Romanos II | Romanos Melikian | John Kourkouas | Romanos IV Diogenes | Romanos | Kourkouas | John Kourkouas (died 971) |
John's namesake grandfather had been a commander of the elite Hikanatoi regiment (tagma) under Emperor Basil I (reigned 867–886); John's brother Theophilos became a senior general, as did John's own son, Romanos, and his great-nephew, John Tzimiskes.