What is going on outside the byzantine empire which might cause them to place generals in local government positions?

The correct answer is poverty.

Explanation:

There was such a poverty time outside the Byzantine Empire that they have to tell some people to go and offer some aid and some food for them to recover a little bit.  And that was the reason they needed to place generals in local government positions. With these generals, they could distribute the supplies in an organized way.

a.10 children i think