Justinian I of Byzantium (final project draft)
Justinian I was born into the royal family of Byzantium on the eleventh of May, 428. The day of his ascent to the throne would be one of great importance — an event that would lead to his prowess being compared to that of Constantine, the man who molded the empire beneath him. In fact, his accomplishments would crown him with the title Justinian the Great, a name that had only been taken once ever before in Byzantium. This emperor would be renowned for his military genius, architectural commissions, and government refinements, but those who lived and breathed under his jurisdiction may have told another story. Although Justinian made great advancements, his neglect of the people, unpopular reformations, and alleged cowardice inspired widespread unrest that sometimes bloomed into revolt. The beneficial aspects of Justinian’s governmental and military advancements cannot possibly outweigh the unhappiness of his citizens, for if an emperor fails the true purpose of his rule — properly regulating the quality of his people’s lives — is he truly deserving of his power?
The period between the years 527 and 565 CE has been dubbed by modern historians as “The Golden Age of Justinian.” Within these decades, Justinian I and his wife, Theodora (Garland, 11), ruled the Byzantine Empire from Constantinople. In the time of his predecessor’s rule, Persians consistently pushed on the eastern front. North African Roman provinces had been taken by the Vandals, Spain by the Visigoths, and Italy by the Ostrogoths, all Germanic tribes who sought to settle in Rome. Having inherited all of this strife, Justinian took it upon himself to take back what once was with the aim of reinstating the Western Roman Empire. Although his accomplishment of that specific goal is debated, the emperor most certainly triumphed over many Germanic tribes who opposed him. During and after his military campaigns, Justinian spurred several building programs, all of which benefitting Constantinople and outlying cities of Byzantium. In 540, he restored peace with the Persians and reclaimed Italy and North African provinces in the process. After these conflicts ended, Justinian I updated the “Corpus of Civil Law,” a codex of Roman legal practices which are still referenced today (Rose).
Procopius, historian of Justinian and companion of general Belisarius, wrote several books regarding his time under the emperor, many of which are the most prominent sources of information in terms of the Golden Age of Justinian. He often praised his ruler, claiming that he “took over the State when it was harassed by disorder, and not only made it greater in extent, but also much more illustrious.” However, in a later book titled The Secret History, Procopius told of an entirely different side to the emperor: “A faithless friend, he was a treacherous enemy…easily led to anything evil, but never willing to listen to good counsel…finding even the hearing of anything good distasteful to his ears.” Similar sentiments were often echoed by his people, as well as his wife, Theodora, during the Nika revolts.
One of Byzantium’s most well-attended events was chariot racing, a massive sport enjoyed by royals and citizens alike in Constantinople’s hippodrome. In late 531, four factions — the Blues, Greens, Reds, and Whites, dominated this atmosphere, all of which often bet on games and caused violent reactions to their results. Most prominent, however, were the prior two. Upset about Justinian’s ridiculously raised taxes (Garland, 31) as well as his refusal to pardon two culprits of a lethal riot a month earlier (Hussein), the Blues and Greens banded together in January of 532 to protest at a chariot race that Justinian would attend. With growing chants of “Nika!” (meaning victory), both groups began a massive riot that burned the Hagia Sophia, as well as half of the palace. Justinian was aware of their power, and prepared to flee the country by ship. However, it was Empress Theodora who saved the day, claiming that “royalty is a good funeral shroud,” as well as, “it is intolerable for one who has been an emperor to be a fugitive” (Procopius). Thus, Justinian was encouraged, sending Belisarius and his soldiers forth to quell the rioters. It is estimated that 30,000 people were murdered that day (Hussein). The Hagia Sophia was rebuilt in the following months in one of the greatest architectural feats known to the world. However, the conglomeration of Justinian’s outrageous tax reforms, his refusal to protect convicts, and his altogether cowardice during the Nika Revolt is a pristine testament to his failure as emperor, an illustration of his undeserving title.
