22 Facts About Phocas

Phocas deeply mistrusted the uncooperative elite of Constantinople, to whom he was a usurper and a provincial boor.

Phocas therefore attempted to base his regime on relatives installed in high military and administrative positions.

Phocas immediately faced challenges in domestic and foreign affairs, and responded with little success.

Phocas dealt with domestic opposition with increasing ruthlessness that alienated ever wider circles, including some of his own household.

Finally, the Exarch of Africa, Heraclius the Elder, rebelled against Phocas and gained wide support throughout the empire.

Phocas attempted to use border troops to crush the rebellion, but this only resulted in allowing invaders to break into the heartlands of the Empire.

The veracity of these sources is difficult to ascertain since emperors of the Heraclian dynasty who succeeded Phocas had a vested interest in tarnishing his reputation.

Phocas was probably born in 547, as he was said to be aged 55 when he became emperor.

Phocas swiftly dealt with him, by inviting him to Constantinople under the promise of safe conduct, then having him burnt alive when he arrived.

Phocas frequently filled senior posts with his relatives, due to his isolation from the bulk of Constantinople's elite, with whom he had had no connection before, or because of Constantinople's system of imperial patronage which prioritized loyalty to the emperor.

Phocas installed: his brother Domentziolus as Magister officiorum in 603; his nephew Domentziolus as Magister militum per Orientem in 604, giving him command over the eastern provinces; and his brother Comentiolus as Magister militum per Orientem around 610.

When Phocas was emperor, Byzantine Italy was under continual attack from Lombards, but the Byzantine government spent few resources to aid Italy due to troubles elsewhere.

When Phocas usurped Maurice, Gregory the Great was bishop of Rome and he praised Phocas as a restorer of liberty.

Imperial approval was needed at that time to appoint a new pope, but the approval was delayed by a year upon the death of Pope Sabinian in 606, as Phocas was occupied with killing internal enemies that threatened his rule.

Phocas finally gave approval in 607 and Boniface III became pope.

Shortly afterwards, Phocas had a gilded statue of himself erected on a monumental column in the Roman Forum, known as the Column of Phocas.

Phocas is generally depicted as a villain by Byzantines and modern historians alike, but some of the earliest sources available about Phocas' reign were written during the reign of Heraclius.

The reign of Phocas is marked by the change of imperial fashion set by Constantine the Great.

However, Phocas was consistently depicted with a beard and this became the convention until the end of the Byzantine Empire.

Phocas transferred the title of "Universal Bishop" from the Diocese of Constantinople to the Diocese of Rome.

In calling the Pope the "head of all churches", Phocas' decree has been important in discussions about papal primacy and papal supremacy.

Some Protestant historicist commentators have seen the decree of Phocas as having eschatological significance.