Leo Phokas the Younger
Encyclopedia
Leo Phokas or Phocas was a prominent Byzantine
general who scored a number of successes in the eastern frontier in the mid-10th century alongside his older brother, the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. He served as chief minister during his brother's reign, but was dismissed and imprisoned by his successor, John Tzimiskes.
Leo was the younger son of Bardas Phokas the Elder
, a noted general and longtime commander of the eastern armies under Constantine VII
, and of an unnamed lady from the Maleinos
clan. Leo was first appointed as strategos
of the thema of Cappadocia
in 945, and about ten years later, he was promoted to the post of strategos of the prestigious Anatolic Theme
. Under Romanos II
, he was named Domestic of the Schools
of the West, i.e. commander of the western armies in the Balkans
, and raised to the rank of magistros. When his older brother Nikephoros was detailed to assault the Emirate of Crete
in 960, Leo replaced him as domestikos of the East. From this position, he scored a notable victory against the Empire's old adversary, the emir of Aleppo Sayf al-Daula
, whose army had invaded Byzantine Asia Minor, made good progress, and was retiring laden with booty and prisoners. Leo waylaid him in a rocky defile, and destroyed most of the Arab army, while Sayf al-Daula barely managed to flee. Due to his record of successful service in the Byzantine-Arab frontier, he has been suggested as the possible author of the treatise De velitatione bellica
("On skirmishing warfare").
When Nikephoros ascended the throne in 963, Leo was named kouropalates and assumed the post of logothetes tou dromou
, remaining his brother's chief minister until the overthrow and murder of Nikephoros by Tzimiskes in 969. In 970, Leo unsuccessfully tried to rebel against Tzimiskes, and was exiled to Lesbos. After another failed attempt at rebellion in 971 however, he was banished to the island of Prote and blinded
. The date of his death is unknown.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
general who scored a number of successes in the eastern frontier in the mid-10th century alongside his older brother, the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. He served as chief minister during his brother's reign, but was dismissed and imprisoned by his successor, John Tzimiskes.
Leo was the younger son of Bardas Phokas the Elder
Bardas Phokas the Elder
Bardas Phokas was a notable Byzantine general in the first half of the 10th century, and father of Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas and the kouropalates Leo Phokas the Younger....
, a noted general and longtime commander of the eastern armies under Constantine VII
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
, and of an unnamed lady from the Maleinos
Maleinos
Maleinos was the surname of a Byzantine Greek family, first attested in the 9th century, which rose to be amongst the most important and powerful members of the Anatolian aristocracy in the 10th century, providing many senior generals to the Byzantine army. After its wealth and power became the...
clan. Leo was first appointed as strategos
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
of the thema of Cappadocia
Cappadocia (theme)
The Theme of Cappadocia was a Byzantine theme encompassing the southern portion of the namesake region from the early 9th to the late 11th centuries.-Location:...
in 945, and about ten years later, he was promoted to the post of strategos of the prestigious Anatolic Theme
Anatolic Theme
The Anatolic Theme , more properly known as the Theme of the Anatolics was a Byzantine theme in central Asia Minor...
. Under Romanos II
Romanos II
Romanos II was a Byzantine emperor. He succeeded his father Constantine VII in 959 at the age of twenty-one, and died suddenly in 963.-Life:...
, he was named Domestic of the Schools
Domestic of the Schools
The Domestic of the Schools was a senior Byzantine military office, extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally simply the commander of the Scholai, the senior of the elite tagmata regiments, the Domestic quickly rose in prominence: by the mid-9th century, its...
of the West, i.e. commander of the western armies in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, and raised to the rank of magistros. When his older brother Nikephoros was detailed to assault the Emirate of Crete
Emirate of Crete
The Emirate of Crete was a Muslim state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to the Byzantine reconquest of the island in 961....
in 960, Leo replaced him as domestikos of the East. From this position, he scored a notable victory against the Empire's old adversary, the emir of Aleppo Sayf al-Daula
Sayf al-Daula
Ali ibn Abi al-Hayja 'Abd Allah ibn Hamdan ibn al-Harith Sayf al-Dawla al-Taghlibi , more commonly known simply by his laqab of Sayf al-Dawla , was the ruler of northern Syria and the brother of al-Hasan ibn Hamdan , the founder and the most prominent prince of the Arab Hamdanid dynasty from...
, whose army had invaded Byzantine Asia Minor, made good progress, and was retiring laden with booty and prisoners. Leo waylaid him in a rocky defile, and destroyed most of the Arab army, while Sayf al-Daula barely managed to flee. Due to his record of successful service in the Byzantine-Arab frontier, he has been suggested as the possible author of the treatise De velitatione bellica
De velitatione bellica
De velitatione bellica is the conventional Latin title for the Byzantine military treatise on skirmishing and guerrilla-type border warfare, composed ca. 970. Its original Greek title is .- Historical context :...
("On skirmishing warfare").
When Nikephoros ascended the throne in 963, Leo was named kouropalates and assumed the post of logothetes tou dromou
Logothetes tou dromou
The logothetēs tou dromou , in English usually rendered as Logothete of the Course/Drome/Dromos or Postal Logothete, was the head of the department of the Dromos, the Public Post , and one of the most senior ministers of the Byzantine Empire.- History and functions :The exact origin and date of...
, remaining his brother's chief minister until the overthrow and murder of Nikephoros by Tzimiskes in 969. In 970, Leo unsuccessfully tried to rebel against Tzimiskes, and was exiled to Lesbos. After another failed attempt at rebellion in 971 however, he was banished to the island of Prote and blinded
Political mutilation in Byzantine culture
Mutilation in the Byzantine Empire was a common method of punishment for criminals of the era but it also had a role in the Empire's political life. The mutilation of political rivals by the Emperor was deemed an effective way of sidelining from the line of succession a person who was seen as a...
. The date of his death is unknown.