Southern Albania and Epirus remained under Byzantine domination till 1204, when, after the capture of Constantinople by the crusaders, Michael Comnenus, a member of the imperial family, withdrew to Epirus and founded an independent sovereignty known as the Despotate of Epirus at Iannina; his realm included the whole of southern Albania, Acarnania and Aetolia.
The geographical name is sometimes extended over all these branches, and so reaches from Aetolia to the Gulf of Lamia.
The invasion was commonly believed to have proceeded by way of Aetolia and Elis, and the name Naupactus was interpreted as an allusion to the needful " shipbuilding " on the Corinthian Gulf.
Other lyric poets were Phanocles, Hermesianax, Alexander of Aetolia and Lycophron.
The close of his career is assigned to Aetolia and Trachis.