Abstract

CARRASCO, Carlos Martínez. Phocas’s coup d’état (602): its social origins. Medievalista [online]. 2022, n.31, pp.217-234.  Epub June 30, 2022. ISSN 1646-740X.  https://doi.org/10.4000/medievalista.5129.

Starting from a reassessment of the available sources, a review of one of the key moments in the historical development of the Eastern Roman Empire is proposed, the coup d’état that brought Phocas to power in 602. It was the first event of its kind that occurred in Constantinople, creating a situation of instability that would mark the entire 7th century. This study places the accent on the social and economic context in which it occurred, anchoring it in the existing tensions between the aristocratic establishment and the rest of the Roman population. The extreme cruelty with which Maurice's deposition took place, and which also affected his family, would be proof that it was a social revenge.

Keywords : Byzantium; 7^th century; Phocas; Social Crisis; coup d’ État..

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