Судан и Большой Ближний Восток

328 IV. Ближний Восток и его соседи Skylitzes briefly reports onNicephorus Phocas’ prudent establishment of a “χάραξ” (= military camp) in front of the Arab walls of Handax, and his building of a palisade around it with a surrounding ditch. 1 Thus, in contrast to Gongyles’ carelessness, he did not ignore one of the first principles of warfare, i. e. establishing a well-protected camp in a foreign land before starting any additional military activities beyond it. Skylitzes further reports that Nicephorus Phocas forced the Arabs to remainwithin their walls until they were compelled to surrender because of starvation, and that even their leaders were captured. 2 Just one of Skylitzes’ illuminations reflects Phocas’ activities (fig. 339, fol. 140r), which resembles Gongyles’ previously presented picture. Again, the island appears in the form of a hill; on the right, a two-story edifice with large arches symbolizes the besieged Arab fortress. The center is occupied by a sketchy depiction of the Byzantines’ camp symbolized by three tents, two painted brown and one blue, behind which appear just the heads of the Byzantine soldiers. On the left, four ships without their sails are moored in a bay. In this static picture, the artist painted the long-awaited triumph of the Byzantines over the Cretan Arabs. The caption just mentions Nicephorus Phocas’ capture of the provincial Arab fortresses (“…τα φρούρια εχειρώσατο”), and simply adds the word Byzantines (Ρωμαῖοι) over their camp. No depiction of the defeated Cretan Arabs appears. The reconquest of Crete by Nicephorus Phocas (961) marks the end of “The Cycle of the Conquest of Crete by the Arabs”. Fig. 358 (fol. 145r) depicts his entry into Constantinople after his victory. He appears triumphant entering Constantinople on horseback, dressed in forus Phocas in Byzantine Historical Writings”, Byzantinoslavica 54 (1993), 245–253. For the personality of Nicephorus Phocas, see Rosemary Morris, “The Two faces of Nicephorus Phocas”, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies 12 (1988), 83–115; N. Gigourtakis, Ο Νικηφόρος Φωκάς και η Κρήτη , Her- akleion 1988; see also A. Markopoulos, “Ζητήματα κοινωνικού φύλου στον Λέοντα Διάκονο”, in Ενθυμίσεις Νικολάου Μ. Παναγιωτάκη , Herakleion 2000, 475–493. For Nicephorus Phocas’military tactics, see T. G. Kolias, Νικηφόρος Β´Φωκάς (963–969) , Athens 1993, 28–32. 1 Thurn, 249, line 19. 2 Thurn, 249, line 27; 250, line 1.