The tragedy refers to the Macedonian Dynasty of Byzantine and more specifically to emperor Nikiforos Fokas's murder by his General, Ioannis Tsimiskis, lover of empress Theofano who incites the murder. The action focus on the motives of the famous empress with the dynamic personality, who having got advantaged of the mental crisis of her old aged husband and organized his setting aside the throne, giving her lover the initiative to exterminate him. Tsimiskis however, in his turn, proves to be more cunning and after assassinating the emperor, betrays Theofano and keeps the kingdom for himself.