Emperor Basil II of Byzantium

This acrylic painting I made of Basil II shows him in battle attire with a sword and spear, based on his image from the cover of his book the "Menologion of Basil".
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Emperor Basil II is best remembered for completing the Byzantine conquest of the Bulgarian Empire which completed in 1018, and by his death in 1025 the Byzantine Empire basically covered the entire Balkans.
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The chronicler Michael Psellos describes Basil II as short and stocky in appearance who looked more impressive riding a horse. Basil is also described as a man of simple tastes who preferred to be in battle with his troops rather than in the luxuries of the palace in Constantinople despite being a purple-born emperor. In the battlefield Basil II was a strict commander and micromanager who did not reward his men for bravely charging out in battle ahead of every else but punished them by kicking them out of the army. On the other hand, Basil II was also a skilled administrator who ruled the empire at a time of power and prosperity.

© Pceldran, 2021