The latter province was, however, soon taken from
But Germanus was a man of so excellent a cha- the Longobards by the Franks.
But Germanus was a man of so excellent a cha- the Longobards by the Franks.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - b
gods ; and so was the whole body of the Roman
8. v. Idulis Ovis. ) Another sacrifice, consisting of people, that is, the Roman state itself. The fact
a ram, was offered to Jupiter in the regia on the of Jupiter being further considered as the watchful
nundines, that is, at the beginning of every week guardian of property, is implied in his surname of
(Macrob. Sut. i. 16; Festus. s. v. nundinas) ; and Hercius (from the ancient herctum, property), and
it may be remarked in general that the first day from his being expressly called by Dionysius (ii.
of every period of time both at Rome and in La- | 74), õpios Zevs, i. e. Jupiter Terminus, or the pro-
tium was sacred to Jupiter, and marked by festi- tector of boundaries, not only of private property,
vals, sacrifices, or libations.
but of the state.
It seems to be only a necessary consequence of As Jupiter was the prince of light, the white
what has been already said, that Jupiter was con- colour was sacred to him, white animals were sa-
sidered as the guardian of law, and as the pro- crificed to him, his chariot was believed to be
tector of justice and virtue: he maintained the drawn by four white horses, his priests wore
sanctity of an oath, and presided over all trans- white cnps, and the consuls were attired in white
actions which were based upon faithfulness and when they offered sacrifices in the capitol the day
justice. Hence Fides was his companion on the they entered on their office. (Festus, s. v. alboya-
capitol, along with Victoria ; and hence a traitor lerum pileum. ) When the Romans became ac-
to his country, and persons guilty of perjury, were quainted with the religion of the Greeks, they
thrown down the Tarpeian rock. Faithfulness is naturally identified Jupiter with Zeus, and after-
manifested in the internal relations of the state, as wards with the Egyptian Ammon, and in their
well as in its connections with foreign powers, and representations of the god they likewise adopted
in both respects Jupiter was regarded as its pro- the type of the Greek Zeus. [Zeus ; comp. Har-
Hence Jupiter and Juno were the guar- tung, Die Relig. der Röm. vol. ii. p. 8, &c. ) (L. S. ]
dians of the bond of marriage ; and when the har- JUSTI'NA. (VALENTINIANUS. )
mony between husband and wife was disturbed, JUSTINIANUS, I. FLAVIUS ANI'CIUS,
it was restored by Juno, surnamed Conciliatrix or surnamed MAGNUS, or The Great, emperor of
Viriplaca, who had a sanctuary on the Palatine. ConstANTINOPLE and Rome from A. D. 527 to
(Fest. s. v. Conciliatrix ; Val. Max. ii. 1. $ 6. ) 565. His descent and family connections are given
Not only the family, however, but all the political in the following genealogical table :
tector.
A Gothic farmer or shepherd.
1
JUSTINUS I. , FLAVIUS ANICIUS,
born A. D. 450 ; emperor in
518 ; died in 527 without
issue.
BIGLENZA, Latinised
VIGILANTIA ; m.
Istocus, Latinised
Sabatius.
A son.
JUSTINIANUS, Flavius ANICIUS, VIGILANTIA,
born probably in 483 (see the m. Dulcis-
text below); adopted by the simus.
emperor Justinus I. in 520 ;
emperor 527 ; died 14th of
November, 565; m. Theodora,
1. BARAIDES.
who died in 548, and by whom
he left no issue. Some illegi-
timate children are mentioned.
1
STUS.
2.
3. GERMANUS, Patricius,
a great general, died 541;
m. 1. Pessara ; 2. Ma-
thasuenta, daughter of
Eutharic, king of the East
Goths, and the celebrated
queen Amalasuntha.
1
1. JUSTINUS II. , Flavius
ANICIUS, surnamed
THRAX, emperor 565;
died 5th of October,
578; m. Sophia, niece
of the empress Theo-
dora.
2. BIDURIUS,
BADUARIUS,
or BAUDURIUS,
Curopalata ? , m.
Arabia? .
-3. MARCELLUS.
-1. JUSTINUS, 3. JUSTINA, 4. GERMANUS,
consul, put m. Joannes, Posthumus
to death by nephew of
Justin II. , Vitalianus.
in 568, or
572.
-4. PRAEJECTA, m.
Justus, ARABIA, m. 1. Areobindus,
died Baduarius,
Patricius; 2.
young. Baredurius,
Joannes, ne-
or Bidurius, phew of the
Curopalata. emperor Anas-
tasius.
(Du Cange, Famil. Byzant. p. 95, &c. )
-2. JUSTINIANUS, a
great general
in the reigns
of Justin II.
and Tiberius.
## p. 661 (#677) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
661
JUSTINIANUS.
а
The date of the birth of Justinian is fixed on the after as many defeats as victories, but without
11th of May, A. D. 483, in L'Art de Vérifier les being compelled by necessity, Justinian made peace
Dates (vol. 1. p. 409), where the question is cri- with Chosroes, the Persian king, who desisted
tically investigated. His birthplace was the village from further hostilities on receiving an annual
of Tauresium, in the district of Bederiana, in Dar tribute of 440,000 pieces of gold. Justinian
dania, where he afterwards built the splendid city wished for peace with Persia, because he intended
of Justiniana, on the site of which stands the to make war against the Vandals in Africa, and to
modern town of Kostendil. (See D'Anville, Mé- subdue, if possible, the political factions by which
moire sur deux villes qui ont porté le nom de Jus- the empire had so often been shaken, and which
tiniana, in the 31st vol. of Mémoires de l'Académie had created a fearful riot in the very year that the
des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres. )
peace was concluded with Persia. In January,
At an early age Justinian went to Constanti- 532, Justinian honoured the public feast in the
nople, where his uncle Justin, who had risen to high hippodrome with liis presence, being surrounded by
military honours, took care of his education and vast numbers of the - Blue faction” (or Bévetoi),
advancement. During some time he lived as an who were adherents of the orthodox Catholic
hostage at the court of Theodoric, king of the East church, and, consequently, partisans of the ortho-
Goths. After the accession of his uncle Justin to dox emperor. Suddenly some of the “Green fac-
the imperial throne, in 518, he rose to eminence, tion” (ol Dipáouvoi), who had already made much
and prepared his own fortune by securing that of noise, rose and complained of several grievances,
the emperor. Active in the destruction of the eu- especially that the emperor patronised the Blue,
nuch Amantius and his associates, he contrived or and showed himself too indulgent towards their
perpetrated the murder of Vitalian, the Goth, so riotous and dissolute conduct. They further com.
fninous by his rebellion against the emperor Anas- plained of fiscal oppression and the partial adminis-
tasins, and who was stabbed at a banquet in the tration of justice. In all these points they were
presence of Justin and Justinian.
In reward perfectly right. The emperor answered them
for his faithful allegiance, Justinian was made through a crier (Mavdátwp, the Latin Mandator),
commander-in-chief of the armies in Asia ; but he and a long dialogue ensued, which grew more and
was no warrior, and preferred remaining at Con. more violent on both sides, and which Theophanes
stantinople, where he canvassed the friendship of gives with apparent fidelity. The Blues took the
the clergy and the senators. He was advanced to emperor's part; the quarrel came to blows, and
the consulship in 52), and his influence became so after a short struggle within the hippodrome, the
great, that, at the suggestion of the senate, the infuriated factions rushed into the streets, and soon
aged emperor adopted him, and proclaimed him Constantinople was filled with murder and blood-
co-emperor, 1st of April, 527. Justin died a few shed. The houses of the leaders of the two parties
months afterwards, and Justinian was crowned by were demolished, others were set on fire ; and every
the patriarch of Constantinople, together with his body being engaged either in saving their own lives
wife, the actress Theodora, whom he raised to the
or in attempting the lives of others, the flames
dignity of empress, in spite of the opposition of his spread from street to street, and a general confla-
mother and other relatives. (THEODORA. ] gration consumed thousands of houses, the church
Justinian signalised his accession by public of St. Sophia, a large part of the imperial palace,
festivals more splendid than the Greeks had ever the baths of Zeuxippus (Alexander), the great hos-
witnessed, and the money alone which was distri- pital of Sampso, and a vast number of churches
buted among the people is said to have amounted and public or private palaces. After five days'
to 288,000 pieces of gold. Had he not been an murder and plunder, many thousands of dead
excellent financier, his extravagances might have bodies covered the streets, or lay roasting among
impeded his operations against the enemies of the burning ruins. These riots are known by the
empire, against whom he was obliged to prosecute name of the vika riots, the word vika, “ be vic-
the war which had been begun by his predecessor ; torious," having been the war-cry of both the Blue
but he understood thoroughly the subtle art of and the Green. Unfortunately for the emperor,
emptying those purses again which his liberality the two factions, after fighting against each other,
had filled ; and if his generals were not successful perceived that the victory of neither would remove
against the Persians, it was not for want of money. those abuses against which the Green had first
The Huns on the northern shores of the Euxine, risen, and they consequently formed an union, and
especially around the Palus Maeotis, or the Sea of turned their fury against such of the imperial
Azof, were either subjugated or submitted volun- officers as were most suspected of peculation and
tarily; and the Arabs, who made frequent inroads oppression. The chief objects of their hatred were
into Syria as far as Antioch, were likewise, though the quaestor Tribonian, the jurist, and the praefect
with more difficulty, compelled to desist from hos. John, of Cappadocia ; Justinian deposed them
tilities. The relations between Constantinople and both, in order to appease the popular fury, but
Persia were of an indifferent character, and an in vain. Hypatius and Pompeius, two nephews
open war broke out between the two powers, when of the late emperor Anastasius, who were removed
Justinian promised to assist Tzathus, the king of from the court because they were suspected of
the Lazi, between Pontus and the Caucasus, who being engaged in the riots, were, apparently
came to Constantinople to implore the aid of the against their will, chosen by the populace to act as
Romans against the Persians. In the first cam- their leaders ; Hypatius was proclaimed emperor,
paign against these hereditary enemies of Rome, and Justinian, despairing of quelling the rebellion,
the generals of Justinian, Belisarius, Cyricus, and prepared to fly with his treasures to Heracleia, in
Petrus, were defeated ; but their successor, Petrus Thrace, none of his ministers, not even Belisarius,
Notarius, was successful. The war was chiefly having succeeded in discovering any means of
carried on in Armenia, but also on the frontiers of saving their master in this critical moment. He
Syria and Mesopotamia, and lasted till 532, when, I would have been lost but for his wife Theodera,
v v 3
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C62
JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
who exercised an extraordinary influence over with friends, and not with enemies. At 10 miles
him. Being present at the privy council, where distance from Carthage the Romans encountered
the emperor declared his resolution of leaving the the main army of the Vandals, who were routed,
city, she rose, and with impressive words, sometimes and so completely dispersed, that Gelimer despaired
reproaching and sometimes encouraging, produced of defending his capital with success, and fled into
a happy change in the minds of Justinian and his the interior, in order to collect a new army. A
councillors. Narses bribed the chiefs of the Blue, few days afterwards, on the 15th of September,
and soon rekindled those hostilities between the 533, the inhabitants of Carthage opened their gates
two factions which only an extraordinary event to the victor, not only without resistance, but with
had appeased for a moment; and, sure of the as- manifestations of joy. While Belisarius employed
sistance of the Blue, Belisarius led a body of 3000 his time in repairing the fortifications of Carthage,
veterans against the hippodrome, where the Green Gelimer succeeded in raising a considerable number
had fortified themselves. In a dreadful carnage of troops, and his brother Zano, who had mean-
30,000 of the Green were massacred within the while conquered Sardinia, returned in haste with
space of one day; and Hypatius and Pompeius his army, which, however, was only 5000 men
having been made prisoners, were led to death, strong, and joined Gelimer in his camp at Balla,
with eighteen other leaders of patrician or con- five days' journey from the capital. They marched
pular rank. Thus ended one of the most terrible upon Carthage, and their forces increased daily : 80
riots that had ever happened at Constantinople ; that when they arrived at Tricameron, 20 miles
but the power of the Green was far from being from Carthage, they commanded an army ten times
broken, and the two factions continued to make more numerous than that of Belisarius. But the
the hippodrome an occasional scene of bloodshed Vandals who defended Africa were no longer the
during the whole reign of Justinian.
