Nikephoros Ouranos (Gr. Νικηφορος Ουρανος) was the Byzantine strategos of Antiocheia from 999 to circa 1010. He also led the army that crushed the Bulgars and wounded their Tsar Samuil at the Spercheios River in 996 or 7. This was during the reign of Basil II the Bulgar-Slayer. Ouranos composed a Taktika on the basis of his experiences, copying but expanding the earlier work of Nikephoros II Phokas. Byzantine Empire (Greek: Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The term strategos (plural strategoi; Greek στρατηγός) is used in Greek to mean general. In the Byzantine Empire the term was also used to describe a military governor (see Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Events Silesia is incorporated into territory ruled by Boleslaus I of Poland Pope Silvester II succeeds Pope Gregory V Sigmundur Brestisson introduces christianity in the Faroe Islands Deaths December 16 - Saint Adelaide of Italy (b. ... Events The Ly Dynasty in Vietnam is established (or 1009). ... Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria (c. ... Events March/April - Pope John XV dies before being being able to coronate Otto III, King of Germany as Holy Roman Emperor. ... Events City of Gdansk is founded Saint Adalbert of Prague is sent to Prussia by Boleslaus I of Poland Samuil of Bulgaria crowned Tsar by Pope Gregory V The town of Trondheim is founded. ... Painting of Basil II, from an 11th century manuscript. ... Emperor Nicephoros Phocas Nicephorus II Phocas was one of the most brilliant generals in the history of Byzantium who rose to become a mediocre emperor from 963 until his assassination in 969. ...

Chapter 65, dealing with siegecraft, is notable for the importance given to psychological and diplomatic factors during a siege. For instance, he notes it is important to take precautions even against Christian subjects supplying a Muslim enemy with grain, cheese or livestock because the high price offered with otherwise prove tempting. Likewise, he suggests alternating between gracious offers of clemency and harsh threats of reprisals (especially against Armenian and Syriac Christians, apostates to Islam (Gr. μαγαριται), and other heretics) whether one plans to honor these or not, as such vacillation will produce dissension among the defenders. The Syriac Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Middle East with members spread throughout the world. ...

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..." Trebuchet at Château des Baux, France. ...

Ouranos was also a pious man, attempting to live a monkish life without disengaging from worldly affairs. He authored two known hagiographical texts, the metaphrasis The Life of Symeon of the Wondrous Mountain and The Passion of Theodore the Recruit. Hagiography is the study of saints. ...

Sources

• Taktika by Nikephoros Ouranos
• Sowing the Dragon's Teeth by Eric McGeer
• "Byzantine Siege Warfare in Theory and Practice" by Eric McGeer from The Medieval City under Siege
• Fainting fits and their causes: a topos in two Middle Byzantine metaphraseis by Nicetas the Paphlagonian and Nicephorus Ouranos by Dirk Krausmüller from Gouden Hoorn Tijdschrift over Byzantium Vol. 9, 1.