Nikephoros Ouranos
Nikephoros Ouranos | |
---|---|
Born | Unknown |
Died | c. 1010 Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Hatay, Turkey) |
Allegiance | Byzantine Empire |
Rank | Domestic of the Schools, doux of Antioch, viceroy of the Eastern frontier |
Battles/wars | Battle of Spercheios |
Nikephoros Ouranos (
Biography
Very little is known of Ouranos's origin, his early years or his family, and the chronicles represent him very much as a "
Once in Baghdad, however, Ouranos was accused of either trying to poison or to negotiate in secret with Skleros, and was imprisoned. It is very likely that the charges against him were orchestrated by Basil Lekapenos, who wished to get rid of him.
Following the death of the military governor (
Ouranos continued campaigning in the area over the next years, although no information about his operations is provided by the chronicler
After arranging a ten-year truce with the Fatimids in 1001, the trusted Ouranos was meant to be Basil's representative in the eastern border areas and was armed with plenipotentiary authority, as attested by a seal declaring him "master of the East" (ὁ κρατῶν τῆς Ἀνατολῆς).[9][12] In 1000–1001, Ouranos quelled an uprising by two Syrian Bedouin tribes, the Noumeritai and the Ataphitai. In 1005–1007, he was engaged in operations against the Arab rebel Al-Asfar, whom he finally defeated in 1007.[9][11] Nothing is known of Ouranos after that date, although the fact that a successor as doux of Antioch was not appointed until 1011 may mean that he continued to occupy the office until then.[9]
Works
Ouranos's Taktika
The 10th century saw a revival in the practice of writing encyclopedic works, including military manuals, in the Byzantine Empire. Nikephoros's Taktika (Greek: Τακτικά) represent the final example among the latter,[13] and were written while he was governor of Antioch.[9]
The work consists of 178 chapters, which can be divided into the following parts:[14]
- Chapters 1–55 are a paraphrase of the Tactica of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912).
- Chapters 56–62 are a paraphrase of the Praecepta Militaria of Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963–969), while the appended chapters 63–65 reflect Ouranos's own experience and are emendations of earlier texts reflecting the new circumstances of Byzantine warfare in the early 11th century.[15]
- Chapters 66–74 are derived from the 1st-century author Onasander.
- Chapters 75–175 and 176–178 likewise are derived from ancient authors.
Of Ouranos's own additions, chapter 63 deals with raids into enemy territory. Chapter 64 discusses the problem of breaking camp and setting to march when the enemy is nearby, as well as on the forced passing of a defile held by the enemy (drawn from earlier authors). Chapter 65 concerns itself with siegecraft.[16]
The latter is especially notable for the importance given to psychological and diplomatic factors during a siege. For instance, he notes the importance of taking precautions even against Christian subjects supplying a Muslim enemy with
Oddly enough, though Ouranos refers to trebuchets, it appears he (and by extension the Byzantines) used them against the defenders along the walls, and not against the walls themselves. Apparently in ignorance of the destructive power at his command, he writes: "The men of old, in their pursuit of siege warfare, constructed many devices such as battering rams, wooden towers, scaling ladders with various features, tortoises, and all kinds of other things which our generation can hardly imagine. It has, however, tried all these devices and found that out of all of them, the most effective way, one the enemy cannot match, is undermining the foundations..."
Other works
Ouranos was also a pious man, attempting to live a monkish life without disengaging from worldly affairs. As mentioned above, he was entrusted with the upkeep of the Great Lavra monastery, and in his youth he was apparently a friend of Saint
He authored two known
References
Citations
- ^ Magdalino 2003, p. 89.
- ^ a b c d e f g McGeer 1991, p. 130.
- ^ a b Kazhdan 1991, p. 1544.
- ^ Magdalino 2003, p. 71.
- ^ Magdalino 2003, p. 87; Holmes 2005, p. 409.
- ^ Holmes 2005, pp. 163–165.
- ^ Holmes 2005, p. 166.
- ^ a b Holmes 2005, p. 167.
- ^ a b c d e f g McGeer 1991, p. 131.
- ^ Holmes 2005, pp. 200, 349.
- ^ a b c Holmes 2005, p. 349.
- ^ Magdalino 2003, p. 88; Holmes 2005, pp. 350–351.
- ^ McGeer 1991, p. 129.
- ^ McGeer 1991, pp. 131–132.
- ^ McGeer 1991, p. 133.
- ^ McGeer 1991, pp. 132–133.
- ^ Høgel 2002, pp. 64–65.
Sources
- Høgel, Christian (2002). Symeon Metaphrastes: Rewriting and Canonization. Copenhagen, Denmark: Museum Tusculanum Press (University of Copenhagen). ISBN 978-8-77-289675-5.
- Holmes, Catherine (2005). Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976–1025). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-927968-5.
- ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6.
- ISBN 90-04-12097-1.
- McGeer, Eric (1991). "Tradition and Reality in the "Taktika" of Nikephoros Ouranos". Dumbarton Oaks Papers. 45. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University: 129–140. JSTOR 1291697.
Further reading
- Krausmüller, Dirk (Winter 2001–2002). "Fainting fits and their causes: a topos in two Middle Byzantine metaphraseis by Nicetas the Paphlagonian and Nicephorus Ouranos". Golden Horn: Journal of Byzantium. 9 (1).
- McGeer, Eric (2000). "Byzantine Siege Warfare in Theory and Practice". In Corfis, Ivy A.; Wolfe, Michael (eds.). The Medieval City under Siege. Woodbridge, United Kingdom and Rochester, New York: The Boydell Press (Boydell & Brewer Limited). ISBN 978-0-85115-756-6.
- McGeer, Eric (2008). Sowing the Dragon's Teeth: Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks Studies. ISBN 978-0-88-402224-4.
- Trombley, Frank (1997). "The Taktika of Nikephoros Ouranos and Military Encyclopaedism". In Binkley, Peter (ed.). Pre-Modern Encyclopaedic Texts: Proceedings of the Second COMERS Congress, Groningen, 1–4 July 1996. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. pp. 261–274. ISBN 978-90-04-10830-1.
External links
- Amedroz, H. F. (October 1914). "An Embassy from Baghdad to the Emperor Basil II". London, United Kingdom: The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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