Tiberius II Constantine (520-582) was born in Thrace and a close friend of the future emperor Justin II. Tiberius became commander of the Excubitors imperial guard; and when Justin II acceded to emperor; Tiberius was made his chief military commander. When Justin had a mental breakdown; his wife Sophia turned to Tiberius to manage the empire; and he was later named co-emperor and adopted son by Justin in 574.

Tiberius became sole emperor after Justin died in 578; and almost immediately had to deal with a plot to overthrow him perpetrated by Justin's widow; the dowager empress Sophia. The conspiracy failed; and Tiberius turned his attention to fighting the Sassanids in the east; as well as towards military activities in the remnants of the Western Roman Empire.

By the time of his death from food poisoning in 582; the Eastern Roman Empire had become overextended; the war against the Sassanids dragging on while raids by Avars and Slav migrations drained imperial resources. He named his general Maurice as his successor; seeing him married to his daughter Constantina before passing away.