Excessively complicated, convoluted, or characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue. Relating to the Byzantine Empire or its complex administrative and political systems.
From Byzantium, the ancient Greek city that became Constantinople and center of the Byzantine Empire (330-1453 CE). The figurative sense of 'convoluted' or 'deviously complex' developed from the empire's reputation for elaborate court ceremonies, complex bureaucracy, and intricate political machinations.
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