same who had conquered it: they were enervated
Immediately after these troubles Justinian made by the climate and the luxuries of the South; and
serious preparations for a war against the Vandals. in a pitched battle at Tricameron they were en-
His pretext was to avenge the deposition of the tirely defeated. Gelimer fled into the mountains
aged Hilderic, the lawful king of the Vandals, in the South, but was pursued by the Roman
and a great favourite of Justinian, on account of Pharas, who kept him besieged in a castle on
his orthodoxy, who had been deprived of his throne Mount Papua, where he was reduced to such ex-
by the warrior Gelimer ; but his design upon Car- tremity that he at last surrendered, and after
thage was blamed by the people, who had in mind having been presented to Belisarius at Carthage,
the unhappy campaign of Basiliscus against the Van- was sent to Constantinople, where he was treated
dals in A. D. 468, and still more so by most of his by Justinian with great generosity. (GELIMER. )
ministers, especially John of Cappadocia, who, After the conquest of Carthage, Belisarius reduced
however, acted from very selfish motives. [Jo the whole tract of Africa along the shore of the
ANNES of CAPPADOCIA. ] Nor does it appear that Mediterranean, as far as the columns of Hercules,
Justinian originated the plan, which seems to have and brought likewise the islands of Sardinia and
been suggested to him by Theodora and Antonina, Corsica, as well as the Baleares, under the authority
the wife of Belisarius, and to which he was finally of Justinian.
persuaded by this great general. This was the The overthrow of the Vandal_kingdom in Africa
last contest between Rome and Carthage, but on was followed by a war with the East Goths in Italy,
neither side was it carried on by Romans or Car- which arose out of the following circumstances, in
thaginians, those who boasted of the former name which the cunning and artfulness of Justinian were
being Greeks and Scythian or Gothic barbarians, no less conspicuous than the frank heroism of Belisa-
while the defenders of Carthage were a mixture rius. Shortly after the accession of Justinian, the
of Germans and Slavonians, commanded by Ger- young king of the East Goths, Athalaric, died, and his
manic chiefs. An army of 35,000 soldiers, com- mother Amalasuntha, a highly gifted woman, who
manded by Belisarius, left the Bosporus in June, was the youngest daughter of the great Theodoric,
533, in a fleet of 500 ships, manned by 20,000 succeeded her son, and, in order to establish her
mariners, and among the troops were several thou- power the better, married her cousin Theodat. It
sand archers with coats of mail, who fought on happened, however, that Justinian contemplated a
horseback, and of which Procopius gives a descrip- marriage with that queen, although he was already
tion which strongly resembles that of the brave married to Theodora ; and we cannot doubt that,
Caucasians in our time. From the Bosporus the in order to obtain his ends, he would have sacri-
fleet made for Methone (Modon), in Messenia, ficed both his wife and king Theodat. Suspecting
where the troops were landed, and remained a short his designs, Theodora secretly negotiated with
time on the shore to refresh themselves ; thence Theodat, and made him great promises, if he would
they sailed round the Peloponnesus, reached Zante, put Amalasuntha to death. Theodat saw his
and cast anchor at Caucana, about 50 miles from danger, and lost no time in seizing his unfortunate
Syracuse, where they were well treated by the queen, and confining her in a castle, where she was
-Goths—a great act of imprudence on their part – found strangled some time after her imprisonment
and they finally landed on the African shore, near (534). The anger of Justinian was extreme, and as
the promontory of Caput Vada, now Capaudia, at the Gothic kingdom was shaken by political factions,
five days' journey south of Carthage. Gelimer, while his own power had much increased through
having dispatched part of his army and fleet for his conquest of Africa, he prepared for an invasion of
the conquest of Sardinia, was unable to offer any Italy. The pretext he alleged was to avenge the mur-
effective resistance: moreover, the aborigines of the der of Amalasuntha He began his hostile demon-
country, and the descendants of the former Roman strations by demanding the fortress of Lilybaeum,
settlers, received the Romans as Catholic brethren, in Sicily, from the Goths: this town had been
and Belisarius advanced as far as the palace of given to Thrasimond, king of the Vandals, hy
Grasse, only 50 miles from Carthage, meeting only | Theodoric the Great, but after the overthrow of
## p. 663 (#679) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
663
JUSTINIANUS.
the Vandals in 534, the Goths occupied the town, / and he united his efforts with those of his master
and refused to surrender it to Justinian, when he in settling the domestic state of Italy, which was
claimed it as an appendage of the Vandal king nearly ruined through the protracted war, while
dom. Thus the war broke out, the chief events of millions of her inhabitants had perished by the
which, till the final recal of Belisarius in 548, are sword and famine.
related in the life of BELISARIUS. When Beli- To these conquests the lieutenants of Justinian
sarius was recalled, the Roman army was in a in Africa added a considerable tract in Spain, along
critical position, because the brave Gothic king, the shores of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic,
Totilas, had gained great advantages over Belisa- from the south-western extremity of Algarve in
rius, and after his recal the Goths made such pro the west to the confines of the modern kingdom of
gress as to reduce the Roman power in Italy to a Murcia in the east, which the West Goths were
shadow. Totilas took Rome by a stratagem, re- obliged to cede to the victorious Romans ; and the
stored the senate, and made it once more the seat fortunate Justinian now reigned over the whole
of the Gothic empire. Thence he sailed to Cala- extent of the Roman enpire as it existed under the
bria, took Tarentum and Rhegium, conquered earlier emperors, except the greater part of Spain,
Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, and despatched a Gaul, and Britain, where the most warlike of all
fleet of 300 gallies, which were probably manned the barbarians of those times exercised an authority
by Greek natives of Southern Italy, for the Goths unchecked by either Romans or Greeks. The
were no mariners, to the coast of Greece, where the strength of Justinian's empire, however, did not
Gothic warriors landed, and spread terror among correspond with its dimensions. Both the Romans
the inhabitants. They pushed as far as Nicopolis and Greeks were enervated, and little disposed to
and Dodona, and Totilas sent envoys to Justinian, serve in the field, when they could buy foreigners
offering him peace, and promising to assist him to defend Rome and Constantinople ; and the prac-
against any enemy, if he would desist from his tice of enlisting barbarians proved very dangerous,
designs upon Italy. Justinian would perhaps have since so many veterans, who returned into their
accepted his offers but for the circumstance that the native forests or steppes, informed their brethren of
Goths being Arians, the orthodox church in Italy the internal weakness of the Roman empire. We
was in danger of being overthrown by schismatics. thus see that, notwithstanding the fear which the
Fresh troops were consequently sent to Italy, and victories of Belisarius, Narses, Germanus, and so
Germanus, the nephew of Justinian, who was many other great generals, necessarily caused among
renowned by many victories over the Bulgarians, the immediate neighbours of the Romans, many
the Persians, and the Mauritanians, was destined to barbarian nations, that lived at greater distances
command them, but died at Sardica, in Illyricum, from the Roman frontiers, pushed slowly towards
on his march to Italy. (GERMANUS, No. 2. ) The Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor, in order to be ready
choice of Germanus proves the danger in which the to invade the empire at the first opportunity.
empire was placed by the victories of Totilas. This From the extreme north of Germany, the Longo-
prince was dear to the Goths through his marriage bards, of Saxon origin, advanced towards the
with Mathasuntha, daughter of Amalasuntba, and Danube, and settled in Moravia and Northern
grand-daughter of Theodoric the Great ; and as Hungary, whence, but a few years after the death
he was also one of the best Roman generals, a of Justinian, they broke forth for the conquest of
suspicious man like Justinian must have had Italy. Their neighbourhood appeared so dangerous
urgent motives for sending him into Italy, where, to Justinian, that he tried to gain them to his in-
in case of success, he had still greater chances of terests, and to use them as a barrier against other
becoming king of the Goths than Belisarius could enemies, by ceding to them Pannonia and Noricum.
have had in making himself independent in Africa.
