Exactly! Manzikert was barely a disaster in terms of numbers. Half of Romanos's army was not even on the field. They simply didn't come to his aid, most likely

Exactly! Manzikert was barely a disaster in terms of numbers. Half of Romanos's army was not even on the field. They simply didn't come to his aid, most likely because they were led by a Doukas who wanted one of their own on the throne. Byzantine history is full of such examples. Civil wars that last decades, never-ending internal strife, and the ever present threat from steppe tribes and caliphates. It's a wonder they survived as long as they did.