Let me Quote something from Mark Whittow's book:

A mid 6th century lawyer in Constantinople wrote this about the size of the army (so the army during Justinian's reign)

Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] ]Whereas there should have been a total effective force of 645000 men (Roman empire size), the number had dropped... to barely 150000. Some of these moreover were stationed in Italy, others in Africa, others in Spain, others in the Caucasus, and others in Egypt. There were also a few near the eastern frontier with Persia
Let me now quote a part we're he tells us of the size of the army during the age of reconquest:

Quote Originally Posted by [b
Quote[/b] ]Similary, one of the oldest and largets themes, Thrakesion, only numbers 1000 men in 911 and 950 men in 949 (both important Crete expeditions). Clearly 17000 men in 911 and 10000 in 949 represents for the Byzantine Empire very large forces ineed. The figure of 120000 is out of all proportions with the rest of the evidence
Now this should prove that even the Eastern roman super power couldn't muster the enormous amount of men of theoratical 200000 or now the number of 50000-60000 you describe at Manzikert or the 100000 at Antioch (which was about 2 decades later than Constantine VII).

Basil II did stabilise, but he also stagnated the offensive. With the decline of the eastern families through Basil, the army declined along with them. If the eastern families had remained in power and Basil would have lost, they would probaly have been alot more capable of stopping the Turks.

Basil was a soldier Emporer, but even though he meant well with taking down the families, he had set a trent for his succesors, making it too easy for them to keep the families in check and holding the army at a low profile.

Even though the families caused lots of instability and mayhem, they were also the ones that made the reconquest possible. It wasn't the emporer in Constantinople that reconquered the east, it was the military prowness of the families that granted the Byzantine empire it's revival. I think we shouldn't forget that, because they deserve all the credit.