Well, interesting so far. I wonder if the Byzantines are going to be able to beat the Turks, though... the way I normally think of them managing to turn the tide is Christianizing and assimilating the Turks after beating them, what you've got here though sort of prevents that from being the case. Mithrasising them, perhaps, if you're actually going with the Mithraic POD that MerryPrankster suggested?
Or is it something more profound than that - are they going to be able to create a cosmopolitan society? I have to say I don't think that that's likely, though!
Well, at any rate I'm looking forward to more!