The latter province was, however, soon taken from
But Germanus was a man of so excellent a cha- the Longobards by the Franks. The neighbours
racter as to be above the suspicions even of a Jus- of the Longobards, the Gepidae, had founded a
tinian. The mere fact of his being appointed to the kingdom in Eastern Hungary and Transylvania as
command roused the spirit of the Roman army, early as the middle of the fifth century ; and since
and ere the eunuch Narses was chosen to succeed they were always annoying the Romans in Illyri-
him, the Gothic fleet had been defeated, and Sicily cum, Justinian availed himself of their feuds with
reconquered by Artabanus. Narses led the Roman the Longobards, and assisted the latter. In con-
army round the Adriatic into Italy, while a fleet sequence of this, the power of the Gepidae was
followed him along the shore, and in a dreadful weakened, but that of the Longobards increased in
battle at Tagina (July, 552) slew 6000 Goths, and proportion ; and bad Justinian lived but two years
dispersed the rest. Totilas fell in the conflict, and longer, he would have seen that the final overthrow
his bloody dress was sent as the most acceptable of the Gepidae had, as its immediate consequence,
trophy to Justinian. The successor of Totilas, the destruction of the Roman power in Italy by the
Teias, continued the war, but he likewise was Longobards. Still farther in the East, on the river
killed in a pitched battle on the river Sarnus, near Don, appeared in 557 the Avars, a nation of Turk:
Naples, and his death was the downfal of the ish origin. In accordance with his usual policy of
Gothic kingdom in Italy. A host of Franks and turning the feuds of the barbarians to his own
Alemanni descended from the Alps to dispute the profit, Justinian lavished his money upon the
possession of Italy with Narses, and their first in- Avars, and employed them together with his own
road was so irresistible that they penetrated as far forces against some barbarian tribes which annoyed
as the straits of Sicily. But in a battle on the the Roman possessions in the Chersonnesus Taurica
river Volturnus, near the bridge of Casilinum, they (the Crimea). This was in 558. Only four years
were routed with great slaughter by Narses, who afterwards the whole of the nations north of the
drove their scattered remnants beyond the Alps Danube, as far west as modern Bavaria, was sub-
(554). Narses was appointed exarch, or viceroy, jugated by the A vars, and Justinian 11. paid dearly
of Italy, and took up his residence at Ravenna, for the timid and wavering conduct of Justinian i.
8
3
UV 4
## p. 664 (#680) ############################################
664
JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
Among the nations subdued by the Avars were , dishonourable condition of an annual payment of
the Bulgarians, between the Non and the Volga, 30,000 pieces of gold. Yet the profit of this ne-
who, in 559, passed the frozen Danube, and under gotiation was on the side of Justinian, because
their chief, Zabergan, ravaged Thrace and Mace- Nushirwán renounced his claims upon Colchis and
donia, and appeared under the walls of Constan- Lazica, both of which countries were then renowned
tinople. The capital was saved by Belisarius, for their gold mines ; and the restoration of peace
whom Justinian rewarded with a dry compliment. in all his Eastern dominions was a sufficient con-
If we turn our eyes from the West to the East, sideration to induce Justinian to expend so small a
we find that the treaty of peace had scarcely been sum as 30,000 pieces of gold. In the beginning of
concluded between Constantinople and Persia, be the Persian war Justinian concluded a singular
fore the Persian king Chosroes or Nushirwan, with alliance. At that time there was a Christian king.
his accustomed faithlessness, violated its conditions, dom in Southern Arabia, which extended over the
and a new and terrible war broke out in 510. Ac- provinces of Yemen and Hadhramaút, and was
cording to Procopius, however, Justinian purposely inen commonly called the kingdom of the Home-
excited the Persian king to take up arms, and, at ritae. Dunain having seized the supreme power,
any rate, wished for a new war, which is the more persecuted the Christians, who found assistance in
likely, as he was then at the pinnacle of his power. the person of Eleesbam, the Negus or Christian
In the year mentioned Nushirwán invaded Syria, king of Abyssinia, who came over to Arabia, and
and the Roman army being too weak to arrest his made himself master of the Homeritic kingdom.
progress, he spoiled the principal towns of their With this Eleesbam Justinian entered into nego-
riches, and laid siege to Antioch, which was tiations, and in 533 despatched Nonnosus as ambas-
defended by Germanus. This general thought his sador to him, to induce him to unite his forces
forces insufficient for an effective resistance, and con- with the Romans against the Persians, and to
sequently withdrew, a step for which he has been protect the trade between Egypt and India, espe-
charged with cowardice, although on many other cially that of silk, which Justinian wished to
occasions he had shown himself a brave and fear- establish by sea, through the assistance of the in-
less man.
The “queen of the East ” soon became habitants of Abyssinia and Arabia. Nonnosus
a prey to the Persians, and after having been ascended the Nile, and was received by Eleesbam
plundered, was destroyed by fire. The Asiatic at Axum, but he did not attain his objects. Soon
provinces of Justinian would have been lost but for afterwards the Homeritae freed themselves froin
the timely arrival of Belisarius (541), who through the Abyssinian supremacy; but the rise of Moham-
a well calculated invasion of Mesopotamia and As- medanism proved the ruin of the Christians in
syria, compelled Nushirwán to leave the province Arabia, for the power of the Abyssinian kings in
of Pontus which he was ravaging, and to hasten to Africa was weakened through internal discord and
the defence of his hereditary dominions. Suddenly revolutions. Gibbon remarks with great justness,
Belisarius was recalled to Constantinople, and that “these obscure and remote events are not
during his absence Nushirwan collected his forces, foreign to the decline and fall of the Roman empire.
and set out for a new invasion of Syria and Pales- If a Christian power had been maintained in
tine. In this emergency Belisarius was again put Arabia, Mohammed must have been crushed in his
at the head of the Roman armies in those quarters ; cradle, and Abyssinia would have prevented a re-
and the mere fact of his presence was sufficient to volution wnich has changed the civil and religious
induce Nushirwán to repass the Euphrates. Every state of the world. ”
body now expected that Belisarius would march The final overthrow of the Gothic power in Italy,
forth with upon Ctesiphon, when the unfavourable the peace with Persia, the reconquest of Lazica,
turn of the Gothie war required his presence in and the last victories of Belisarius over the Bul-
Italy (543). No sooner was he gone than 30,000 garians in 559, followed each other so closely, and
Romans suffered a severe defeat from 4000 Per- were of such importance in their consequences, that
sians ; but the differences between the two empires Justinian was allowed during the last years of his
were nevertheless settled to the satisfaction of life to enjoy in peace the extraordinary power
Justinian, and a sort of truce was made, in conse- which his ambition made him wish for, but which
quence of which that part of the East was no he owed entirely to the skill and heroism of Beli-
longer disturbed by the Persians. It happened, sarius, Narses, and Germanus, and many other
however, that the Lazians and Colchians became generals, as well as to the valour and discipline of
tired of their dependence upon Constantinople, and the troops formed by those eminent officers. Nine
implored the protection of Nushirwan, who ac- months after Belisarius, the victim of his base in-
cepted the offer, and placed garrisons in the prin- gratitude, had sunk into the grave, the emperor
cipal towns of those nations. A few years were Justinian died, on the 14th of November, 565, at
sufficient to show them that the rapacity of the the age of eighty-three, and left an empire, colossal
king was still greater than that of the emperor, and in size, threatening in its appearance, but rotten
they accordingly entreated Justinian to receive in its foundations, to the imbecile son of his sister
them again among his subjects, and to deliver them Vigilantia, Justinus II.
from their Persian oppressors. Justinian despatched After this sketch of the principal political events
Dagisteus with 7000 Romans and 1000 Zani into of the reign of Justinian, it remains to say a few
Lazica ; and Petra, the strongest fortress of the words on the manner in which he guarded his eni-
country, was taken from the Persians by storm, pire against so many enemies which surrounded it,
after a memorable and protracted siege (549— and on the system of his government at home.
551). This war lasted, with various success, till The ancient Roman system of fortifying the
561, when, tired of eternal bloodshed, the two frontiers of the empire was carried by Justinian to
monarchs came at last to an agreement. Through an extent which plainly shows the great danger to
the peace of 561 the tranquillity of the East was which his subjects were constantly exposed ; for
finally restored, but Justinian bought it on the not only were the outer froutiers secured by an
## p. 665 (#681) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
665
JUSTINIANUS.
immense number of forts and towers, interspersed | Justinian lavished upon the barbarians, involun-
with larger regular fortresses, but even most of the tarily led to the system of bis administration.
towns in the very heart of Greece, Thrace, and Procopius, in his Secret History or Anecdota, gives
Asia were provided with walls and towers, to an awful description of it ; but however vicious that
protect the inhabitants against the irresistible in- administration was, the colours of Procopius are
roads of the barbarians. Thence Montesquieu ob- too dark, and his motives in writing that work were
serves, that the Roman empire at the time of not fair. There was decided order and regularity
Justinian resembled the Frankish kingdom in the in the administration, but the leading principles of
time of the Norman inroads, when, in spite of every it were suspicion and avarice. The taxes were so
village being a fortress, the kingdom was weaker beavy, their assessment so unequal, that Gibbon
than at any other period. The entire course of the compares them to a hail-storm that fell upon the
Danube was defended by about eighty forts, of land, and to a devouring pestilence with regard to
different dimensions, all of which were guarded by its inhabitants. In cases of necessity, the inha-
numerous garrisons ; other fortresses were erected bitants of whole districts were compelled to bring
beyond the river, in the middle of the countries of their stores of corn to Constantinople, or other
the barbarians. But these detached forts were places where the troops might be in want of it, and
utterly unable to protect Thrace against an enemy they were either not paid at all, or received such
who used to appear suddenly with overwhelming bad prices that they were often completely ruined.
forces, leaving no alternative to the Roman garrisons in all the provinces the officers of the crown took
than of shutting themselves up within their walls, much more from the people than the law allowed,
and of beholding as inactive spectators the Bul- because the venality of places was carried on openly
garians swimming over the Danube with 20,000 as a means of filling the emperor's treasury, and
horses at once, or crossing it in the winter on the the purses of his prime minister ; and those who
solid ice. Similar forts were built, too, from the purchased places, which were, after all, badly paid,
junction of the Save with the Danube north, could not keep their engagements with the sellers,
towards Pannonia, and they proved quite as in- nor enrich themselves, without carrying on that
effective against the Arars as the forts along the system of robbery, which is at the present day the .
