▁the ▁capture ▁of ▁Sy rac use ▁in ▁ 8 7 8 . ▁ ▁This ▁in ▁turn ▁opened ▁up ▁southern ▁Italy ▁and ▁the ▁Adri atic ▁Sea ▁for ▁ra ids ▁and ▁settlement . ▁By z ant ium ▁further ▁suffered ▁an ▁important ▁set back ▁with ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁Cre te ▁to ▁a ▁band ▁of ▁And alus ian ▁ex iles , ▁who ▁established ▁a ▁p irat ical ▁em ir ate ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁century ▁rav aged ▁the ▁coast s ▁of ▁the ▁h ither to ▁secure ▁ ▁A ege an ▁Sea . ▁ ▁By z antine ▁res urg ence , ▁ 8 6 3 – 1 1 th ▁century ▁▁ ▁Relig ious ▁peace ▁came ▁with ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁the ▁Mac ed onian ▁dynast y ▁in ▁ 8 6 7 , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁strong ▁and ▁un ified ▁By z antine ▁leadership ; ▁while ▁the ▁Ab ass id ▁emp ire ▁had ▁spl inter ed ▁into ▁many ▁fa ctions ▁after ▁ 8 6 1 . ▁Bas il ▁I ▁rev ived ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Empire ▁into ▁a ▁regional ▁power , ▁during ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁territorial ▁expansion , ▁making ▁the ▁Empire ▁the ▁strong est ▁power ▁in ▁Europe , ▁with ▁an ▁ecc les iast ical ▁policy ▁marked ▁by ▁good ▁relations ▁with ▁Rome . ▁Bas il ▁al lied ▁with ▁the ▁Holy ▁Roman ▁Emperor ▁Louis ▁II ▁against ▁the ▁Arab s , ▁and ▁his ▁fleet ▁cleared ▁the ▁Adri atic ▁Sea ▁of ▁their ▁ra ids . ▁ ▁With ▁By z antine ▁help , ▁Louis ▁II ▁captured ▁B ari ▁from