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Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 157, The Colmanation.

Last time we wrapped up the decades-long Bulgarian war as the 60-year-old basil finally brought

peace to the Balkans.

Today we bring the longest reign in Roman history to an end.

One thing I didn't mention about the Bulgarian war was that it caused some financial difficulties

back at the capital.

As you know, Nysephara's focus had tampered with the coinage to help pay for his annual

campaigning, but we hear no more of money trouble until Basil's continuous attacks on Samuel's

state.

The need to provide campaign pay each summer and winter to recruit reinforcements and to

put Bulgarians on the payroll all added up.

People believe that general taxes could accommodate this, however consistent shortfalls led him

to alter tax policy.

As I've mentioned in the past, the Byzantine government assessed the value of farmland

and they expected tax to be paid on it regardless of the current profitability of individual

farms.

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