Danube against the Bulgarians. Italy was fortified general practice in Turkey and most of the other
by nature, yet the Franks crossed the Alps with countries in the East. Justinian certainly tried to
impunity. Thence the necessity of creating a check peculation and venality (Novella, viii. ), but
system of inland fortifications. The ancient Greek this thundering edict was soon forgotten, and it
wall across the Thracian Chersonnese, near Con- would seem that the emperor himself lent' his en-
stantinople, was carefully restored, and brought to deavours to throw it into oblivion. Another great
a degree of strength which caused the admiration abuse which the principal officers made of their
of Procopius ; the Bulgarians nevertheless crossed power was that of prevailing upon wealthy persons
it, and fed their horses in the gardens round Con- to make wills in their favour, to the disadvantage
stantinople. Similar walls, with towers, were of the natural heirs. A great source of revenue for
constructed across Thessaly (beginning with the the imperial treasury consisted in the numberless
defiles of Thermopylae) and across the isthmus of duties, entry fees, and other charges, mostly arbitrary,
Corinth ; yet Bulgarians, Slavonians, and other laid upon trade and manufactures, and we may
barbarians, kept the inhabitants of Greece in con- fairly presume that the tradespeople were as much
stant fear of being carried off as slaves. At what- oppressed as the land-owners. Some branches of
ever point these savage warriors appeared, they trade, as for instance silk, were made monopolies
were always the strongest, and the poor Romans of the crown, and, in short, there were no means
had no other chance of safety left than of taking left untried to fill his treasury. However, he never
refuge within the larger towns, the solid forti- tampered with the coinage, nor gave it an artificial
fications of which were sufficient to keep the value. The millions thus obtained by Justinian
enemy at a distance. In the north-east the isthmus were not only sufficient to cover the expenses
of the Chersonnesus Taurica, the present Crimea, occasioned by the army, the fortifications, the wars,
was fortified in the same way as the isthmus of and the bribery of barbarians, but enough remained
Corinth, by a long wall. The Roman possessions to enable him to indulge his passion of perpetuating
along the eastem shores of the Euxine and in the bis name by public festivals, and especially by those
Caucasus were covered with forts and military beautiful buildings and monuments which were
stations ; and from the corner of Colchis to the erected by his order, and render his time con-
sources of the Euphrates, and along the river as far spicuous in the history of art. Procopius describes
as Syria, and thence along the edge of the Syro- them in his work “De Aedificiis Justiniani. ” The
Arabic desert, there was scarcely a town or a church of St. Sophia in Constantinople, that splendid
defile but was surrounded by walls and ditches, or edifice, which, though now transformed into a
shut up by massive barriers of stone, against the Turkish mosque, still excites the admiration of the
inroads of the Persians. Syria was thought to be spectator, was the most magnificent building erected
sufficiently guarded by the great desert between by Justinian. Besides this Church of St. Sophia,
the Euphrates and the Lebanon, and the fortifica- there were twenty-five other churches constructed in
tions of the Syrian towns were allowed to fall into Constantinople and its suburbs, among which were
decay, till the repeated invasions of Nushirwan the beautiful churches of St. John the Apostle and
and the sack of Antioch directed the attention of St. Mary the Virgin, near the Blachernae, the
Justinian to that quarter also. Dara, not far from latter of which he perhaps only repaired. The
Nisibis, was the strongest bulwark of the empire imperial palace at Constantinople was embellished
on the side of Mesopotamia, and constantly pro- with unparalleled splendour and taste; and his new
voked the jealousy of the Persiang.
palace with the gardens at Heraeum, near Chalcedon,
The enormous sums which the defence of the was praised as the most beautiful residence in the
empire required, together with the gold which world. The “ Antiquities of Constantinople,” by
G
## p. 666 (#682) ############################################
666
JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
reforma
:
larger :
becse
Pesce
ers
the non
br. I
Valenti
Tictory
at for
were ti
Erster
of anci
while
quased
Deter
Was
Prole
Sail
terec
Petrus Gyllius (English translation by John Ball, much as humanity. If we look at his endless and
London, 1 729), give a description of the most re glorious wars, we should think that he was a great
markable buildings of Justinian, in Constantinople. warrior himself, or possessed at least great military
Justinian paid 45 centenaries of gold (nearly talents: but however great bis talents were, they
200,0002. ), towards the rebuilding and embellish- were not in that line ; he never showed himself in
ment of Antioch, after it had been destroyed by the field, and his subjects called him a bigoted and
an earthquake ; his native village he transformed cowardly tyrant. As a statesman lie was crafty
into a large and splendid city, to which he gave rather than wise ; yet his legislation is a lasting
his name ; and, in short, there was not a town of monument of his administrative genius, and has
consequence in his vast dominions, from the Columns given him a place in the opinion of the world far
of Hercules to the shores of the Caspian, but could beyond that which he really deserves. (Procopius,
show some beautiful monument of the emperor's with special reference to his Anecelota and De
splendour and taste. Asia Minor still contains a Aedificiis ; Agathias, Hist. ; Paulus Silentiarius ;
great number of edifices erected by Justinian, and Cedrenus, p. 366, &c. ; Zonaras, xiv. p. 60, dic. ;
our modern travellers have discovered many which Joannes Malaln, vol. ii. p. 138, &c. ; Marcellinus,
were formerly unknown. Indeed his love of Chron. ad an. 520, &c. , p. 50, &c. ; Theophanes,
splendour and his munificence in matters of taste, p. 300, &c. ; Evagrius, iv. 8, &c. in the Paris edi-
show, or luxury, no less than bis extraordinary tions ; Jornandes, De Regn. Succ. p. 62, &c. , De
power, made his name known over the world, Rel. Goth. p. 143, &c. ed. Lindenbrog; Paulus
whence he received embassies from the remotest Diaconus, De Gest. Longobard. i. 25, &c. , ii. 4, &c. ;
nations of Asia. In his reign the silk-worm was Ludewig, Vita Justiniani, &c. , Halle, 1731, is
brought to Constantinople, by some Nestorian rather too flattering; the best description of the
monks, who had visited their fellow-Christians in reign and character of Justinian is given in Gib
China,
bon's Decline and Fall. )
(W. P. ]
In 541 Justinian abolished the consulship, or,
more correctly, discontinued the old-established
THE LEGISLATION OF JUSTINIAN.
custom of choosing consuls. The consulate being
a mere title, it was but reasonable to do away with The idea of forming a complete code of law has
it, although the name was still dear to the people ; been attributed to Pompey, to Cicero, and to Julius
but it was not abolished by law until the reign of the Caesar. Such, too, was the original plan of Ther-
emperor Leo Philosophus (886–911. ) Justinian dosius the younger, although a much more limited
likewise shut up the schools at Athens and Alexan- design was ultimately carried into effect in the
dria, where the Neo-Platonists still professed dogmas Theodosian Code. [DIODORUS. ] Shortly before
which the orthodox emperor thought dangerous to the reign of Justinian, upon the submission of the
Christianity. In the time of Justinian, however, Western empire to Germanic rule, the Roman law
those schools were only a shadow of what they had was still allowed to retain its force in the West by
been in the first centuries of our era. Christian the side of a newly-introduced Germanic jurispru-
orthodoxy was one of the most important objects dence. The Lex Romana, as it was barbarously
which Justinian endeavoured to establish in his called, remained the law of the subjugated Romans,
empire, and many of his laws testify his zeal on while the Barbari, as the Germans were proud to
behalf of the church and the clergy. But his be styled, continued to live under their own Teu-
piety was exaggerated, and toleration was a thing tonic institutions. Under this anomalous system
unknown to him. He persecuted Christian sec- of personal laws, many difficulties must have arisen,
taries, Jews, and pagans, in an equally heartless and it was found necessary to make separate col-
manner, and actually endeavoured to drive them | lections of such sources of law as were to be recog-
all out of his dominions. Towards the end of his nised for the future in regulating the respective
life, however, Justinian changed his religious rights and duties of the subjugated Roman provin-
opinions so much that he was considered a com- cials and their conquerors. In the West Gothic
plete heretic. Nestorianism, which he was so kingdom, which was established in Spain and a
active in condemning at the fifth General Council, part of Gaul, a collection of Roman laws was formed
the second of Constantinople, in 553, was the during the relgn of Alaric II. (A. D. 484—507),
doctrine which he embraced.
partly from the Theodosian, Gregorian, and Her-
The character of Justinian presented a strange mogenian Codes, and partly from the works of
mixture of virtues and vices, but he was neither so jurists. This collection is known in modern times
depraved as Procopius depicts him, nor so accom- by the name Breviarium Aniani (ANIANUS), or
plished as the modern jurists of Germany and Breviarium Alaricianum. In A. D. 493 the Ostro-
France represent him in their admiration for his goths became masters of Italy, and in A. D. 500
legislation. His private life was exemplary. He Theodoric the Great published for the use of the
was frugal, laborious, affable, and generous, but his whole population of the Ostrogothic kingdom a set
mean suspicions and unreasonable jealousy never of rules based on the Roman, not the Gothic law.
allowed him to gain the love of his friends or the About the year A. D. 517 the Ler Romana Bur-
esteem of his subjects. His conduct towards Be-gundiorum was compiled for the use of the Burgun-
lisarius was execrable. Another of his vices was dian Romans. The Burgundian conquerors, who,
rapacity, and it would seem that he considered towards the middle of the fifth century, established
men created to work, not for themselves, but for a kingdom upon the banks of the Rhone, had
him alone. Thence the little regard he paid to the already a similar code of their own, called Guns
complaints of his subjects with reference to his per- dobuda.
petual wars ; and although he assisted them with Though the necessities which called for these
great liberality when they were suffering from the legislative efforts in the kingdoms of the West did
consequences of those plagues and earthquakes not exist to the same extent in the Oriental em-
which signalized his time, his motive was vanity as pire, there were not wanting other reasons for legal
bob
in the
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and, up
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at Cor
charge
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TI
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anus
## p. 667 (#683) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
667
JUSTINIANUS.
-
ance.
never seen.
reform and consolidation. From the time of Con- | how short was destined to be the duration of his
stantine, •he fresh and vigorous spirit of the clas own new code! (Const. Summa Reipublicae. )
sical jurists seems to have vanished. Many of the At the end of the following year (Const. Deo
most active intellects were now turned away from Auctore, dated Dec. 15. A. D. 530), Tribonian,
legal to religious discussions. Jurisprudence, no who had given proof of his great ability in drawing
longer the pursuit of the minister and statesman, up the code, was authorised to select fellow-labourers
became the handicraft of freedmen. (Mamert. to assist him in the other division of the under-
Panegyr. X. 20. ) The law was oppressed by its taking — a part of Justinian's plan which the em-
own weight. The complexity of practice, the long peror justly regarded as the most difficult, but also
series of authoritative writings, the unwieldy bulk as the most important and the most glorious. Tri-
of express enactments, and the multitude of volu- bonian was endowed with rare qualifications for
minous commentators, were sufficient to be wilder such an appointment. He was himself deeply
the most resolute jurist. In the midst of conflicting learned in law, and possessed in his library a match-
texts, it was hard to find out where the true law less collection of legal sources.
