 Nikephoros appears for the first time in Emperor Basil II 's Bulgarian wars , in 999 / 1000 , 1000 / 1 or 1002 , depending on the source . At the time he was a protospatharios , and along with the patrikios Theodorokanos , he commanded a campaign deep into Bulgarian lands . Setting out from Mosynopolis , the two generals crossed the Balkan Mountains and captured the old Bulgarian capitals of Pliska and Great Preslav , along with Little Preslav . They then plundered the Dobruja , left behind garrisons and returned to their base . It is unclear whether he was already the military governor ( strategos ) of Philippopolis at the time , or was appointed to it after the successful conclusion of the campaign , as John Skylitzes reports , when Theodorokanos , who is known to have previously held the post , retired due to his advanced age . 
