278:
515:, 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."
342:, which was flooded due to heavy rainfall in the preceding days, rendering it impassable. Both armies thus encamped on opposite shores of the river. The Bulgarians, confident that the Byzantines could not cross the river, neglected to station guards. Ouranos, however, found a ford further upstream, took his army across during the night and attacked the Bulgarian camp. The battle was a rout, as the majority of the Bulgarians, caught unawares, were either killed or captured. Even Tsar Samuel and his son were wounded and only escaped by lying among the slain.
176:
251:
Once in
Baghdad, however, Ouranos was accused of either trying to poison or negotiate in secret with Skleros and was imprisoned. The charges against him were likely orchestrated by Basil Lekapenos, who wished to get rid of him. He remained in prison in Baghdad until after Bardas Skleros himself was
369:
in 998, Emperor Basil himself had campaigned in the area in the previous year, hoping to stabilize the eastern frontier to enable him to devote his resources in the West against
Bulgaria. In the spring of 1000, Ouranos accompanied Basil in his campaign, which led to the annexation of the Georgian
483:
Of
Ouranos's 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 the forced passing of a defile held by the enemy (drawn from earlier authors). Chapter 65 concerns itself with
381:
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"
203:
Basil
Ouranos, possibly an elder relative, is attested, and we know from Nikephoros's letters that he had a brother named Michael. Nikephoros Ouranos himself first enters history in the early 980s, during negotiations between Byzantium and the
523:
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
487:
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
469:(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.
252:
let go in late 986, and was back at
Constantinople in 987. By that time, Basil Lekapenos had fallen from power and had died, and Ouranos continued to enjoy imperial favour. He was given the rank of
400:. In 1005–1007, he was engaged in operations against the Arab rebel Al-Asfar, whom he finally defeated in 1007. Nothing is known of Ouranos after that date, although the fact that a successor as
244:, who had supervised the affairs of state for decades. During the negotiations, Ouranos functioned as the intermediary between the Arabs and the emperor, and he was subsequently chosen by the
1217:
500:
because the high price offered will otherwise prove tempting. Likewise, he suggests alternating between gracious offers of clemency and harsh threats of reprisals (especially against
508:
Christians, apostates to Islam (Greek: μαγαρίται), and other heretics) whether one plans to honor these or not, as such vacillation will produce dissension among the defenders.
1187:
954:
Krausmüller, Dirk (Winter 2001–2002). "Fainting fits and their causes: a topos in two Middle
Byzantine metaphraseis by Nicetas the Paphlagonian and Nicephorus Ouranos".
1182:
1167:
345:
Ouranos continued campaigning in the area over the next years, although no information about his operations is provided by the chronicler
318:
of the West; in effect, commander-in-chief of the
European field army. Following their success, the Bulgarians had penetrated deep into
1177:
1162:
1197:
1172:
155:, where he held command during the first decade of the 11th century as Basil's virtual viceroy. A well-educated man, he wrote a
1024:
999:
978:
882:
858:
837:
234:). Ibn Shahram further mentioned that Ouranos's close association with the emperor made him an enemy to the powerful eunuch
187:
Very little is known of
Ouranos's origin, his early years, or his family, and the chronicles represent him very much as a "
220:
in 982, and Ouranos is mentioned in its report as a confidant of the young Basil II, holding the high court position of
873:
448:
339:
1202:
906:
967:
McGeer, Eric (2000). "Byzantine Siege Warfare in Theory and Practice". In Corfis, Ivy A.; Wolfe, Michael (eds.).
330:. In 997, Ouranos assembled his forces at Thessalonica and marched south to meet them, while the Bulgarian Tsar
357:
in Syria, one of the most important Byzantine regional military commands. Following the death of the previous
1192:
307:
140:
1212:
1157:
541:
973:. Woodbridge, United Kingdom and Rochester, New York: The Boydell Press (Boydell & Brewer Limited).
424:
156:
1067:
439:) represent the final example among the latter, and were written while he was governor of Antioch.