8. v. Idulis Ovis. ) Another sacrifice, consisting of people, that is, the Roman state itself. The fact
a ram, was offered to Jupiter in the regia on the of Jupiter being further considered as the watchful
nundines, that is, at the beginning of every week guardian of property, is implied in his surname of
(Macrob. Sut. i. 16; Festus. s. v. nundinas) ; and Hercius (from the ancient herctum, property), and
it may be remarked in general that the first day from his being expressly called by Dionysius (ii.
of every period of time both at Rome and in La- | 74), õpios Zevs, i. e. Jupiter Terminus, or the pro-
tium was sacred to Jupiter, and marked by festi- tector of boundaries, not only of private property,
vals, sacrifices, or libations.
but of the state.
It seems to be only a necessary consequence of As Jupiter was the prince of light, the white
what has been already said, that Jupiter was con- colour was sacred to him, white animals were sa-
sidered as the guardian of law, and as the pro- crificed to him, his chariot was believed to be
tector of justice and virtue: he maintained the drawn by four white horses, his priests wore
sanctity of an oath, and presided over all trans- white cnps, and the consuls were attired in white
actions which were based upon faithfulness and when they offered sacrifices in the capitol the day
justice. Hence Fides was his companion on the they entered on their office. (Festus, s. v. alboya-
capitol, along with Victoria ; and hence a traitor lerum pileum. ) When the Romans became ac-
to his country, and persons guilty of perjury, were quainted with the religion of the Greeks, they
thrown down the Tarpeian rock. Faithfulness is naturally identified Jupiter with Zeus, and after-
manifested in the internal relations of the state, as wards with the Egyptian Ammon, and in their
well as in its connections with foreign powers, and representations of the god they likewise adopted
in both respects Jupiter was regarded as its pro- the type of the Greek Zeus. [Zeus ; comp. Har-
Hence Jupiter and Juno were the guar- tung, Die Relig. der Röm. vol. ii. p. 8, &c. ) (L. S. ]
dians of the bond of marriage ; and when the har- JUSTI'NA. (VALENTINIANUS. )
mony between husband and wife was disturbed, JUSTINIANUS, I. FLAVIUS ANI'CIUS,
it was restored by Juno, surnamed Conciliatrix or surnamed MAGNUS, or The Great, emperor of
Viriplaca, who had a sanctuary on the Palatine. ConstANTINOPLE and Rome from A. D. 527 to
(Fest. s. v. Conciliatrix ; Val. Max. ii. 1. $ 6. ) 565. His descent and family connections are given
Not only the family, however, but all the political in the following genealogical table :
tector.
A Gothic farmer or shepherd.
1
JUSTINUS I. , FLAVIUS ANICIUS,
born A. D. 450 ; emperor in
518 ; died in 527 without
issue.
BIGLENZA, Latinised
VIGILANTIA ; m.
Istocus, Latinised
Sabatius.
A son.
JUSTINIANUS, Flavius ANICIUS, VIGILANTIA,
born probably in 483 (see the m. Dulcis-
text below); adopted by the simus.
emperor Justinus I. in 520 ;
emperor 527 ; died 14th of
November, 565; m. Theodora,
1. BARAIDES.
who died in 548, and by whom
he left no issue. Some illegi-
timate children are mentioned.
1
STUS.
2.
3. GERMANUS, Patricius,
a great general, died 541;
m. 1. Pessara ; 2. Ma-
thasuenta, daughter of
Eutharic, king of the East
Goths, and the celebrated
queen Amalasuntha.
1
1. JUSTINUS II. , Flavius
ANICIUS, surnamed
THRAX, emperor 565;
died 5th of October,
578; m. Sophia, niece
of the empress Theo-
dora.
2. BIDURIUS,
BADUARIUS,
or BAUDURIUS,
Curopalata ? , m.
Arabia? .
-3. MARCELLUS.
-1. JUSTINUS, 3. JUSTINA, 4. GERMANUS,
consul, put m. Joannes, Posthumus
to death by nephew of
Justin II. , Vitalianus.
in 568, or
572.
-4. PRAEJECTA, m.
Justus, ARABIA, m. 1. Areobindus,
died Baduarius,
Patricius; 2.
young. Baredurius,
Joannes, ne-
or Bidurius, phew of the
Curopalata. emperor Anas-
tasius.
(Du Cange, Famil. Byzant. p. 95, &c. )
-2. JUSTINIANUS, a
great general
in the reigns
of Justin II.
and Tiberius.
## p. 661 (#677) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
661
JUSTINIANUS.
а
The date of the birth of Justinian is fixed on the after as many defeats as victories, but without
11th of May, A. D. 483, in L'Art de Vérifier les being compelled by necessity, Justinian made peace
Dates (vol. 1. p. 409), where the question is cri- with Chosroes, the Persian king, who desisted
tically investigated. His birthplace was the village from further hostilities on receiving an annual
of Tauresium, in the district of Bederiana, in Dar tribute of 440,000 pieces of gold. Justinian
dania, where he afterwards built the splendid city wished for peace with Persia, because he intended
of Justiniana, on the site of which stands the to make war against the Vandals in Africa, and to
modern town of Kostendil. (See D'Anville, Mé- subdue, if possible, the political factions by which
moire sur deux villes qui ont porté le nom de Jus- the empire had so often been shaken, and which
tiniana, in the 31st vol. of Mémoires de l'Académie had created a fearful riot in the very year that the
des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres. )
peace was concluded with Persia. In January,
At an early age Justinian went to Constanti- 532, Justinian honoured the public feast in the
nople, where his uncle Justin, who had risen to high hippodrome with liis presence, being surrounded by
military honours, took care of his education and vast numbers of the - Blue faction” (or Bévetoi),
advancement. During some time he lived as an who were adherents of the orthodox Catholic
hostage at the court of Theodoric, king of the East church, and, consequently, partisans of the ortho-
Goths. After the accession of his uncle Justin to dox emperor. Suddenly some of the “Green fac-
the imperial throne, in 518, he rose to eminence, tion” (ol Dipáouvoi), who had already made much
and prepared his own fortune by securing that of noise, rose and complained of several grievances,
the emperor. Active in the destruction of the eu- especially that the emperor patronised the Blue,
nuch Amantius and his associates, he contrived or and showed himself too indulgent towards their
perpetrated the murder of Vitalian, the Goth, so riotous and dissolute conduct. They further com.
fninous by his rebellion against the emperor Anas- plained of fiscal oppression and the partial adminis-
tasins, and who was stabbed at a banquet in the tration of justice. In all these points they were
presence of Justin and Justinian.
In reward perfectly right. The emperor answered them
for his faithful allegiance, Justinian was made through a crier (Mavdátwp, the Latin Mandator),
commander-in-chief of the armies in Asia ; but he and a long dialogue ensued, which grew more and
was no warrior, and preferred remaining at Con. more violent on both sides, and which Theophanes
stantinople, where he canvassed the friendship of gives with apparent fidelity. The Blues took the
the clergy and the senators. He was advanced to emperor's part; the quarrel came to blows, and
the consulship in 52), and his influence became so after a short struggle within the hippodrome, the
great, that, at the suggestion of the senate, the infuriated factions rushed into the streets, and soon
aged emperor adopted him, and proclaimed him Constantinople was filled with murder and blood-
co-emperor, 1st of April, 527. Justin died a few shed. The houses of the leaders of the two parties
months afterwards, and Justinian was crowned by were demolished, others were set on fire ; and every
the patriarch of Constantinople, together with his body being engaged either in saving their own lives
wife, the actress Theodora, whom he raised to the
or in attempting the lives of others, the flames
dignity of empress, in spite of the opposition of his spread from street to street, and a general confla-
mother and other relatives. (THEODORA. ] gration consumed thousands of houses, the church
Justinian signalised his accession by public of St. Sophia, a large part of the imperial palace,
festivals more splendid than the Greeks had ever the baths of Zeuxippus (Alexander), the great hos-
witnessed, and the money alone which was distri- pital of Sampso, and a vast number of churches
buted among the people is said to have amounted and public or private palaces. After five days'
to 288,000 pieces of gold. Had he not been an murder and plunder, many thousands of dead
excellent financier, his extravagances might have bodies covered the streets, or lay roasting among
impeded his operations against the enemies of the burning ruins. These riots are known by the
empire, against whom he was obliged to prosecute name of the vika riots, the word vika, “ be vic-
the war which had been begun by his predecessor ; torious," having been the war-cry of both the Blue
but he understood thoroughly the subtle art of and the Green. Unfortunately for the emperor,
emptying those purses again which his liberality the two factions, after fighting against each other,
had filled ; and if his generals were not successful perceived that the victory of neither would remove
against the Persians, it was not for want of money. those abuses against which the Green had first
The Huns on the northern shores of the Euxine, risen, and they consequently formed an union, and
especially around the Palus Maeotis, or the Sea of turned their fury against such of the imperial
Azof, were either subjugated or submitted volun- officers as were most suspected of peculation and
tarily; and the Arabs, who made frequent inroads oppression. The chief objects of their hatred were
into Syria as far as Antioch, were likewise, though the quaestor Tribonian, the jurist, and the praefect
with more difficulty, compelled to desist from hos. John, of Cappadocia ; Justinian deposed them
tilities. The relations between Constantinople and both, in order to appease the popular fury, but
Persia were of an indifferent character, and an in vain. Hypatius and Pompeius, two nephews
open war broke out between the two powers, when of the late emperor Anastasius, who were removed
Justinian promised to assist Tzathus, the king of from the court because they were suspected of
the Lazi, between Pontus and the Caucasus, who being engaged in the riots, were, apparently
came to Constantinople to implore the aid of the against their will, chosen by the populace to act as
Romans against the Persians. In the first cam- their leaders ; Hypatius was proclaimed emperor,
paign against these hereditary enemies of Rome, and Justinian, despairing of quelling the rebellion,
the generals of Justinian, Belisarius, Cyricus, and prepared to fly with his treasures to Heracleia, in
Petrus, were defeated ; but their successor, Petrus Thrace, none of his ministers, not even Belisarius,
Notarius, was successful. The war was chiefly having succeeded in discovering any means of
carried on in Armenia, but also on the frontiers of saving their master in this critical moment. He
Syria and Mesopotamia, and lasted till 532, when, I would have been lost but for his wife Theodera,
v v 3
## p. 662 (#678) ############################################
C62
JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
who exercised an extraordinary influence over with friends, and not with enemies. At 10 miles
him. Being present at the privy council, where distance from Carthage the Romans encountered
the emperor declared his resolution of leaving the the main army of the Vandals, who were routed,
city, she rose, and with impressive words, sometimes and so completely dispersed, that Gelimer despaired
reproaching and sometimes encouraging, produced of defending his capital with success, and fled into
a happy change in the minds of Justinian and his the interior, in order to collect a new army. A
councillors. Narses bribed the chiefs of the Blue, few days afterwards, on the 15th of September,
and soon rekindled those hostilities between the 533, the inhabitants of Carthage opened their gates
two factions which only an extraordinary event to the victor, not only without resistance, but with
had appeased for a moment; and, sure of the as- manifestations of joy. While Belisarius employed
sistance of the Blue, Belisarius led a body of 3000 his time in repairing the fortifications of Carthage,
veterans against the hippodrome, where the Green Gelimer succeeded in raising a considerable number
had fortified themselves. In a dreadful carnage of troops, and his brother Zano, who had mean-
30,000 of the Green were massacred within the while conquered Sardinia, returned in haste with
space of one day; and Hypatius and Pompeius his army, which, however, was only 5000 men
having been made prisoners, were led to death, strong, and joined Gelimer in his camp at Balla,
with eighteen other leaders of patrician or con- five days' journey from the capital. They marched
pular rank. Thus ended one of the most terrible upon Carthage, and their forces increased daily : 80
riots that had ever happened at Constantinople ; that when they arrived at Tricameron, 20 miles
but the power of the Green was far from being from Carthage, they commanded an army ten times
broken, and the two factions continued to make more numerous than that of Belisarius. But the
the hippodrome an occasional scene of bloodshed Vandals who defended Africa were no longer the
during the whole reign of Justinian.
