Romanos was succeeded as emperor by his sons, Basil and Constantine, together with Theophano, their mother, who bore a daughter whom they named Anna, two days before [Romanos’] death.

Romanos was tall, but less tall than his father. He was courteous and gentle in his ways and not without brains. Even as a young man his mind was sharp and quick; he would have been perfectly capable of governing the state if he had been allowed to do so by the attendants but his closest companions encouraged him to give free rein to his youthful excesses. In order to keep themselves in office running the state and free to acquire wealth for their own use, they portrayed him as a useless, idle fellow.

In April of the same (sixth) year of the indiction Nikephoros Phokas came to Constantinople at the Sovereign Lady's request, in spite of Joseph [Bringas'] repeated protests. He celebrated a triumph in the Hippodrome with the spoils of Crete and of Berroia. He also brought a portion of the raiment of John the Baptist which he had found conserved at Berroia. Bringas regarded him with fear and suspicion but [Nikephoros] was able to lead him astray by deceiving him in the following way. Taking one of his bodyguards with him, he went to Joseph's house around supper time. [255] He knocked at the door and told the doorkeeper to announce who had come. He was announced and invited in, whereupon he took Joseph apart and showed him the hair shirt he was wearing under his clothes. He told Joseph (and swore that it was true) that he would have embraced the monastic way of life, donned the habit and delivered himself from worldly cares long ago, had he not been detained by his attachment to the emperors Constantine and Romanos; now he was going to do what he had so long intended to do as soon as possible.