334:, upon hearing of his coming, turned north. The two armies eventually met on the banks of the river
277:
1016:
Pre-Modern Encyclopaedic Texts: Proceedings of the Second COMERS Congress, Groningen, 1–4 July 1996
501:
1042:
315:
259:
76:
1049:. London, United Kingdom: The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
505:
311:
924:. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks, Trustees for Harvard University: 129–140.
877:. New York, New York and Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. pp. 1544–1545.
1054:
1046:
117:
466:
144:
97:
8:
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525:
461:
407:
was not appointed until 1011 may mean that he continued to occupy the office until then.
271:
423:
The 10th century saw a revival in the practice of writing encyclopedic works, including
183:(r. 976–1025). Nikephoros Ouranos was one of his closest and most trusted collaborators.
1207:
933:
331:
222:
216:. After the first Byzantine embassy in 980, an Arab embassy under Ibn Shahram visited
1080:
1020:
995:
974:
916:
McGeer, Eric (1991). "Tradition and Reality in the "Taktika" of Nikephoros Ouranos".
902:
878:
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854:
833:
366:
362:
303:
129:
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375:
125:
66:
442:
The work consists of 178 chapters, which can be divided into the following parts:
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241:
193:
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to head a Byzantine delegation to Baghdad, which would take custody of Skleros.
892:
432:
284:
236:
217:
213:
109:
51:
1151:
1013:
of Nikephoros Ouranos and Military Encyclopaedism". In Binkley, Peter (ed.).
1129:
1117:
832:. Copenhagen, Denmark: Museum Tusculanum Press (University of Copenhagen).
371:
299:
532:
327:
164:
135:(r. 976–1025). One of the emperor's closest associates, he was active in
937:
335:
188:
479:
Chapters 75–175 and 176–178 likewise are derived from ancient authors.
512:
497:
473:
346:
281:
Bulgarians put to flight by Ouranos's forces at Spercheios, from the
267:
254:
199:
929:
258:, and his influential position is evident from the fact that Saint
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Sowing the Dragon's Teeth: Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century
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136:
55:
175:
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383:
205:
152:
148:
1218:
Ambassadors of the Byzantine Empire to the Abbasid Caliphate
994:. Washington, District of Columbia: Dumbarton Oaks Studies.
388:). In 1000–1001, Ouranos quelled an uprising by two Syrian
349:, the main source. In December 999, Ouranos was appointed
294:
81:
472:
Chapters 66–74 are derived from the 1st-century author
1019:. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. pp. 261–274.
853:. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
374:, and defended this new possession from attacks by
1047:"An Embassy from Baghdad to the Emperor Basil II"
1188:Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars
1149:
953:
850:Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976–1025)
829:Symeon Metaphrastes: Rewriting and Canonization
292:Following the death of the military governor (
212:for the return of the renegade rebel general
729:
727:
725:
528:, on whose death he wrote a poem in lament.
1183:Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars
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163:) and composed several surviving poems and
16:10/11th-century Byzantine military officer
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745:
722:
636:
624:
572:
262:appointed him as the first lay guardian (
128:official and general during the reign of
1008:
685:
670:
578:
427:, in the Byzantine Empire. Nikephoros's
276:
174:
1041:
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511:Oddly enough, though Ouranos refers to
459:Chapters 56–62 are a paraphrase of the
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446:Chapters 1–55 are a paraphrase of the
314:in 996, Basil II appointed Ouranos as
825:
809:
415:
603:
13:
946:
901:. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.
874:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
322:, raiding and pillaging even unto
14:
1229:
1035:
956:Golden Horn: Journal of Byzantium
89:, viceroy of the Eastern frontier
1178:11th-century Byzantine generals
1163:Medieval Greek military writers
803:
791:
779:
767:
755:
739:
710:
542:Symeon of the Wondrous Mountain
1198:Byzantine governors of Antioch
1173:11th-century Byzantine writers
658:
646:
630:
618:
566:
518:
1:
1009:Trombley, Frank (1997). "The
970:The Medieval City under Siege
555:
143:, scoring a major victory at
869:Kazhdan, Alexander Petrovich
560:
365:, in the battle against the
170:
7:
141:wars against the Bulgarians
10:
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898:Byzantium in the Year 1000
847:Holmes, Catherine (2005).
