Question

Why do Basil I and Basil II typify Byzantine emperors?

Answer 1

Strong Basileus

Explanation:

What these 2 men typified, is a sense of perseverance and greatness, akin to the fabled Justinian.

Basil (The Macedonian): Basil I, starting from humble beginnings (had little education, no experience on anything, neither military or administrative; was a rustic). He, of course, overthrew the previous emperor, and obtained power. It is remarkable then, how he became a respected monarch, but the reason as to this is because he was the 1st monarch (since Justinian) to attempt to reestablish dominance over the Western territories.

Firstly, Basil crushed the little revolt by the Paulicians (in Anatolia), he allied with the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, and led the typical incursions into arab territories. This time around, he managed to gain a better foothold in Italy (although he did lose Syrakousa), but managed to capture Bari and other cities, thus making the Byzantines relevant again in the West.

Basil II: Basil II, much like his father, also was a man which tried to regain the Western frontier. Since the Empire of Bulgaria had taken chunks out of the Byzantines way earlier, Basil II decided to make incursions into Bulgarian land, and regaining vast amounts of it. He made numerous campaigns into Khazaria (Crimea), Fatimid (Beleaguering Antioch), and crushed rebellions in Anatolia.

This is what was exemplified from these 2 men, ambition, which had sorely lacked from the emperors in the preceding and following years (other than Alexios I Komnenoi, of course).