▁the ▁Arab s ▁in ▁ 8 7 1 . ▁The ▁city ▁became ▁By z antine ▁territory ▁in ▁ 8 7 6 . ▁The ▁By z antine ▁position ▁on ▁Sic ily ▁d eter ior ated , ▁and ▁Sy rac use ▁fell ▁to ▁the ▁Em ir ate ▁of ▁Sic ily ▁in ▁ 8 7 8 . ▁Cat ania ▁was ▁lost ▁in ▁ 9 0 0 , ▁and ▁finally ▁the ▁for tr ess ▁of ▁Ta orm ina ▁in ▁ 9 0 2 . ▁Michael ▁of ▁Z ah um l je ▁apparently ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁July ▁ 9 2 6 ▁s ack ed ▁S ip onto ▁( ), ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁By z antine ▁town ▁in ▁Ap ul ia . ▁Sic ily ▁would ▁remain ▁under ▁Arab ▁control ▁until ▁the ▁Norman ▁invasion ▁in ▁ 1 0 7 1 . ▁ ▁Although ▁Sic ily ▁was ▁lost , ▁the ▁general ▁N ike ph or os ▁Ph ok as ▁the ▁E lder ▁succeeded ▁in ▁taking ▁Tar anto ▁and ▁much ▁of ▁Cal ab ria ▁in ▁ 8 8 0 , ▁forming ▁the ▁nucle us ▁for ▁the ▁later ▁C ate pan ate ▁of ▁Italy . ▁The ▁success es ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁Pen ins ula ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁period ▁of ▁By z antine ▁dom ination ▁there . ▁A bove ▁all , ▁the ▁By z ant ines ▁were ▁beginning ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁strong ▁presence ▁in ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea , ▁and ▁especially ▁the ▁Adri atic . ▁ ▁Under ▁John ▁K our kou as , ▁the ▁By z ant ines ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁em