Theodore Balsamon, nominal patriarch of Antioch, is a well known figure from the second half of the twelfth century. His anti-Latin stance has been associated with the fact that Balsamon was not allowed to take over his appointed see. The Syrian city was under Crusader rule and thus its patriarch was of Roman rite. Nevertheless, two references analysed in this paper demonstrate that his resentment towards the Latins was not only the result of his personal circumstances. The study of a brief treatise and a commentary shows that Balsamon witnessed the impact that the interaction between Byzantines and Latins had on the society of his period. As a consequence, Balsamon became an advocate of the Byzantine church and its traditions.