Bardas Parsakoutenos (Greek: Βάρδας Παρσακουτηνός) was a Byzantine commander and nephew of Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas.
The family's surname (erroneously spelled Παρσακουντηνός, Parsakountenos, in some manuscripts) derives from the locality of "Parsakoute" (Παρσακούτη).
[1] According to Arabic sources, in a battle at Hadath on 19 October 954 Theodoulos Parsakoutenos and one of his sons, either Bardas or the younger Nikephoros, were taken prisoner by the Hamdanid emir Sayf al-Dawla.
Their exile probably lasted until Phokas himself was recalled in 978 by Emperor Basil II (r. 976–1025) to confront the rebellion of Bardas Skleros.
Accordingly, the contemporary historian Leo the Deacon records that in 978 Bardas Parsakoutenos, holding the supreme court rank of magistros, commanded the central Imperial Fleet when it defeated a rebel fleet off Abydos through the use of Greek fire, before going on to disembark his men, defeat the rebel troops on land, and recapture Abydos.