emperor of the East, A. D. 976-1028, the son of the emperor Romanus II., was born in A. D. 961, and began to reign, together with his elder brother, Basil II., in 976 ; but, addicted to idleness and luxury, he took no part in the administration of the empire. After the death of Basil in 1025, he became sole emperor; but, fortunately for his subjects, who suffered much from the Arabians during his miserable administration, he died three years afterwards, in 1028. Constantine IX. was the last of the Macedonian dynasty. His successor was Romanus Argyrus, the husband of his daughter Zoe, whom he had by his wife Helena Augusta. [BASILIUS II.]