In The Rise and Fall of Nikephoros II Phokas, Denis Sullivan presents five Byzantine Greek texts that document the remarkable career of Nikephoros II Phokas, emperor from 963 until his death in 969. The first three texts are historical chronicles covering the period 944-963, which sees Nikephoras’ rise from military general. The fourth is a “historical epic” poem on the successful Byzantine expedition against Arab Crete in 960-961, for which Nikephoros was the field commander. The last text is a liturgical office that declares the slain emperor a martyr and a saint. These texts, translated into English for the first time, provide information on the Phokades that is not found elsewhere in the Greek sources, and the chronicles appear to reflect now lost pro-Phokan family sources.
Denis Sullivan, Ph.D. (1972) Classical Philology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is a professor at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on Byzantine historiography and hagiography, with publications including D. Sullivan, A.-M. Talbot and S. McGrath, The Life of Saint Basil the Younger: Critical Edition and Annotated Translation of the Moscow Version (2014).
PrefaceAcknowledgementsAbbreviations Introduction to the Three Chronicles: Theophanes Continuatus, Symeon the Logothete, and Pseudo-Symeon Text 1: Theophanes Continuatus Book 6, Years 944–961Text and Translation Text 2: The Revised Chronicle of Symeon the Logothete for the Years 948–963 from Vat. gr. 163 and the Interpolations on Nikephoros the Elder from Vat. gr. 153Text and Translations a The Revised Chronicle of Symeon the Logothete for the Years 948–963 from Vat. gr. 163 b The Revised Chronicle of Symeon the Logothete: Interpolations on Nikephoros the Elder from Vat. gr. 153 Text 3: The Chronicle of Pseudo-Symeon for the Years 944–962Text and Translation Text 4: The Capture of Crete, by Theodosios the DeaconIntroductionText and Translation Text 5: Akolouthia for St Nikephoros PhokasIntroductionText and Translation GlossaryBibliographyGeneral Index
Scholars of Byzantium, medieval Islam and the medieval Latin West, particularly historians.