same who had conquered it: they were enervated
Immediately after these troubles Justinian made by the climate and the luxuries of the South; and
serious preparations for a war against the Vandals. in a pitched battle at Tricameron they were en-
His pretext was to avenge the deposition of the tirely defeated. Gelimer fled into the mountains
aged Hilderic, the lawful king of the Vandals, in the South, but was pursued by the Roman
and a great favourite of Justinian, on account of Pharas, who kept him besieged in a castle on
his orthodoxy, who had been deprived of his throne Mount Papua, where he was reduced to such ex-
by the warrior Gelimer ; but his design upon Car- tremity that he at last surrendered, and after
thage was blamed by the people, who had in mind having been presented to Belisarius at Carthage,
the unhappy campaign of Basiliscus against the Van- was sent to Constantinople, where he was treated
dals in A. D. 468, and still more so by most of his by Justinian with great generosity. (GELIMER. )
ministers, especially John of Cappadocia, who, After the conquest of Carthage, Belisarius reduced
however, acted from very selfish motives. [Jo the whole tract of Africa along the shore of the
ANNES of CAPPADOCIA. ] Nor does it appear that Mediterranean, as far as the columns of Hercules,
Justinian originated the plan, which seems to have and brought likewise the islands of Sardinia and
been suggested to him by Theodora and Antonina, Corsica, as well as the Baleares, under the authority
the wife of Belisarius, and to which he was finally of Justinian.
persuaded by this great general. This was the The overthrow of the Vandal_kingdom in Africa
last contest between Rome and Carthage, but on was followed by a war with the East Goths in Italy,
neither side was it carried on by Romans or Car- which arose out of the following circumstances, in
thaginians, those who boasted of the former name which the cunning and artfulness of Justinian were
being Greeks and Scythian or Gothic barbarians, no less conspicuous than the frank heroism of Belisa-
while the defenders of Carthage were a mixture rius. Shortly after the accession of Justinian, the
of Germans and Slavonians, commanded by Ger- young king of the East Goths, Athalaric, died, and his
manic chiefs. An army of 35,000 soldiers, com- mother Amalasuntha, a highly gifted woman, who
manded by Belisarius, left the Bosporus in June, was the youngest daughter of the great Theodoric,
533, in a fleet of 500 ships, manned by 20,000 succeeded her son, and, in order to establish her
mariners, and among the troops were several thou- power the better, married her cousin Theodat. It
sand archers with coats of mail, who fought on happened, however, that Justinian contemplated a
horseback, and of which Procopius gives a descrip- marriage with that queen, although he was already
tion which strongly resembles that of the brave married to Theodora ; and we cannot doubt that,
Caucasians in our time. From the Bosporus the in order to obtain his ends, he would have sacri-
fleet made for Methone (Modon), in Messenia, ficed both his wife and king Theodat. Suspecting
where the troops were landed, and remained a short his designs, Theodora secretly negotiated with
time on the shore to refresh themselves ; thence Theodat, and made him great promises, if he would
they sailed round the Peloponnesus, reached Zante, put Amalasuntha to death. Theodat saw his
and cast anchor at Caucana, about 50 miles from danger, and lost no time in seizing his unfortunate
Syracuse, where they were well treated by the queen, and confining her in a castle, where she was
-Goths—a great act of imprudence on their part – found strangled some time after her imprisonment
and they finally landed on the African shore, near (534). The anger of Justinian was extreme, and as
the promontory of Caput Vada, now Capaudia, at the Gothic kingdom was shaken by political factions,
five days' journey south of Carthage. Gelimer, while his own power had much increased through
having dispatched part of his army and fleet for his conquest of Africa, he prepared for an invasion of
the conquest of Sardinia, was unable to offer any Italy. The pretext he alleged was to avenge the mur-
effective resistance: moreover, the aborigines of the der of Amalasuntha He began his hostile demon-
country, and the descendants of the former Roman strations by demanding the fortress of Lilybaeum,
settlers, received the Romans as Catholic brethren, in Sicily, from the Goths: this town had been
and Belisarius advanced as far as the palace of given to Thrasimond, king of the Vandals, hy
Grasse, only 50 miles from Carthage, meeting only | Theodoric the Great, but after the overthrow of
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JUSTINIANUS.
the Vandals in 534, the Goths occupied the town, / and he united his efforts with those of his master
and refused to surrender it to Justinian, when he in settling the domestic state of Italy, which was
claimed it as an appendage of the Vandal king nearly ruined through the protracted war, while
dom. Thus the war broke out, the chief events of millions of her inhabitants had perished by the
which, till the final recal of Belisarius in 548, are sword and famine.
related in the life of BELISARIUS. When Beli- To these conquests the lieutenants of Justinian
sarius was recalled, the Roman army was in a in Africa added a considerable tract in Spain, along
critical position, because the brave Gothic king, the shores of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic,
Totilas, had gained great advantages over Belisa- from the south-western extremity of Algarve in
rius, and after his recal the Goths made such pro the west to the confines of the modern kingdom of
gress as to reduce the Roman power in Italy to a Murcia in the east, which the West Goths were
shadow. Totilas took Rome by a stratagem, re- obliged to cede to the victorious Romans ; and the
stored the senate, and made it once more the seat fortunate Justinian now reigned over the whole
of the Gothic empire. Thence he sailed to Cala- extent of the Roman enpire as it existed under the
bria, took Tarentum and Rhegium, conquered earlier emperors, except the greater part of Spain,
Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, and despatched a Gaul, and Britain, where the most warlike of all
fleet of 300 gallies, which were probably manned the barbarians of those times exercised an authority
by Greek natives of Southern Italy, for the Goths unchecked by either Romans or Greeks. The
were no mariners, to the coast of Greece, where the strength of Justinian's empire, however, did not
Gothic warriors landed, and spread terror among correspond with its dimensions. Both the Romans
the inhabitants. They pushed as far as Nicopolis and Greeks were enervated, and little disposed to
and Dodona, and Totilas sent envoys to Justinian, serve in the field, when they could buy foreigners
offering him peace, and promising to assist him to defend Rome and Constantinople ; and the prac-
against any enemy, if he would desist from his tice of enlisting barbarians proved very dangerous,
designs upon Italy. Justinian would perhaps have since so many veterans, who returned into their
accepted his offers but for the circumstance that the native forests or steppes, informed their brethren of
Goths being Arians, the orthodox church in Italy the internal weakness of the Roman empire. We
was in danger of being overthrown by schismatics. thus see that, notwithstanding the fear which the
Fresh troops were consequently sent to Italy, and victories of Belisarius, Narses, Germanus, and so
Germanus, the nephew of Justinian, who was many other great generals, necessarily caused among
renowned by many victories over the Bulgarians, the immediate neighbours of the Romans, many
the Persians, and the Mauritanians, was destined to barbarian nations, that lived at greater distances
command them, but died at Sardica, in Illyricum, from the Roman frontiers, pushed slowly towards
on his march to Italy. (GERMANUS, No. 2. ) The Italy, Greece, and Asia Minor, in order to be ready
choice of Germanus proves the danger in which the to invade the empire at the first opportunity.
empire was placed by the victories of Totilas. This From the extreme north of Germany, the Longo-
prince was dear to the Goths through his marriage bards, of Saxon origin, advanced towards the
with Mathasuntha, daughter of Amalasuntba, and Danube, and settled in Moravia and Northern
grand-daughter of Theodoric the Great ; and as Hungary, whence, but a few years after the death
he was also one of the best Roman generals, a of Justinian, they broke forth for the conquest of
suspicious man like Justinian must have had Italy. Their neighbourhood appeared so dangerous
urgent motives for sending him into Italy, where, to Justinian, that he tried to gain them to his in-
in case of success, he had still greater chances of terests, and to use them as a barrier against other
becoming king of the Goths than Belisarius could enemies, by ceding to them Pannonia and Noricum.
have had in making himself independent in Africa.
