It's nice to see some familiar faces here now that Byzantium group is up and running again, and thanks to Aphrodite for getting the ball rolling.

What brought me initially to a deeper study of Byzantium was my initial interest in the Macedonian Dynasty, and in particular it's later interaction with the landed barons of the Anatolikon themes. These included but certainly were not limited to the Houses Phocas and Ducas. I especially find the era surrounding the acession of the boy emperor heirs to Romanus II (Basil II and Constantine VIII), the questioning of Basil's parentage, the reigns of caretaker "usurpers" like Nikephorus Phocas and John I Tzimiskes, and the central role played in these years by the empress Theophano. All of this, of course, culimnating in an examination of the reign of Basil II the Bulgar Slayer, whose 49-year reign was the longest in the history of the city, and whose own life story reads like something out of Sir Walter Scott novel.

That said, I have come to love it all, from the days of Constantine the Great through the reigns of such big shots as Justinian, Heralcius, Leo the Wise and Constantine VII Porphyrogenitos, and on down through the reigns of the Comnenii to that of the last emperor, Constantine XIII, who died defending the city from Mehmet's Janizaries in 1453.

What shall we discuss first? I am so pleased to see you all here!

Regards,

Fabius