12 Nikephoros II, the Phokades, and Sayf al-Dawla: Portrayals of Self and Other 1 Nikephoros II Phokas’s Early Family 2 Bardas Phokas (879–969): Greek Sources 3 Leo Phokas (ca. 915–971): Greek Sources 4 Nikephoros II Phokas: Greek Sources 5 Sayf al-Dawla: Greek Sources 6 Arab Views of the Phokades 7 Generic Views of Muslims in the Greek Sources 8 The Holy Brick 9 The Cursed Ode and Response 10 The Response of al-Qaffal 11 Analysis of the Ode 12 Conclusions Acknowledgments Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources Part 5 Conceptions of Holy War and Martyrdom 13 Paterazmunkʿ hetʿanosatsʿ: Byzantine Propaganda and Holy War, Recipients and Objectives Conclusions Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources 14 Nikephoros II Phokas, Military Martyrs and the Church 1 Introduction 2 The Novel of 963/964 3 The Decree of 964 4 Holy War and the Recapture of Crete 5 Military Martyrs 6 The Canon of Saint Basil 7 The Reaction of the Church 8 Conclusions Acknowledgements Bibliography Primary Sources Secondary Sources Epilogue Index Back Cover