Tiberios I

   Emperor from 578-582. He was a young notary when the empress Sophia persuaded Justin II (qq.v.) to appoint him caesar (q.v.) in 574, and co-emperor a week before Justin II's death. In Maurice (q.v.) Tiberios had a competent general, and Tiberios himself was a popular, capable, though not brilliant emperor. He inherited grave military threats on several fronts. There was an invasion of Chosroes I (q.v.), the Lombards (q.v.) continued to expand their domains in Italy (q.v.), while Slavs and Avars launched raids in the Balkan Peninsula (qq.v.). The Avar conquest of Sirmium (q.v.) in 582 was a particularly grievous loss. Ultimately, Tiberios I's decision that Maurice should succeed him was arguably his most important act.