Phocas, 602-610

[@myusername6595]

This is such a good format. I wish there were more video series just going through the leaders of a country/ empire one by one. A format like this would be great for Chinese/Persian emperors, Russian/ English/ French rulers, etc. Obviously you can't do all those countries. I just mean KZbin has a lot of history videos that are really general and they all repeat the same things. Good, really detailed lectures like this exist, but they're hard to find.

[@ThersitestheHistorian]

Thanks, I'm glad that you like my format. I think that it lends itself fairly well to biographies, but I am looking to branch out in terms of format for some of my other videos.

[@kaloarepo288]

The still existing COLUMN OF PHOCAS in Rome (old Rome!) was the last monument added to the Roman Forum.Erected in 608 A.D.

[@ThersitestheHistorian]

It is an especially interesting fact given Phocas' reputation since his execution.

[@kaloarepo288]

Thanks! Another interesting emperor(this time of the Western Empire) is Majorian (Majorianus) Edward Gibbon describes him as the Last of the Romans -definitely worth looking into and doing a programme about.

[@ThersitestheHistorian]

Most definitely. I meant to do something on Majorian a few months ago, but it had slipped my mind. I find him to be a pretty fascinating guy.

[@chazalbuster427]

Kalo Arepo - Yea, the column of Phocas,- without Phocas’ gold statue standing on top of the column.

[@richardsmith2879]

I think he was also responsible for stripping the gilt bronze tiles off the roofs of public buildings, including the Pantheon. So, a small statue of ‘me’, and lots of valuable loot too.

[@BodieB]

Dovahhaty doesn't lie...Phocus was the incarnation of Virginious Seriously though...he put all of his family members in important roles and were utter disasters...

[@MoeLesteur]

Please don't quote that guy. X')

[@TonyFontaine1988]

@@MoeLesteur seethe

[@jayy7842]

@@MoeLesteur Seethe.

[@directrulefromgamerchair3947]

@@MoeLesteur cope and seethe

[@MiguelPerez-zx2wg]

Ah I see your a man of culture

[@parabellum957]

As a Historian myself i can tell you, you rock and keep up the good work :D !!!

[@ffurtado2001]

Amazing that Maurice was the first eastern emperor to be successfully overthrown. Even though there were many coup attempts this is the fist since Arcadius to actually be removed from office. Almost 200 years of some measure of stability at the top, quite amazing I must say.

[@alanpennie8013]

It's hard to say why Maurice was so unpopular. He seems to have been a perfectly cromulent emperor. And yet he lost the support of The Senate, the circus factions, and his own army. It's strange.

[@alessandrogini5283]

​@@alanpennie8013 simply,like Alexander severus,he Need to lower pay of the army to boost the army effort ,and this lead on his overthrow

[@lilestojkovicii6618]

That's why the Eastern empire survived what the West failed to They at least had stability and the moment they lost that they found themselves on the brink of destruction

[@histguy101]

What happened to the coin mint during this time? Did Phocas fire all the craftsmen and replace them with burger flippers? The drop in quality is violent, and stays that way for a century or two.

[@ThersitestheHistorian]

It probably has a lot to do with the massive drop in the empire's wealth due to the Arab invasions and the impoverishment of the empire.

[@MegaTang1234]

Roman coins (and art in general) were already declining by the time Diocletian became emperor.

[@adamfrisk956]

What happened to the music industry during our time? Did it kick out all good musicians and replace them with teen models and mumble rappers? The drop in quality is violent, and stays that way for a decade or two,

[@histguy101]

@@adamfrisk956 then what happens?

[@henripentant1120]

This is a good question, and one that might say a lot about the real nature of his rule. You’re right whatever anyone might say his coins definitely show a marked decline in quality from Maurice’s issues. I believe part of if had to do with debased coins being hastily and sloppily minted during the anarchy of the border collapse and the mutiny of the army of Oriens to keep the army loyal.

[@decimusausoniusmagnus5719]

The fact that this """man's""""" surname was literally Seal (Phokas) should tell you that not even he took himself seriously.

[@lawrence9506]

For someone interested in history this is excellent. The presentation and information are excellent.

[@jokester3076]

I think “Theodosius” was legit and not an imposter as some historians believe , since his sister was Khosrau’s queen and his identity could be vouched for.

[@ragael1024]

ok... so what happened to him?

[@amienabled6665]

@@ragael1024 Byzantines thought he was sus and voted him out

[@zersky495]

@@amienabled6665 amogus

[@henripentant1120]

Interesting.

[@paprskomet]

​@theoldcavalier7451why you agree?

[@no.stache.nietzsche1635]

Nice concise and informative lecture! Great layout too, subbed

[@chrishughes5049]

Just a casual assessment of Phocas and Heraclius two vastly different reigns, competence is the most striking quality that jumps to mind, the one, Heraclius, reigned for 40 years....that has to qualify his competence to a greater degree than Phocus's six disastrous years. Seems to me the shoe fits on Phocus. All art is propaganda isn't it?

[@henripentant1120]

It makes for a very interesting comparison. Just imo Heraclius was the better player of the political game at the imperial level, being a full nobleman, had a better sense of all the palms to be greased.

[@paprskomet]

Heraclius saw much more disastrous years than Phocas did.

[@geordiejones5618]

How is 610-641 40 years lol

[@SirBoggins]

​He was technically Roman Emperor in 608 as he had rebelled that year.

