Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Mai yiwuwa Yahaya na da zuriya mai daraja, amma ba a san sauran danginsa ba. Yana da ilimi sosai kuma ya yi aiki a rundunar Byzantine kafin ya yi ritaya a matsayin limami. Ayyukansa sun ƙunshi mulkin mulkin Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963<unk>969), John I Tzimiskes (r. 969<unk>976) da farkon shekarun Basil II (r. 976 <unk> 1025). Sakamakon haka, waƙoƙinsa suna cike da nassoshi game da rikice-rikicen Byzantine na zamani tare da Bulgarians
da Rus', da kuma tawaye na Bardas Skleros da Bardas Phokas. Daga cikin sarakunan Byzantine, ya keɓe Nikephoros II Phokas don yabo na musamman, yayin da ya ƙasƙantar da wanda ya kashe shi kuma magaji John Tzimiskes. A baya an yi kuskuren gano shi da wani John, Bishop na Melitene.