Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, Episode 95, Cuda.

Last time we looked at the Emperor Nysephyrus' relations with the caliphate, Charlemagne and

the clergy.

Today we get into the policies closest to his heart, the economy and the Balkans.

These two areas are closely intertwined and together present us with both the positive and

the negative legacies of Nysephyrus' time and power.

As you know, reoccurpying the Balkans had been on the imperial to-do list for a long time

now.

If the peninsula could be filled with loyal, tax-paying citizens, then the empire might

just be able to get back on its feet.

That extra money and manpower could be used for important projects, like, say, pushing

back the Arabs.

Irene had taken some steps in this direction.

Her campaigning had helped establish the theme of Halas and the theme of Macedonia to better

protect the Romans of Greece and Thrace.

And her rebuilding had helped create a militarized border just south of the Hemas Mountains.

Soldiers manned the battlements from Ankiyalus in the east to Philipopolis in the west, keeping

an eye out for the Bulgos.

The safe pockets of imperial territory could not easily be expanded though.

The wilds of Macedonia and Western Thrace had little in the way of natural, defensible

barriers.

Sattlers living there would be utterly exposed to Slav or Bulgar attack.

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