818:
384:
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826:Høgel, Christian (2002).
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116:; fl. c. 980 – c. 1010),
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1203:Domestics of the Schools
410:
316:Domestic of the Schools
260:Athanasius the Athonite
77:Domestic of the Schools
1062:Cite journal requires
531:He authored two known
289:
184:
179:The Byzantine emperor
988:McGeer, Eric (2008).
918:Dumbarton Oaks Papers
385:ὁ κρατῶν τῆς Ἀνατολῆς
280:
178:
124:, was a high-ranking
1193:Generals of Basil II
719:, pp. 200, 349.
549:Theodore the Recruit
467:Nikephoros II Phokas
98:Battle of Spercheios
800:, pp. 132–133.
776:, pp. 131–132.
752:, pp. 350–351.
655:, pp. 163–165.
526:Symeon Metaphrastes
462:Praecepta Militaria
1213:11th-century poets
1158:Byzantine generals
1102:Title next held by
290:
223:epi tou kanikleiou
185:
147:, and against the
106:Nikephoros Ouranos
23:Nikephoros Ouranos
1146:
1145:
1137:Succeeded by
1081:Damian Dalassenos
1026:978-90-04-10830-1
1001:978-0-88-402224-4
980:978-0-85115-756-6
884:978-0-19-504652-6
860:978-0-19-927968-5
839:978-8-77-289675-5
812:, pp. 64–65.
363:Damian Dalassenos
304:Gregory Taronites
122:Nicephorus Uranus
114:Νικηφόρος Οὐρανός
103:
102:
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1140:David Areianites
1115:Preceded by
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1045:(October 1914).
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454:Leo VI the Wise
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242:Basil Lekapenos
230:, the imperial
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46:(modern-day
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762:McGeer 1991
750:Holmes 2005
734:Holmes 2005
717:Holmes 2005
705:McGeer 1991
680:Holmes 2005
665:Holmes 2005
653:Holmes 2005
641:Holmes 2005
598:McGeer 1991
537:metaphrasis
535:texts, the
519:Other works
465:of Emperor
452:of Emperor
328:Peloponnese
272:Great Lavra
1152:Categories
1124:Governor (
1107:koitonites
1091:of Antioch
810:Høgel 2002
556:References
513:trebuchets
416:Ouranos's
405:of Antioch
394:Noumeritai
336:Spercheios
312:Bulgarians
228:kanikleion
145:Spercheios
63:Allegiance
1208:Magistroi
561:Citations
498:livestock
474:Onasander
398:Ataphitai
347:Skylitzes
268:monastery
266:) of his
264:epitropos
255:magistros
208:ruler of
200:asēkrētis
171:Biography
126:Byzantine
118:Latinized
1134:996–999
502:Armenian
396:and the
367:Fatimids
232:inkstand
181:Basil II
133:Basil II
1109:(1011)
1099:Unknown
1011:Taktika
938:1291697
819:Sources
449:Tactica
437:Τακτικά
429:Taktika
418:Taktika
390:Bedouin
355:Antioch
326:in the
324:Corinth
270:of the
210:Baghdad
189:new man
161:Taktika
139:in the
130:Emperor
87:Antioch
48:Antakya
43:Antioch
40:c. 1010
32:Unknown
1023:
998:
977:
936:
905:
881:
857:
836:
506:Syriac
494:cheese
332:Samuel
320:Greece
308:battle
137:Europe
56:Turkey
1128:) of
934:JSTOR
496:, or
490:grain
433:Greek
411:Works
306:, in
298:) of
206:Buyid
191:". A
153:Syria
149:Arabs
110:Greek
52:Hatay
1126:doux
1089:Doux
1068:help
1021:ISBN
996:ISBN
975:ISBN
962:(1).
903:ISBN
879:ISBN
855:ISBN
834:ISBN
545:and
504:and
403:doux
359:doux
351:doux
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73:Rank
37:Died
29:Born
926:doi
372:Tao
353:of
338:in
151:in
120:as
85:of
1154::
1059::
1057:}}
1053:{{
958:.
932:.
922:45
920:.
724:^
687:^
672:^
605:^
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552:.
492:,
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