Nicephorus II Phocas
Nicephorus II Phocas was a prominent Byzantine nobleman and military leader who ascended to the throne in 963 following the unexpected death of Emperor Romanus II. He is best known for his military campaigns in the Middle East, particularly against the Ḥamdānid Amirs of Syria. Under his command, the Byzantine forces successfully captured significant territories, including the fortress town of Tarsus in 965 and the city of Antioch in 969. His reign saw the Byzantine naval fleet seize the island of Cyprus, further expanding Byzantine influence in the region. However, his military successes were contrasted by the challenges posed by the pagan Rus, whose conquest of Bulgaria became a significant threat to Constantinople. Nicephorus II's reign was characterized by his innovative military tactics, notably the adoption of heavy cavalry lancers, which proved effective against enemy forces. His rule ended abruptly when he was assassinated in 969 by John I Zimisces, marking a turbulent period in Byzantine history.
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Nicephorus II Phocas
Emperor
- Born: c. 912
- Birthplace: Cappadocia
- Died: December 10/11, 969
- Place of death: Constantinople (now in Istanbul, Turkey)
Born: c. 912; Cappadocia
Died: December 10/11, 969; Constantinople
Principal war: Ḥamdānid War
Principal battles: Tarsus (965), Cyprus (965), Antioch (969), Aleppo (969)
Military significance: From 963 to 969, Byzantine emperor Nicephorus II annexed Cyprus and most of northern Syria, revived Byzantine heavy armored cavalry, and provoked a Russian attack on his overbearing neighbor, Bulgaria.
A Byzantine nobleman, Nicephorus II Phocas rose to become a senior army commander fighting in Crete and northern Syria. In 963, he seized the Byzantine throne when the emperor, Romanus II, died unexpectedly. Nicephorus began a systematic campaign against the Ḥamdānid Amirs of Syria. After breaking through the Cicilian range with 40,000 troops, he laid siege to the fortress town of Tarsus. Tarsus fell in 965, and that same year, the imperial fleet captured the island of Cyprus. The emperor besieged Antioch in 966, occupying the city in 969. That same year, Aleppo capitulated and became a Byzantine vassal. Victories in the Middle East, however, were partly offset by the Russian conquest of Bulgaria. Nicephorus had encouraged the pagan Rus to punish the Bulgarians for demanding tribute from Byzantium, but Russian occupation would present Constantinople with a greater menace in the next decade. Niceophorus was assassinated in 969 by John I Zimisces.
Nicephorus II presided over the adoption of heavy cavalry lancers in the Byzantine army. His military tactics emphasized offensive deployment by heavy cavalry to shatter enemy formations and strike at the commanders while using infantry to anchor the defense. At the time, his tactics proved decisive against the light cavalry forces of the Syrians and Bulgars.
Bibliography
Haldon, John. Warfare, State, and Society in the Byzantine World, 565-1204. London: University College London Press, 1999.
McGeer, E. Sowing the Dragon’s Teeth: Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 1995.
Nicephorus II Phocas. On Skirmishing. Three Byzantine Military Treatises. Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 1985.