The latter province was, however, soon taken from
But Germanus was a man of so excellent a cha- the Longobards by the Franks. The neighbours
racter as to be above the suspicions even of a Jus- of the Longobards, the Gepidae, had founded a
tinian. The mere fact of his being appointed to the kingdom in Eastern Hungary and Transylvania as
command roused the spirit of the Roman army, early as the middle of the fifth century ; and since
and ere the eunuch Narses was chosen to succeed they were always annoying the Romans in Illyri-
him, the Gothic fleet had been defeated, and Sicily cum, Justinian availed himself of their feuds with
reconquered by Artabanus. Narses led the Roman the Longobards, and assisted the latter. In con-
army round the Adriatic into Italy, while a fleet sequence of this, the power of the Gepidae was
followed him along the shore, and in a dreadful weakened, but that of the Longobards increased in
battle at Tagina (July, 552) slew 6000 Goths, and proportion ; and bad Justinian lived but two years
dispersed the rest. Totilas fell in the conflict, and longer, he would have seen that the final overthrow
his bloody dress was sent as the most acceptable of the Gepidae had, as its immediate consequence,
trophy to Justinian. The successor of Totilas, the destruction of the Roman power in Italy by the
Teias, continued the war, but he likewise was Longobards. Still farther in the East, on the river
killed in a pitched battle on the river Sarnus, near Don, appeared in 557 the Avars, a nation of Turk:
Naples, and his death was the downfal of the ish origin. In accordance with his usual policy of
Gothic kingdom in Italy. A host of Franks and turning the feuds of the barbarians to his own
Alemanni descended from the Alps to dispute the profit, Justinian lavished his money upon the
possession of Italy with Narses, and their first in- Avars, and employed them together with his own
road was so irresistible that they penetrated as far forces against some barbarian tribes which annoyed
as the straits of Sicily. But in a battle on the the Roman possessions in the Chersonnesus Taurica
river Volturnus, near the bridge of Casilinum, they (the Crimea). This was in 558. Only four years
were routed with great slaughter by Narses, who afterwards the whole of the nations north of the
drove their scattered remnants beyond the Alps Danube, as far west as modern Bavaria, was sub-
(554). Narses was appointed exarch, or viceroy, jugated by the A vars, and Justinian 11. paid dearly
of Italy, and took up his residence at Ravenna, for the timid and wavering conduct of Justinian i.
8
3
UV 4
## p. 664 (#680) ############################################
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JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
Among the nations subdued by the Avars were , dishonourable condition of an annual payment of
the Bulgarians, between the Non and the Volga, 30,000 pieces of gold. Yet the profit of this ne-
who, in 559, passed the frozen Danube, and under gotiation was on the side of Justinian, because
their chief, Zabergan, ravaged Thrace and Mace- Nushirwán renounced his claims upon Colchis and
donia, and appeared under the walls of Constan- Lazica, both of which countries were then renowned
tinople. The capital was saved by Belisarius, for their gold mines ; and the restoration of peace
whom Justinian rewarded with a dry compliment. in all his Eastern dominions was a sufficient con-
If we turn our eyes from the West to the East, sideration to induce Justinian to expend so small a
we find that the treaty of peace had scarcely been sum as 30,000 pieces of gold. In the beginning of
concluded between Constantinople and Persia, be the Persian war Justinian concluded a singular
fore the Persian king Chosroes or Nushirwan, with alliance. At that time there was a Christian king.
his accustomed faithlessness, violated its conditions, dom in Southern Arabia, which extended over the
and a new and terrible war broke out in 510. Ac- provinces of Yemen and Hadhramaút, and was
cording to Procopius, however, Justinian purposely inen commonly called the kingdom of the Home-
excited the Persian king to take up arms, and, at ritae. Dunain having seized the supreme power,
any rate, wished for a new war, which is the more persecuted the Christians, who found assistance in
likely, as he was then at the pinnacle of his power. the person of Eleesbam, the Negus or Christian
In the year mentioned Nushirwán invaded Syria, king of Abyssinia, who came over to Arabia, and
and the Roman army being too weak to arrest his made himself master of the Homeritic kingdom.
progress, he spoiled the principal towns of their With this Eleesbam Justinian entered into nego-
riches, and laid siege to Antioch, which was tiations, and in 533 despatched Nonnosus as ambas-
defended by Germanus. This general thought his sador to him, to induce him to unite his forces
forces insufficient for an effective resistance, and con- with the Romans against the Persians, and to
sequently withdrew, a step for which he has been protect the trade between Egypt and India, espe-
charged with cowardice, although on many other cially that of silk, which Justinian wished to
occasions he had shown himself a brave and fear- establish by sea, through the assistance of the in-
less man.
The “queen of the East ” soon became habitants of Abyssinia and Arabia. Nonnosus
a prey to the Persians, and after having been ascended the Nile, and was received by Eleesbam
plundered, was destroyed by fire. The Asiatic at Axum, but he did not attain his objects. Soon
provinces of Justinian would have been lost but for afterwards the Homeritae freed themselves froin
the timely arrival of Belisarius (541), who through the Abyssinian supremacy; but the rise of Moham-
a well calculated invasion of Mesopotamia and As- medanism proved the ruin of the Christians in
syria, compelled Nushirwán to leave the province Arabia, for the power of the Abyssinian kings in
of Pontus which he was ravaging, and to hasten to Africa was weakened through internal discord and
the defence of his hereditary dominions. Suddenly revolutions. Gibbon remarks with great justness,
Belisarius was recalled to Constantinople, and that “these obscure and remote events are not
during his absence Nushirwan collected his forces, foreign to the decline and fall of the Roman empire.
and set out for a new invasion of Syria and Pales- If a Christian power had been maintained in
tine. In this emergency Belisarius was again put Arabia, Mohammed must have been crushed in his
at the head of the Roman armies in those quarters ; cradle, and Abyssinia would have prevented a re-
and the mere fact of his presence was sufficient to volution wnich has changed the civil and religious
induce Nushirwán to repass the Euphrates. Every state of the world. ”
body now expected that Belisarius would march The final overthrow of the Gothic power in Italy,
forth with upon Ctesiphon, when the unfavourable the peace with Persia, the reconquest of Lazica,
turn of the Gothie war required his presence in and the last victories of Belisarius over the Bul-
Italy (543). No sooner was he gone than 30,000 garians in 559, followed each other so closely, and
Romans suffered a severe defeat from 4000 Per- were of such importance in their consequences, that
sians ; but the differences between the two empires Justinian was allowed during the last years of his
were nevertheless settled to the satisfaction of life to enjoy in peace the extraordinary power
Justinian, and a sort of truce was made, in conse- which his ambition made him wish for, but which
quence of which that part of the East was no he owed entirely to the skill and heroism of Beli-
longer disturbed by the Persians. It happened, sarius, Narses, and Germanus, and many other
however, that the Lazians and Colchians became generals, as well as to the valour and discipline of
tired of their dependence upon Constantinople, and the troops formed by those eminent officers. Nine
implored the protection of Nushirwan, who ac- months after Belisarius, the victim of his base in-
cepted the offer, and placed garrisons in the prin- gratitude, had sunk into the grave, the emperor
cipal towns of those nations. A few years were Justinian died, on the 14th of November, 565, at
sufficient to show them that the rapacity of the the age of eighty-three, and left an empire, colossal
king was still greater than that of the emperor, and in size, threatening in its appearance, but rotten
they accordingly entreated Justinian to receive in its foundations, to the imbecile son of his sister
them again among his subjects, and to deliver them Vigilantia, Justinus II.
from their Persian oppressors. Justinian despatched After this sketch of the principal political events
Dagisteus with 7000 Romans and 1000 Zani into of the reign of Justinian, it remains to say a few
Lazica ; and Petra, the strongest fortress of the words on the manner in which he guarded his eni-
country, was taken from the Persians by storm, pire against so many enemies which surrounded it,
after a memorable and protracted siege (549— and on the system of his government at home.
551). This war lasted, with various success, till The ancient Roman system of fortifying the
561, when, tired of eternal bloodshed, the two frontiers of the empire was carried by Justinian to
monarchs came at last to an agreement. Through an extent which plainly shows the great danger to
the peace of 561 the tranquillity of the East was which his subjects were constantly exposed ; for
finally restored, but Justinian bought it on the not only were the outer froutiers secured by an
## p. 665 (#681) ############################################
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665
JUSTINIANUS.
immense number of forts and towers, interspersed | Justinian lavished upon the barbarians, involun-
with larger regular fortresses, but even most of the tarily led to the system of bis administration.
towns in the very heart of Greece, Thrace, and Procopius, in his Secret History or Anecdota, gives
Asia were provided with walls and towers, to an awful description of it ; but however vicious that
protect the inhabitants against the irresistible in- administration was, the colours of Procopius are
roads of the barbarians. Thence Montesquieu ob- too dark, and his motives in writing that work were
serves, that the Roman empire at the time of not fair. There was decided order and regularity
Justinian resembled the Frankish kingdom in the in the administration, but the leading principles of
time of the Norman inroads, when, in spite of every it were suspicion and avarice. The taxes were so
village being a fortress, the kingdom was weaker beavy, their assessment so unequal, that Gibbon
than at any other period. The entire course of the compares them to a hail-storm that fell upon the
Danube was defended by about eighty forts, of land, and to a devouring pestilence with regard to
different dimensions, all of which were guarded by its inhabitants. In cases of necessity, the inha-
numerous garrisons ; other fortresses were erected bitants of whole districts were compelled to bring
beyond the river, in the middle of the countries of their stores of corn to Constantinople, or other
the barbarians. But these detached forts were places where the troops might be in want of it, and
utterly unable to protect Thrace against an enemy they were either not paid at all, or received such
who used to appear suddenly with overwhelming bad prices that they were often completely ruined.
forces, leaving no alternative to the Roman garrisons in all the provinces the officers of the crown took
than of shutting themselves up within their walls, much more from the people than the law allowed,
and of beholding as inactive spectators the Bul- because the venality of places was carried on openly
garians swimming over the Danube with 20,000 as a means of filling the emperor's treasury, and
horses at once, or crossing it in the winter on the the purses of his prime minister ; and those who
solid ice. Similar forts were built, too, from the purchased places, which were, after all, badly paid,
junction of the Save with the Danube north, could not keep their engagements with the sellers,
towards Pannonia, and they proved quite as in- nor enrich themselves, without carrying on that
effective against the Arars as the forts along the system of robbery, which is at the present day the .
