Alalia in Corsica and Massilia (mod. Marseilles). A large part of the emigrants proceeded only as far as Chios, returned to Phocaea, and submitted to the Persian yoke.
Phocaea continued to exist under the Persian government, but greatly reduced in population and commerce. Though it joined in the Ionian revolt against Persia in 500 it was able to send only three ships to the combined fleet which fought at Lade. But a Phocaean took the supreme command. It never again played a prominent part in Ionian history, and is rarely mentioned. In the time of Timur Fujah was a fortress of Sarukhan, but had been previously in Genoese hands. The ruins still visible on the site bear the name of Palaea Fokia, but they are of little interest. The modern town in the immediate neighbourhood, still known as Fokia, was founded by the Genoese in 1421 on account of the rich alum mines in the neighbourhood. It has a fair natural harbour, which is the nearest outlet of the rich district of Menemen. About 1880, while the Gediz Chai was throwing its silt unchecked into the Gulf of Smyrna and gradually filling the navigable channel, there was talk of reviving Fokia as a new port for Smyrna, and connecting it with the Cassaba railway. But, in deference to Smyrniote protests, a new estuary was cut for the Gediz. Fokia has acquired local importance however as a port of call for coasting steamers, and it is used to some degree as a summer residence by Smyrniotes. (D. G. H.)
PHOCAS, East Roman emperor (602–610), was a Cappadocian
of humble origin. He was still but a centurion when chosen by
the army of the Danube to lead it against Constantinople, A
revolt within the city soon afterwards resulted in the abdication
of the reigning emperor Maurice, and in the elevation of Phocas
to the throne, which seems to have been accomplished by one
of the circus factions against the wish of the troops. Phocas
proved entirely incapable of governing the empire. He consented
to pay an increased tribute to the Avars and allowed the
Persians, who had declared war in 604 under Chosroes II., to
overrun the Asiatic provinces and to penetrate to the Bosporus.
When the African governor Heraclius declared against him,
Phocas was deserted by the starving population of Constantinople,
and deposed with scarcely a struggle (610). He died in the same year on the scaffold.
See J. B. Bury, The Later Roman Empire (London, 1889), ii. 197–206.
PHOCION, Athenian statesman and general, was born about 402 B.C.,[1] the son of a small manufacturer. He became a pupil of Plato and in later life was a close friend of Xenocrates. This academic training left its mark upon him, but it was as a soldier rather than as a philosopher that he first came into notice. Under Chabrias he distinguished himself in the great sea-fight of Naxos (376), and in the subsequent campaigns loyally supported his chief. He won the confidence of the allies by his justice and integrity. In 351–349[2] he entered the Persian service and helped to subdue a rebellion in Cyprus. Henceforward he always held a prominent position in Athens, and although he never canvassed he was elected general forty-five times in all. In politics he is known chiefly as the consistent opponent of the anti-Macedonian firebrands, headed by Demosthenes, Lycurgus and Hypereides, whose fervent eloquence he endeavoured to damp by recounting the plain facts of Athens’s military and financial weakness and her need of peace, even when the arms of Athens seemed to prosper most. But although he won the respect of his audience, his advice was frequently discarded. Yet his influence was felt at the trial of Aeschines in 343, whom he helped to defend, and after the disaster of Chaeroneia (338), when he secured very lenient terms from Philip. He also rendered good service in the field: in 348 he saved the force operating against the philo-Macedonian tyrants in Euboea by the brilliant victory of Tamynae. Under the Macedonian predominance his reputation steadily increased. Though by no means inclined to truckle to the Macedonians, as is shown by his protection of the refugee Harpalus and his spirited campaign in defence of Attica in 322, he won the confidence of the conquerors, and in the restricted democracy which
Antipater enforced he became the virtual ruler of Athens. Old age, however, was telling on him; when Polyperchon by his proclamation of “freedom” raised a new crisis in 318, Phocion’s dilatoriness was interpreted as active treason on Cassander’s behalf, and the people, incited by the restored democrats, deposed him from office. Phocion fled to Polyperchon, but
was sent back by the latter to be tried at Athens. The assembly, containing numerous slaves and all the city mob, shouted Phocion down and condemned him to death unheard. Not long after, the Athenians decreed a public burial and a statue in his honour.
Phocion’s character and policy were throughout inspired by his philosophic training, which best explains his remarkable purity of character and his prudent councils. To the same influence we may ascribe his reserve and his reluctance to co-operate heartily either with the people or with the Macedonian conquerors who put their trust in him: a greater spirit of energy and enterprise might have made him the saviour of his country. Phocion remained famous in antiquity for the pithy sayings with which he used to parry the eloquence of his opponents. Demosthenes called him “the chopper of my periods.”
Plutarch (Life of Phocion) draws much good information from Philochorus and uris (who reproduces Hieronymus of Cardia); his numerous anecdotes are repeated IH other works of his and in Aelian (Var. hist.). Diodorus (xvi.–xviii) is likewise based on Duris. See Holm. Gk. Hist. vol. iii. (Eng. trans., London, 1896). (M. O. B. C.)
PHOCIS, an ancient district of central Greece (now a department, pop. 62,246), about 625 sq. m. in area, bounded on the W. by Ozolian Locris and Doris, on the N. by Opuntian Locris, on the E. by Boeotia, and on the S. by the Corinthian Gulf. The massive ridge of Parnassus (8068 ft.), which traverses the heart of the country, divides it into two distinct portions. Between this central barrier and the northern frontier range of
Cnemis (3000 ft.) is the narrow but fertile valley of the Cephissus, along which most of the Phocian townships were scattered. Under the southern slope of Parnassus were situated the two small plains of Crisa and Anticyra, separated by Mt Cirphis, an offshoot from the main range. Being neither rich in material resources nor well placed for commercial enterprise, Phocis was mainly pastoral. No large cities grew up within its territory, and its chief places were mainly of strategic importance.
The early history of Phocis remains quite obscure. From the scanty notices of Greek legend it may be gathered that an influx of tribes from the north contributed largely to its population, which was reckoned as Aeolic. It is probable that the country was originally of greater extent, for there was a tradition that the Phocians once owned a strip of land round Daphnus on the sea opposite Euboea, and carried their frontier to Thermopylae; in addition, in early days they controlled the great sanctuary of Delphi. The restriction of their territory was due to the hostility of their neighbours of Boeotia and Thessaly, the latter of whom in the 6th century even carried their raids into the Cephissus valley. Moreover the Dorian population of Delphi constantly strove to establish its independence and about 590 B.C. induced a coalition of Greek states to proclaim a “Sacred War” and free the oracle from Phocian supervision. Thus their influence at Delphi was restricted to the possession of two votes in the Amphictyonic Council.
During the Persian invasion of 480 the Phocians at first joined in the national defence, but by their irresolute conduct at Thermopylae lost that position for the Greeks; in the campaign of Plataea they were enrolled on the Persian side. In 457 an attempt to extend their influence to the head waters of the Cephissus in the territory of Doris brought a Spartan army into Phocis in defence of the “metropolis of the Dorians.” A similar enterprise against Delphi in 448 was again frustrated by Sparta, but not long afterwards the Phocians recaptured the sanctuary with the help of the Athenians, with whom they
- ↑ Diodorus’ statement that Phocion was 75 at his death (i.e. that he became general at 30 and was elected 45 years in succession) would give 394–393 as the date of birth, but he must have been quite 25 as second-in-command at Naxos (376).
- ↑ The chronology is uncertain; the dates given for this period are Beloch’s Griechische Geschichte.
