I've heard "byzantine" used to describe a complex, labyrinthine bureaucracy, but does the Byzantine Empire deserve this reputation? If so, what examples are there of this tendency?
This question has been asked before, so you may want to check out these links for supplementary information
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1gjo8h/just_how_byzantine_was_the_bureaucracy_of_the/
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/w7c8p/just_how_byzantine_were_byzantine_politics/
http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/16zz9r/why_is_the_word_byzantine_sometimes_used_in_a/