 The Empire's frontiers stretched east to Iran, Bulgaria was under control as was much of southern Italy and piracy in the Mediterranean Sea had been suppressed.Relations with the Empire's Islamic neighbours were no more quarrelsome than relations with the Slavs or Western Christians.Normans in Italy; Pechenegs, Serbs and Cumans to the north; and Seljuk Turks in the east were all in competition with the Empire and to meet these challenges the emperors recruited mercenaries, even on occasions from their enemies.