Romanos III Argyros

Romanos III Argyros (968–1034) was a senior judge and urban prefect of Constantinople when the dying Constantine VIII made him divorce his wife and marry his daughter Zoë in November 1028; three days later he was emperor. He aspired to be a philosopher king like Marcus Aurelius and a commander like Trajan.

He cut the aristocracy's taxes and spent heavily on churches. In 1030 he led a disastrous campaign against Aleppo, routed at Azaz.

Estranged from Zoë and her lover Michael, Romanos died in his bath on 11 April 1034, widely thought murdered at her order. Michael IV succeeded him.