Danube against the Bulgarians. Italy was fortified general practice in Turkey and most of the other
by nature, yet the Franks crossed the Alps with countries in the East. Justinian certainly tried to
impunity. Thence the necessity of creating a check peculation and venality (Novella, viii. ), but
system of inland fortifications. The ancient Greek this thundering edict was soon forgotten, and it
wall across the Thracian Chersonnese, near Con- would seem that the emperor himself lent' his en-
stantinople, was carefully restored, and brought to deavours to throw it into oblivion. Another great
a degree of strength which caused the admiration abuse which the principal officers made of their
of Procopius ; the Bulgarians nevertheless crossed power was that of prevailing upon wealthy persons
it, and fed their horses in the gardens round Con- to make wills in their favour, to the disadvantage
stantinople. Similar walls, with towers, were of the natural heirs. A great source of revenue for
constructed across Thessaly (beginning with the the imperial treasury consisted in the numberless
defiles of Thermopylae) and across the isthmus of duties, entry fees, and other charges, mostly arbitrary,
Corinth ; yet Bulgarians, Slavonians, and other laid upon trade and manufactures, and we may
barbarians, kept the inhabitants of Greece in con- fairly presume that the tradespeople were as much
stant fear of being carried off as slaves. At what- oppressed as the land-owners. Some branches of
ever point these savage warriors appeared, they trade, as for instance silk, were made monopolies
were always the strongest, and the poor Romans of the crown, and, in short, there were no means
had no other chance of safety left than of taking left untried to fill his treasury. However, he never
refuge within the larger towns, the solid forti- tampered with the coinage, nor gave it an artificial
fications of which were sufficient to keep the value. The millions thus obtained by Justinian
enemy at a distance. In the north-east the isthmus were not only sufficient to cover the expenses
of the Chersonnesus Taurica, the present Crimea, occasioned by the army, the fortifications, the wars,
was fortified in the same way as the isthmus of and the bribery of barbarians, but enough remained
Corinth, by a long wall. The Roman possessions to enable him to indulge his passion of perpetuating
along the eastem shores of the Euxine and in the bis name by public festivals, and especially by those
Caucasus were covered with forts and military beautiful buildings and monuments which were
stations ; and from the corner of Colchis to the erected by his order, and render his time con-
sources of the Euphrates, and along the river as far spicuous in the history of art. Procopius describes
as Syria, and thence along the edge of the Syro- them in his work “De Aedificiis Justiniani. ” The
Arabic desert, there was scarcely a town or a church of St. Sophia in Constantinople, that splendid
defile but was surrounded by walls and ditches, or edifice, which, though now transformed into a
shut up by massive barriers of stone, against the Turkish mosque, still excites the admiration of the
inroads of the Persians. Syria was thought to be spectator, was the most magnificent building erected
sufficiently guarded by the great desert between by Justinian. Besides this Church of St. Sophia,
the Euphrates and the Lebanon, and the fortifica- there were twenty-five other churches constructed in
tions of the Syrian towns were allowed to fall into Constantinople and its suburbs, among which were
decay, till the repeated invasions of Nushirwan the beautiful churches of St. John the Apostle and
and the sack of Antioch directed the attention of St. Mary the Virgin, near the Blachernae, the
Justinian to that quarter also. Dara, not far from latter of which he perhaps only repaired. The
Nisibis, was the strongest bulwark of the empire imperial palace at Constantinople was embellished
on the side of Mesopotamia, and constantly pro- with unparalleled splendour and taste; and his new
voked the jealousy of the Persiang.
palace with the gardens at Heraeum, near Chalcedon,
The enormous sums which the defence of the was praised as the most beautiful residence in the
empire required, together with the gold which world. The “ Antiquities of Constantinople,” by
G
## p. 666 (#682) ############################################
666
JUSTINIANUS.
JUSTINIANUS.
reforma
:
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Petrus Gyllius (English translation by John Ball, much as humanity. If we look at his endless and
London, 1 729), give a description of the most re glorious wars, we should think that he was a great
markable buildings of Justinian, in Constantinople. warrior himself, or possessed at least great military
Justinian paid 45 centenaries of gold (nearly talents: but however great bis talents were, they
200,0002. ), towards the rebuilding and embellish- were not in that line ; he never showed himself in
ment of Antioch, after it had been destroyed by the field, and his subjects called him a bigoted and
an earthquake ; his native village he transformed cowardly tyrant. As a statesman lie was crafty
into a large and splendid city, to which he gave rather than wise ; yet his legislation is a lasting
his name ; and, in short, there was not a town of monument of his administrative genius, and has
consequence in his vast dominions, from the Columns given him a place in the opinion of the world far
of Hercules to the shores of the Caspian, but could beyond that which he really deserves. (Procopius,
show some beautiful monument of the emperor's with special reference to his Anecelota and De
splendour and taste. Asia Minor still contains a Aedificiis ; Agathias, Hist. ; Paulus Silentiarius ;
great number of edifices erected by Justinian, and Cedrenus, p. 366, &c. ; Zonaras, xiv. p. 60, dic. ;
our modern travellers have discovered many which Joannes Malaln, vol. ii. p. 138, &c. ; Marcellinus,
were formerly unknown. Indeed his love of Chron. ad an. 520, &c. , p. 50, &c. ; Theophanes,
splendour and his munificence in matters of taste, p. 300, &c. ; Evagrius, iv. 8, &c. in the Paris edi-
show, or luxury, no less than bis extraordinary tions ; Jornandes, De Regn. Succ. p. 62, &c. , De
power, made his name known over the world, Rel. Goth. p. 143, &c. ed. Lindenbrog; Paulus
whence he received embassies from the remotest Diaconus, De Gest. Longobard. i. 25, &c. , ii. 4, &c. ;
nations of Asia. In his reign the silk-worm was Ludewig, Vita Justiniani, &c. , Halle, 1731, is
brought to Constantinople, by some Nestorian rather too flattering; the best description of the
monks, who had visited their fellow-Christians in reign and character of Justinian is given in Gib
China,
bon's Decline and Fall. )
(W. P. ]
In 541 Justinian abolished the consulship, or,
more correctly, discontinued the old-established
THE LEGISLATION OF JUSTINIAN.
custom of choosing consuls. The consulate being
a mere title, it was but reasonable to do away with The idea of forming a complete code of law has
it, although the name was still dear to the people ; been attributed to Pompey, to Cicero, and to Julius
but it was not abolished by law until the reign of the Caesar. Such, too, was the original plan of Ther-
emperor Leo Philosophus (886–911. ) Justinian dosius the younger, although a much more limited
likewise shut up the schools at Athens and Alexan- design was ultimately carried into effect in the
dria, where the Neo-Platonists still professed dogmas Theodosian Code. [DIODORUS. ] Shortly before
which the orthodox emperor thought dangerous to the reign of Justinian, upon the submission of the
Christianity. In the time of Justinian, however, Western empire to Germanic rule, the Roman law
those schools were only a shadow of what they had was still allowed to retain its force in the West by
been in the first centuries of our era. Christian the side of a newly-introduced Germanic jurispru-
orthodoxy was one of the most important objects dence. The Lex Romana, as it was barbarously
which Justinian endeavoured to establish in his called, remained the law of the subjugated Romans,
empire, and many of his laws testify his zeal on while the Barbari, as the Germans were proud to
behalf of the church and the clergy. But his be styled, continued to live under their own Teu-
piety was exaggerated, and toleration was a thing tonic institutions. Under this anomalous system
unknown to him. He persecuted Christian sec- of personal laws, many difficulties must have arisen,
taries, Jews, and pagans, in an equally heartless and it was found necessary to make separate col-
manner, and actually endeavoured to drive them | lections of such sources of law as were to be recog-
all out of his dominions. Towards the end of his nised for the future in regulating the respective
life, however, Justinian changed his religious rights and duties of the subjugated Roman provin-
opinions so much that he was considered a com- cials and their conquerors. In the West Gothic
plete heretic. Nestorianism, which he was so kingdom, which was established in Spain and a
active in condemning at the fifth General Council, part of Gaul, a collection of Roman laws was formed
the second of Constantinople, in 553, was the during the relgn of Alaric II. (A. D. 484—507),
doctrine which he embraced.
partly from the Theodosian, Gregorian, and Her-
The character of Justinian presented a strange mogenian Codes, and partly from the works of
mixture of virtues and vices, but he was neither so jurists. This collection is known in modern times
depraved as Procopius depicts him, nor so accom- by the name Breviarium Aniani (ANIANUS), or
plished as the modern jurists of Germany and Breviarium Alaricianum. In A. D. 493 the Ostro-
France represent him in their admiration for his goths became masters of Italy, and in A. D. 500
legislation. His private life was exemplary. He Theodoric the Great published for the use of the
was frugal, laborious, affable, and generous, but his whole population of the Ostrogothic kingdom a set
mean suspicions and unreasonable jealousy never of rules based on the Roman, not the Gothic law.
allowed him to gain the love of his friends or the About the year A. D. 517 the Ler Romana Bur-
esteem of his subjects. His conduct towards Be-gundiorum was compiled for the use of the Burgun-
lisarius was execrable. Another of his vices was dian Romans. The Burgundian conquerors, who,
rapacity, and it would seem that he considered towards the middle of the fifth century, established
men created to work, not for themselves, but for a kingdom upon the banks of the Rhone, had
him alone. Thence the little regard he paid to the already a similar code of their own, called Guns
complaints of his subjects with reference to his per- dobuda.
petual wars ; and although he assisted them with Though the necessities which called for these
great liberality when they were suffering from the legislative efforts in the kingdoms of the West did
consequences of those plagues and earthquakes not exist to the same extent in the Oriental em-
which signalized his time, his motive was vanity as pire, there were not wanting other reasons for legal
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## p. 667 (#683) ############################################
JUSTINIANUS.
667
JUSTINIANUS.
-
ance.
never seen.
reform and consolidation. From the time of Con- | how short was destined to be the duration of his
stantine, •he fresh and vigorous spirit of the clas own new code! (Const. Summa Reipublicae. )
sical jurists seems to have vanished. Many of the At the end of the following year (Const. Deo
most active intellects were now turned away from Auctore, dated Dec. 15. A. D. 530), Tribonian,
legal to religious discussions. Jurisprudence, no who had given proof of his great ability in drawing
longer the pursuit of the minister and statesman, up the code, was authorised to select fellow-labourers
became the handicraft of freedmen. (Mamert. to assist him in the other division of the under-
Panegyr. X. 20. ) The law was oppressed by its taking — a part of Justinian's plan which the em-
own weight. The complexity of practice, the long peror justly regarded as the most difficult, but also
series of authoritative writings, the unwieldy bulk as the most important and the most glorious. Tri-
of express enactments, and the multitude of volu- bonian was endowed with rare qualifications for
minous commentators, were sufficient to be wilder such an appointment. He was himself deeply
the most resolute jurist. In the midst of conflicting learned in law, and possessed in his library a match-
texts, it was hard to find out where the true law less collection of legal sources.
