Byzantine Empire 1030

Following a period of great military success under Basil II, his successors soon demonstrated that they were less able. The second emperor to succeed Basil II, Romanos III, came under repeated attacks by Muslim forces on the eastern frontier and saw them as an opportunity to prove his capability in military operations. In 1030, against advice from his generals, he led his troops to attack Aleppo in the sweltering mid-July heat and set up camp near Azaz. The Byzantine troops were soon ambushed by forces of the Mirdasid Emirate and, being completely unprepared for the arid conditions, were quickly forced into retreat. The failure of the Byzantine army at Azaz made the situation on the eastern frontier more fluid as the Arabs became more confident in their ability to stand against the Byzantines. However, Byzantine power in the region was soon restored with a number of subsequent victories.