Editing Phocas (section)

===Early life===
Phocas was probably born in 547, as he was said to be aged 55 when he became emperor.{{sfn|Martindale|1992|p=1030}} He and his family were likely of [[Thraco-Roman]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bury|first=John Bagnell|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K1YZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA197|title=A History of the Later Roman Empire: From Arcadius to Irene (395 A.D. to 800 A.D.)|date=1889|publisher=[[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan and Co.]]|volume=2|location=[[London]]|page=197|language=en|quote=The reign of Phocas the Thracian, which lasted for eight years, was the realisation of that dreaded something whose approach had long been felt.|author-link=J. B. Bury}}</ref> or [[Cappadocians|Cappadocian]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Charanis|first=Peter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RFVoAAAAMAAJ|title=Studies on the Demography of the Byzantine Empire: Collected Studies|date=1972|publisher=Variorum Reprints|isbn=978-0-902089-25-9|pages=221|language=en|quote=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.|author-link=Peter Charanis}}</ref> origin. The life of Phocas before his usurpation of the Byzantine Empire's throne is obscure, but he was said to have served as a [[centurion]] in the army in [[Thrace]] under Emperor [[Maurice (emperor)|Maurice]].{{sfn|Martindale|1992|p=1030}}

Late in Maurice's reign, the army sent Phocas to Constantinople as their spokesperson to complain about the conduct of general [[Comentiolus]]. As Phocas presented their case, he argued with the emperor, and as a result, had his beard pulled by an outraged person of [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] rank.{{sfn|Martindale|1992|p=1031}}