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Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium.

Episode 118 Revival.

Today we finally arrive back in Byzantium having toured our neighbouring states.

And over the next few shows we need to investigate what has changed within the Roman Empire

across the 9th century.

You already know the headlines and most of it is good.

The plague has finally dissipated.

By the 770s it would never again trouble major urban centres in the dramatic way it once

had.

This was one of the factors which allowed the population to begin growing steadily again.

An expanding population means unused land can be brought under cultivation which means

more produce, more trade, more tax revenue.

By the beginning of the 9th century this growth had been noticed.

Irene's general logothete Nysephorus began to explore the ways in which this new crop

might be harvested.

As he was able to put into practice when he overthrew her and became emperor.

Though his tax reforms were unpopular they brought an influx of new revenue into the

treasury.

The man who would display this wealth to the world was the Ophilus.

...