Further, Justinian was a forceful proponent of the Christian faith, and an intolerant one at that. Jews, Samaritans, Manicheans (a Persian religion) and all who worshipped Egyptian gods were continually persecuted, their belief systems entirely disallowed. In fact, Theophanes, a monk and chronicler who bore witness to Justinian’s herald confronting the Blues and Greens during the Nika Revolt, reported on this widespread sentiment: “Herald: Shut up, you Jews, Manicheans, Samaritans! Greens: You call us Jews and Samaritans; may the Mother of God protect us all equally! Herald: I want you to get baptized.” This example is only a sliver of the adversity those of differing religions faced, all under the rule of Justinian.
In 504, a plague struck Byzantium. Procopius reported, “At first, the deaths were a little more than the normal, then the mortality rose still higher, and afterwards the tale of dead reached five thousand each day, and again it even came to ten thousand and still more than that.” These numbers should have served as warning, but Justinian millions of dying citizens in favor of sending an expedition to Spain. Several cities such as Cartagena were captured successfully, but these new, hastily established provinces lasted mere years after Justinian’s death in 565.
While Justinian’s great military, legal, and architectural feats (such as the rebuilding of the magnificent Hagia Sophia) are incredibly significant sections of history to explore, we must be reminded of the unrest caused by Emperor Justinian I. Often seen as the “puppet” to Theodora’s brains, Justinian was a neglectful ruler who was known by his people to both favor military advancement instead of his governing responsibilities while simultaneously cracking down on those who appeared to be unorthodox. So, is Justinian truly worthy of Constantine the Great’s title? First hand Byzantine accounts as well as modern historians often agree that his rule was not as golden as it was made out to be.
Bibliography
Garland, Lynda. Byzantine Empresses : Women and Power in Byzantium, Ad 527–1204. Routledge, 1999. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
This book was written by Lynda Garland for the purpose of informing readers about Byzantine empresses. It gives a great backstory on Theodora, the wife of Justinian I, and how she assisted in his rule. This may help me provide important backstory on how Theodora might have been the brains behind the operation, as the book is very objective and in depth about both her past and her experience ruling.
Hussein, Angela Murock. “A Riot.(532 A.d. Nika Revolt).” Dig into History, vol. 18, no. 2, 2016, p. 19.
This article was written by Angela Murock Hussein regarding the Nika Revolt that was sparked by Justinian’s less than pleasant actions in Constantinople. The author provides the necessary backstory to understand who they rioters were and why they were angry. It includes the full story of the revolt and is written in a formal, comprehensible tongue.
Procopius: Secret History, translated by Richard Atwater, (Chicago: P. Covici, 1927; New York: Covici Friede, 1927), reprinted, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1961
This primary source book was written by Procopius, a soldier and the great counsel to the emperor’s main general, Belisarius during the Golden Age of Justinian. His close proximity to both rulers allowed him to provide important inside information on both of them. This piece is significantly more susceptible to Procopius’ subjective feelings, but its detail and secrets still make it a notable source.
Rose, Mark. “Justinian — Deserving of Praise, or No?(Justinian I, Emperor of Byzantium).” Dig into History, vol. 18, no. 2, 2016, p. 16.
This article is written by Mark Rose regarding the credibility of Justinian I’s notoriously great reputation. He first describes the emperor’s noble accomplishments which earned him his recognition, then goes on to describe how those who lived under his jurisdiction would describe him. The language in this article may not be the most formal, but it is a comprehensive, historically informative excerpt.
Theophanes, T. and Turtledove, H., 2011. The Chronicle of Theophanes. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press.
This primary source is the firsthand account of the Byzantine empire’s events by Theophanes, a member of the aristocracy, a monk, and a chronicler. It includes conversations between the factions that spurred the Nika Revolts. Theophanes’ occupation as chronicler makes this piece significantly more credible than Procopius’ history. It is written directly, as one would most likely find in a more modern history textbook.
