The Emperor Justinian had a long and influential reign, from AD 527 to 565, in which he dominated the sixth-century. This was an important period in the transition between the classical and Byzantine worlds, and one which saw significant territorial changes and religious developments. Many of Justinian's other reforms, such as those in the governance of the empire and his codification of its laws, also had a long-lasting influence.The first section of this book outlines the current questions we are asking about Justinian today. Five chapters explore his rise to power and the role of the colourful Theodora, foreign policy on the eastern frontier and the recovery of the western provinces, religious policy and governance of the empire. The sixth chapter considers the role of culture and society in the sixth century. Justinian's reign is documented through a wide range of contemporary written sources, as well as numismatic and epigraphic evidence and images of the imperial couple. The second section contains over eighty examples of these records, including English translations of the sources and images of coins and other objects.

Table of Contents:
Series Editors’ PrefacePrefaceAcknowledgementsAbbreviationsMaps Part I Debates Introduction: Discovering Justinian – Sources and Scholarship 1. Rise to Power 2. Conflict and Diplomacy on the Eastern Frontier 3. The Wars of Reconquest 4. Church and State 5. Governing the Empire 6. Culture and Society Conclusion: Longevity and Legacy Part II Documents 1. Collectio Avellana 147 2. Anonymus Valesianus 85–7 3. Marcellinus Comes 521 4. Diptych announcing the consulship of Justinian, 521 5. Greek Anthology I.10, On the Church of the Holy Martyr Polyeuktos, lines 14–33, 42–50 6. Church of SS Sergius and Bacchus inscription 7. Procopius, Secret History 9.20–2 8. John of Ephesus, Lives of the Eastern Saints 13 9. Cassiodorus, Variae X.20 10. Procopius, Buildings I.9.5–10 11. C.J. I.5.12.4–10 12. Gold coin of Justin and Justinian, 527 13. Procopius, Wars I.24.33–7 14. Menander the Guardsman, fragment 6.1 15. C.J. I.29.5 16. The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor, IX.8a 17. Procopius, Wars I.14.45–54 18. Malalas, Chronicle 477–8 19. Procopius, Secret History 24.12–14 20. Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History IV.27 21. Agathias, The Histories IV.30.7–10 22. John of Ephesus, Church History 3.4.6–9 23. Procopius, Wars VIII.17.1–8 24. Procopius, Wars IV.6.30–4 25. John the Lydian, de Magistratibus III.55 26. Corippus, In laudem Iustini minoris 1.276–87 27. Victor of Tonnena, Chronicon 534 28. Procopius, Buildings I.10.16–18 29. C.J. I.27.1, 12–14 30. Procopius, Secret History 18.5–10 31. Inscription from Aïn Djelloula (Cululis) 32. Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of St Sabas 74 33. Novel 37, preface, 1, 534. Facundus of Hermiane, In Defence of the Three Chapters, preface 35. Procopius, Wars VII.37.1–736. Epistulae Austrasicae XX 37. Procopius, Wars III.2.1–6 38. Cassiodorus, Variae XI.139. Pope Pelagius, Letters 4 and 85 40. Novels, Appendix 7: Pragmatic Sanction, 554 41. Procopius, Secret History 11.5–8 42. Procopius, Wars II.4.4–11 43. Novel 11, preface, 4 44. Agathias, The Histories V.13.5–6 45. Agathias, The Histories V.15.7–8 46. Theophanes am 6050 47. Isidore, History of the Goths 47 48. The Chronicle of Pseudo-Zachariah Rhetor, IX.15j 49. C.J. I.1.6 and Chronicon Paschale 533 50. ‘Only-begotten Son’ troparion 51. Victor of Tonnena, Chronicon 540 52. Novel 42, preface 53. Victor of Tonnena, Chronicon 543 54. Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History IV.38 55. Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of St Sabas 85 56. Justinian, On the Orthodox Faith 57. Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History IV.39 58. Agapetus, Advice to the Emperor Justinian 59. Novel 131, preface, 1–4 60. Pseudo-Dionysius of Tel-Mahre, Chronicle 844 61. Pseudo-Dionysius of Tel-Mahre, Chronicle 845 62. Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of St Sabas 72 63. Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History IV.10 64. Institutes, preface 65. Novel 25, preface 66. Novel 47, preface 67. Justinian, the first dated copper coin, ad 538 68. Novel 38, preface 69. Evagrius, Ecclesiastical History IV.2970. Procopius, Secret History 17.5 71. Romanos, Kontakion 54, 14–25 72. Paul the Silentiary, Ekphrasis of Hagia Sophia, lines 1–80 73. Procopius, Buildings I.2.1–12 74. Procopius, Buildings V.8.4–9 75. Procopius, Buildings I.11.10–15 76. Greek Anthology IX.641 77. C.J. I.5.18.4 78. C.J. I.11.10 79. Agathias, The Histories II.30.3–4 80. Pseudo-Dionysius of Tel-Mahre, Chronicle 852 81. Choricius, Oratio XIII, preface, 10–16 82. Greek Anthology I.8 ChronologyPopes and PatriarchsGlossaryFurther ReadingEssay Questions and Exercise TopicsPrimary SourcesBibliographyIndex