Justinian I

Emperor of the Romans

A mosaic of Justinian I at the Basilica San Vitale in Ravenna.

* Life
* Names
* Reign

**Justinian I** (Latin: *Flavius Anicius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus*; Greek: Φλάβιος Ανίκιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός, *translit.* *Phlábios Aníkios Pétros Sabbátios Ioustinianós*; 482/483, Tauresium – 14 November 565, Constantinople), frequently referred to as **Justinian the Great** (Latin: *Iustinianus Magnus*; Greek: Ἰουστινιανός ὁ Μέγας, *translit.* *Ioustinianós ho Mégas*), was Eastern Roman emperor from 527 to 565.

Justinian is best known for the ambitious *renovatio imperii*, whereby imperial rule was restored over much of the former Western Roman Empire. His generals, Belisarius, Narses and Liberius, successfully conquered the Vandal Kingdom and the southern ends of the Visigothic Kingdom (with the rest of the kingdom temporarily becoming a vassal state) and enforced direct imperial rule over the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy, a rebellious vassal state of the empire. All this increased the empire's revenue with a million *solidi*; however, Italy was badly damaged after poor decisions by Justinian caused the war against the Ostrogoths to drag, and his successors proved incapable of digesting all of the conquests, leading to their partial disintegration. In the east, Justinian incorporated the *Tzani* of the east coast of the Black Sea into the empire and battled the Sasanian Empire. Over at home, Justinian constructed the Haga Sophia, the largest church of the world at the time, and assembled the Corpus Iuris Civilis, still the basis of modern law in many modern countries. He passed many laws that improved the rights of women and children and protected them from abuse.

Justinian's rule was considered the apogee of Classical Byzantium, and he is often deemed "The Last Roman" for his restorational activities; under his watch, the Eastern Roman Empire reached its all-time largest territorial expansion. The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates him as Saint Justinian the Emperor, with his feast day on 14 November. Justinian has subsequently become the most famous and popular Eastern Roman emperor in modern society.

## Footnotes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sometimes given as 11 May.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Consular diptychs from 521 give his full name as *Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus*, which is the most commonly accepted name. Other sources, however, attest Justinian's full name as *Flavius Anicius Iustinianus*, seemingly also based on consular dyptichs. The name *Anicius* is also attested among other Justinian dynasts (like Justin I, Justin II and Tiberius II), and subsequently is likely a dynastic cognomen, much like *Valerius* was for the Leonids and *Iulius* for the Theodosians and Valentinians. Based on this, his full name is assumed to be *Flavius Anicius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus* by this wiki. Much more rarely, he is referred to as *Flavius Valerius Iustinianus* or as *Flavius Amicus Iustinianus*. The latter name is almost certainly erroneous, as "amicus" is a Latin word that means "friend", and was never used as a personal name; it is likely a corruption of Anicius.
3. ↑ Alone from 1 August 527.
4. ↑ More rarely **Justinian the Thracian** (Latin: *Iustinianus Thrax*; Greek: Ἰουστινιανός ὁ Θρᾷξ, *translit.* *Ioustinianós ho Thrãx*). Even more rarely, he is referred to as **Justinian the Elder**, in reference to Justinian II (who is then referred to as "Justinian the Younger").

## Bibliography

Martindale, John Robert, ed (1980). "Fl. Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus 7". *Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire*. **II**. pp. 645–648. https://archive.org/details/plre-ii/page/645/mode/1up.
Walsh, Robert. *Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor*. DigiCat. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Constantinople\_and\_the\_Scenery\_of\_the\_Se/WcmIEAAAQBAJ. "FLAVIUS ANICIUS JUSTINIANUS I. was born in Dacia, in 482, and died in 565, after a long reign of thirty-seven years and seven months, which was devoted to useful objects."
Jones, Barry (2 May 2018). *Dictionary of World Biography*. ANU Press. p. 457. ISBN 9781760462192. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dictionary\_of\_World\_Biography/DO1fDwAAQBAJ. "Justinian I (Flavius Anicius Justinianus) (c.482–565). Byzantine (or east Roman) Emperor 527–65."
Allen, John Romilly (1887). *Early Christian Symbolism in Great Britain and Ireland Before the Thirteenth Century: The Rhind Lectures in Archaeology for 1885*. Whiting & Company (originally from Princeton University). p. 61. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Early\_Christian\_Symbolism\_in\_Great\_Brita/XqNCAAAAYAAJ. "The Consular diptych of Flavius Anicius Justinianus Augustus, in the Paris Library, contains litanies of the ninth century and the names of saints."
Stan Russo (2005). *The 50 Most Significant Individuals in Recorded History*. Inklings Press. p. 56. ISBN 9780975912997.
Possevino, Antonio (1597) (in Latin). *Antonii Possevini Mantuani S. J. apparatus ad omnium gentium historiam*. p. 111. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Antonii\_Possevini\_Mantuani\_S\_J\_apparatus/q-8aZqtXi94C.
William Packard Tucker (1863). *A Catalogue of the Library of Bowdoin College: To which is Added, an Index of Subjects*. ISBN 9781175114754.
Hübner, Johann (1711). *Kort begrijp der oude en nieuwe geographije, zijnde eene ... onderwijzinge der land en kaartkennis ...: met een... schets tot de kenisse der globe, Volume 1*.
Henry of Huntingdon (1853). Forester, Thomas. ed. *The chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon. Also, The acts of Stephen, king of England, Tr. and ed. by T. Forester*. p. 63. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The\_chronicle\_of\_Henry\_of\_Huntingdon\_Als/PzIIAAAAQAAJ.
Nikolaou Stratos, Andreas (1980). *Byzantium in the Seventh Century: Volume 5*. Adolf M. Hakkert. p. 7. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Byzantium\_in\_the\_Seventh\_Century/WGMbAAAAYAAJ. "On the list, we read: "...10. Eudocia, wife of Justinian the younger." As is well known, the wife of Justinian the elder was Theodora and her sarcophagus is cited as being next to the larnax bearing her husband's remains."