The Byzantines didn’t see the slavs such as the Bulgars as a major threat until maybe the latter 13-14th centuries and generally made alliances and gave Roman titles to them. Only one or two armies were stationed in the Balkans, while the bulk of the fighting forces were concentrated on the Eastern provinces facing and repulsing the more efficiently organized, massive empires of the Persian and Arab Caliphates. Until the internal civil wars of the 11th century (when Byzantium was at its second zenith) and the triple threat of Normans, Turks, and Pechenegs, the Romans were successful in the reconquista of the East, with great assistance of the valiant bravery of the newly settled slavs of Anatolia, who greatly contributed to the defense and eastern expansion of the empire.