Justinian

Some key Sources

Procopius of Caesarea, History of the Wars, Buildings and Secret History

Agathias, poet and lawyer; continued Procopius' history from 553-558

Menander the Guardsman (Menander Protector) continued Agathias' history from 558 to 582

The Chronicle of John Malalas

The Chronicle of Marcellinus Comes

The Ecclesiastical History of Evagrius

John of Ephesus (monophysite), Ecclesiastical History (surviving part 521-585) and Lives of Eastern Saints

Justinian's Novels

Key Dates and Events

518 Death of Anastasius

518-527 Reign of Justin I

521 Consulship of Justinian

523 Justinian marries Theodora

c.525 The Persian king, Kavadh, asks Justin to adopt his son Chosroes, but the request is refused

525 Execution of Boethius and Symmachus

526 Death of Theoderic (Ostrogothic king of Italy) and succession of his grandson Athalaric, under the protection of his pro-Eastern mother, Amalasuntha

spring 527 Justin falls ill and makes Justinian co-emperor

August 527 Justin dies and Justinian becomes sole ruler

528 Persian army invades Mesopotamia

529 Completion of the Codex Iustinianus (version 1)
Closure of the Academy of Athens

531 Death of Kavadh and succession of Chosroes

532 Endless Peace treaty signed by Rome and Persia
Nika Riot at Constantinople
Consecration of Anthemius, a pro-monophysite ascetic, as patriarch of Constantinople

June 533 Reconquest of Vandal North Africa

Dec. 533 Completion of the Digest and Institutes

534 Codex Iustinianus (version 2)
Triumph of Belisarius
Death of Athalaric and succession of Theoderic's nephew, Theodahad

535 Theodahad has Amalasuntha strangled
Deposition of Anthemius at the instigation of the pope Agapetus; consecration of Menas

535/6 Beginning of Justinian's reconquest of Italy: Mundo leads forces into Dalmatia; Belisarius captures Sicily

536 Fall of Naples

Dec. 536 Murder of Theodahad. Replaced by Vitigis

9th Dec Belisarius enters Rome

Feb 537 Siege of Rome by the Goths - until March 538

540 Siege of Ravenna. Belisarius takes the city after pretending to accept the offer of kingship of Italy
Chosroes invades Roman territory; sack of Antioch
Belisarius is recalled to Constantinople

542- Successes of the new Gothic King, Totila
Plague reaches Constantinople

543/4 Edict of Justinian anathematising Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrrhus and Ibas of Edessa - the "Three Chapters" controversy

544 Defeat of Solomon in Africa Belisarius returns to Italy but fails to halt the advances of Totila

548 Victory of John Troglita in Africa
Death of Theodora

550 Navy sent to Spain to recover territory from the Visigoths

552 Totila is defeated by Narses

553 Italy, Dalmatia and Sicily are united with the Eastern Empire.
Fifth Oecumenical Council at Constantinople

554 Justinian's Pragmatic Sanction

558/9 Kotrigurs enter Greece and threaten Constantinople. They are defeated by Belisarius; Justinian repairs the Long Walls

560/1 Peace treaty for 50 years signed by Rome and Persia

565 Death of Justinian