[@henripentant1120]

I think here is a case of a victim of his own ignorance of court politics similar to a less fortunate version of Justin I neither truly a monster himself nor an obscured victim of polemic. He had no handle on the mechanisms to brought him to power and they ran wild on him. He was player enough but no political master player.

[@wojciechkomar197]

Anybody from unbaiased history?

[@Eazy-ERyder]

Of course

[@christopherevans2445]

The column of Phocas in Rome

[@wankawanka3053]

This guy ruled for more years than Aurelian 💀💀

[@Spartan-hu2go]

I think the biggest shame in roman history is the fact that honorius reigned for decades even though he was the worst emperor ever.

[@geordiejones5618]

​​@@Spartan-hu2gohonestly Stilicho's virtue for his time was a weakness, same with Majorian. In 395 he could have kept his big army in tact and forced the East to try and take it from him, sending a message to everyone that he was in control. Majorian should have done the same with Ricimer once his position was solidified before the invasion of Africa. They both lived on the most treacherous political stage of Roman history and they failed to bring themselves to be utterly ruthless. I fault Aetius for being selfish and losing Spain/Africa as a result (Bonifatius and Felix share blame too) but he held down what he could nonetheless and managed to navigate the strange compromises of his time. After Count Theodosius, Merobaudes and Arbogast, it should have been very clear that the West needed a generalissimo that could go toe to toe with the Eastern court, and Stilicho/Majorian were maybe the only individuals in a position to do just that.

[@johnmurdoch3083]

Before this I really didnt like Phocas. I admired Maurice and sympathized with his rule which was brilliant but out of touch. I'm looking forward to another perspective

[@dadsonworldwide3238]

I think he is a key to the age and inside his reign is many answers to devicive times. Deflecting from the truth and details going on under byzantine vassal states.

[@gilgalbiblewheel6313]

I find certain patterns in the Byzantine emperors throughout the centuries. Notice while most of the 6th century is ruled by the Justinians in the beginning of the 7th century there is an assassination by Phocas, this ending the Justinian dynasty. And the 7th century has kings who did heroic deeds as far as I know. But some also broke the 7th commandment of committing adultery or perverted sex. In Phocas’ case he raped a nobleman’s wife. This cause a hero to sail from Africa to sail all the way to Constantinople and caught him and executed him (long story short). But Heraclius, as his name was, meaning hero soon after married his niece Martina and they had a son and called him Heraclonas or little hero. The Hebrew word for “seven” is Sheba and also means oath. And marriage is making an oath between a man and a woman. So adultery is breaking the oath. But an oath is made in other things as well. The Umayyads made an oath to return the leadership to Mohammed’s relative after one’s death but the son of the deceased didn’t follow that promise and he became the Islamic leader in the 7th century. Coming back to the Heraclian dynasty. It was during their reign that the Umayyads took the bronze from the Colossus of Rhodes to sell it around the world. And there was a poetry ascribed to the Colossus also the statue of Helios the sun-god. And within the poetry Heraclius (Hercules) is mentioned. The last Heraclian Justinian II was eventually murdered or assassinated at the turn of the 8th century. But he was another hero who managed to escape from the Khazarian prison and to come and rule despite his mutilated nose. He had managed to kill to guards along his way out of prison to the throne.

[@chazalbuster427]

It is pronounced ‘sheva” (שֶׁבַע) not ‘sheba’. It’s feminine form is ‘shiv’ah’ (שִׁבְעָה‎). Cheers!

[@decimusausoniusmagnus5719]

Fugg

[@iDeathMaximuMII]

@@decimusausoniusmagnus5719 Avars: Fug :D

[@MohamedMohamed-ws7mq]

Your Islamic history knowledge is lacking

[@SirBoggins]

????????

[@Κώστας-ζ7κ]

Phocas was horible that's facts

[@houtsaptsa2099]

Agree

[@paprskomet]

Those are not facts. That is absurdly simplified picture, direct legacy of pro-Heraclian writters who drastically dammaged picture of Phocas.

[@paprskomet]

​@@houtsaptsa2099And why exactly you agree? Because you studied Phocas in detail? Like really studied him not just reading article on Wikipedia?

[@August_Aurelian]

Maybe he was not the best emperor but he wasn't bad as soureces from regin of Heraclius shows him.

[@SirBoggins]

​@@August_AurelianBut not as great as YOU, Avrelianvs Avgvstvs!!

[@sinkoprvi3477]

Phocas may not have done anything particularly out of the norm or bad, but the consequences of his usurpation - and the Persian/Roman fight to the bitter end - enabled the things that basically killed Byzantium, namely the Arab invasions and the loss of Egypt and Syria (the two best provinces of the east). Naturally, you can't blame him for any one individual act, but in a larger historical sense, he was an utterly horrid emperor. After him, it was all inevitably downhill, in my opinion. Heraclius may have been the one present for most of those names things, but all of them were the direct result of Phocas' actions.

[@dshock85]

Just stick to calling it Roman. It was Roman till it was gone in 1453. We need to drop the Byzantine title. Eastern Roman empire fine.

[@SirBoggins]

ROMAN EMPIRE! 31BCE - 1453CE ! !

[@chrisschaeffer9661]

Youre a Great Apologist. Kobe Bryant could use your skills to make him look like Hes Not a Sex Offender that He Is!!