Anglo-Saxons in Byzantium's Syrian wars?

[Keraunos]

"Go East, young man" ?

[Imperial Dave]

kinda

[Nick Harbud]

I believe the Miklagard theory for Scandinavians who regularly traded there (although not until much later than the article suggests) and who, BTW launched a couple of wars and a at least siege against the place.  However, none of these arguements apply to Saxons squatting in the mud of Western Europe and the British Isles.

[Jim Webster]

Here's a bag of gold.  Take it or leave it."

Perhaps a bit more colonial style.  The great Emperor of the Romans has sent these exotic things which you don't have - bronze buckets, pots full of smelly stuff, dates.  If you were his friend and sent warriors to fight for him, there is more where that came from" 

More like that. Also you all have troublesome young men who're forever causing problems. If you and your neighbours all send us a boat load each then things will settle down a bit for you. Exporting young troublemakers has often been a strategy. Especially when you cannot provide them with land, and things are getting tight

[Erpingham]

I think we may need to apply a bit of Beowulf or Gododdin to the problem.  Adventurous young hooligans rocking up at foreign courts expecting a welcome and some gifts, the social contract being they go out and kill your enemies, troublesome monsters etc.  The question, as Nick has remarked is it's a long way to go.  But maybe the chance to serve the fabulously wealthy Roman Emperor would be enough of a draw?  What tales to bring home.  What bling. What prestige and status might accrue.

[Imperial Dave]

And a bucket...

[Cantabrigian]

It may be that young Anglo-Saxon males heading off to the Med is less of a new thing than we think - after all, cheap booze, dusky women, plus the odd fight may sound pretty attractive when you're living in mud.

We also tend to have a very modern mindset about travel.  It may have been quicker and much cheaper to reach Constantinople by sea than reaching most of France (mainly) by land.

Remember that Alfred visited Rome.

A lot would depend on what was being carried.  Tin is pretty dense, so space for a couple of likely lads off to Greece might be quite cheap.

Plus of course the crews might actually be mainly Anglo-Saxon.  Experience of the Atlantic is probably more valuable than experience of the Med.