Anastasius I Dicorus vs Emperor Guangwu of Han

Anastasius I fought a six-year war against the Isaurians, who had been a powerful faction in the empire. The war ended with the defeat of the Isaurian rebels and the removal of their influence from Constantinople. This strengthened Anastasius's control and reduced internal instability.

Anastasius I abolished the chrysargyron, a hated tax on trade and commerce that was collected every four years. The tax was widely resented for its harsh collection methods. Its abolition was celebrated by the population and improved economic conditions in the empire.

Anastasius I implemented a major monetary reform, introducing the follis, a large copper coin, and standardizing the bronze coinage. This reform stabilized the Byzantine economy, improved trade, and left the imperial treasury with a substantial surplus at his death.

Anastasius I ordered the construction of the Anastasian Wall, a long defensive wall stretching across the Thracian peninsula to protect Constantinople from barbarian invasions. The wall was 56 kilometers long and fortified with towers and forts, though it was later abandoned as impractical.

Liu Xiu led a small force of 9,000 to defeat a 430,000-strong Xin army at Kunyang. Using a surprise attack and psychological warfare, he broke the siege and routed the enemy. This victory made him the leading rebel commander and paved the way for the restoration of Han.

Liu Xiu declared himself emperor at Hao, adopting the reign name Jianwu. He claimed the Mandate of Heaven to restore the Han dynasty, which had been interrupted by Wang Mang's Xin dynasty. This act established the Eastern Han dynasty, with Luoyang as its capital.

Emperor Guangwu defeated the Red Eyebrow rebel army at the Battle of Xiao. The Red Eyebrows had captured Chang'an and installed a puppet emperor, but Guangwu's forces crushed them, ending the major rebel threat and consolidating his control over the western regions.

Emperor Guangwu reduced the agricultural tax to one-thirtieth of crop yields and cut corv

Emperor Guangwu completed the reunification of China by conquering the last independent warlord, Gongsun Shu, in Sichuan. After 12 years of campaigning, he restored the Han dynasty's territory and established a stable central government, ending the civil wars that followed Wang Mang's fall.