Person

Basil I

811–886 · 9th century · Also known as Basil the Macedonian

Basil I was Byzantine emperor from 867 to 886 and founder of the Macedonian dynasty, which ruled for nearly two centuries. A peasant from Thrace who rose as a favourite of Michael III, he had his rival Bardas and then Michael himself murdered. He destroyed the Paulician state of Tephrike, recovered ground in southern Italy and began a revision of Roman law completed by his son Leo VI.

Basil I
Image: AnonymousUnknown author · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Paulician state

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Basil I. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/basil-i
MLA
“Basil I.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/basil-i. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Basil I.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/basil-i.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Basil I’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/basil-i (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