Niketas 66, also known as Oryphas, was the droungarios of the imperial fleet in 860 when he persecuted Ignatios 1 and his supporters on the orders of Photios 1 and the emperor (Michael III, i.e. Michael 11) and the kaisar Bardas 5: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 516C (Νικήτας ὁ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ στόλου δρουγγάριος, ὁ Ὠρύφας λεγόμενος). The date was in 860, when Ignatios 1 was transferred to the island of Terebinthos and when also there occurred an attack by Russian raiders. Later, after Whitsun 862 or 863 when Ignatios 1 and one of his followers, Kyprianos 6, escaped in disguise, Niketas 66 was sent with six fast ships to search for Ignatios 1 among the coasts and islands of the Propontis and to kill him when he found him; they are said to have often had him in their hands but failed to recognise him in disguise: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 524D (τὸν χαλεπὸν ἐκεῖνον Ὠρύφαν). Possibly identical with Niketas 77 and/or Niketas 151. Perhaps identical with Ooryphas 1, but their offices in 861 do not correspond.

Also called Ooryphas; Niketas 66 was patrikios and droungarios of the ploïmon in c. 869 when, with a fleet of one hundred ships, he was sent (by Basilios 7) to help the city of Ragusa, then besieged by Arab forces under Soldanos, Sabas and Kalphous (all in PBE II); as he approached, the Arabs withdrew: Const. Porph., DAI 29, 97ff.

(Publishable link for this person: )