The Macedonian Dynasty

The dynasty begun by Basil I restores the empire's strength: Crete, Cyprus and northern Syria are retaken; under Basil II Bulgaria is subdued, and the borders reach the Euphrates and the Danube. At the same time the written heritage is gathered in — law codes in Greek to replace the Latin ones, encyclopaedias, the recopying of ancient manuscripts, thanks to which much survives at all. In the same age the disciples of Cyril and Methodius carry writing and liturgy to the Slavs, Rus is baptised, and the Byzantine model spreads far beyond the empire. The Jewish communities of Romania live on in these cities throughout — under legal disabilities, but without expulsions.