 The fall of the Lekapenoi signalled the end of an era in terms of personalities , but Kourkouas 's expansionist policy continued : he was succeeded as Domestic of the Schools by Bardas Phokas the Elder , followed by Nikephoros Phokas , who reigned as emperor in 963 – 969 , and finally , by Kourkouas 's own great @-@ nephew , John Tzimiskes , who reigned as emperor in 969 – 976 . All of them expanded the Byzantine frontier in the East , recovering Cilicia and northern Syria with Antioch , and converting the Hamdanid emirate of Aleppo into a Byzantine protectorate . 
