2024-11-1020210951-896710.1080/09518967.2021.19001642-s2.0-85109016671http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09518967.2021.1900164https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/17469The article originates from a record David Jacoby drew attention to but left mostly unaddressed in his path-breaking article on the silk industry in western Byzantium. It examines three underexplored hagiographical texts concerning the endeavours of Arechis II, the prince of Benevento (758-787), in the translation of holy relics. These texts all feature the word phocaicus when describing the luxurious textiles Arechis dedicated to the relics. This article argues that this word is a geographical designation pointing to a so-far unidentified centre of the Byzantine silk industry sometime around 1050-1150, most likely Phokis in Central Greece.HistoryJournal Article1743-940X6680654000039172