Charanis, Peter (1972). Studies on the Demography of the Byzantine Empire: Collected Studies (на језику: енглески). Variorum Reprints. стр. 221—222. ISBN978-0-902089-25-9. „Phocas (963-969), another of the truly great soldier-emperors of the empire. Phocas belonged to one of the most distinguished Byzantine families of the tenth century. Of the beginnings of this family nothing is known. The name Phocas appears as early as the fifth century; it is also attested for the sixth century; and there is of course, the Emperor Phocas, apparently of Cappadocian origin, who overthrew Maurice and was in turn overthrown by Heraclius early in the seventh century. But there is no evidence connecting the great tenth century family with any of these early Phocades. ... And this tradition is perhaps not unrelated to the ethnic origin of the family. The Phocades of the tenth century were most probably of mixed origin. One side of them was Greek or deeply hellenized, the other side was Armenian. Which side was Greek and which side was Armenian is, of course, impossible to say with any degree of certainty, but judging from the name of the family, the Greek side was probably the male one.”
Tomadakes, Nikolaos V. (1960). Eis mnemen K. Amantou: 1874-1960. Typ. Mena Myrtide. стр. 45. „The Phocades then were partly Greek and partly Armenian in origin. That means, of course, that the emperor Nicephorus Phocas was also partly Greek and partly Armenian in origin. It is a mistake, therefore, to refer to him simply as an Armenian.”
Charanis, Peter (1972). Studies on the Demography of the Byzantine Empire: Collected Studies (на језику: енглески). Variorum Reprints. стр. 221—222. ISBN978-0-902089-25-9. „Phocas (963-969), another of the truly great soldier-emperors of the empire. Phocas belonged to one of the most distinguished Byzantine families of the tenth century. Of the beginnings of this family nothing is known. The name Phocas appears as early as the fifth century; it is also attested for the sixth century; and there is of course, the Emperor Phocas, apparently of Cappadocian origin, who overthrew Maurice and was in turn overthrown by Heraclius early in the seventh century. But there is no evidence connecting the great tenth century family with any of these early Phocades. ... And this tradition is perhaps not unrelated to the ethnic origin of the family. The Phocades of the tenth century were most probably of mixed origin. One side of them was Greek or deeply hellenized, the other side was Armenian. Which side was Greek and which side was Armenian is, of course, impossible to say with any degree of certainty, but judging from the name of the family, the Greek side was probably the male one.”
