Lecture 22: The Court of Justinian and Byzantine Christianity
In effect, through his uncle and on his own, Justinian exercised
imperial power for 47 years.o He married a much younger woman named Theodora in 525.
Procopius claims she was a former prostitute, but given his
general hostility toward her, the information must be taken with
caution. She proved to be a formidable power at Justinian’s side.o Justinian faced severe difficulties from the start of his reign: the
loss of the western empire, the threat of the Persian (Sassanid)
Empire at his eastern borders, the revolt of city factions against
him in 532, and being personally afflicted with the plague
in 540. Yet his great energy and his ambition drove him to
significant accomplishment.• Justinian’s ambition was nothing less than to restore the former
greatness of the Roman Empire through conquest, organization, and
adornment; his ambition was abetted by a willingness to exercise
supreme rule and to concentrate all control in himself, as well as the
personal traits that accompany political greatness.
o On the positive side, Justinian was brilliant, courageous,
tireless, tough, and bold. Examples include his marrying and
sharing power with Theodora and his brilliant commissioning
and efficient construction of the great church Hagia Sophia.o On the negative side, he was ruthless and cruel. Witness the
slaughter of his foes in the Nika rebellion or the blinding of
General Belisarius in later life out of jealousy.o His religious disposition was sincere and grew stronger as he
aged; his commitment to Nicaean Christianity went hand in
hand with the willingness to suppress other traditions.The Restoration of Roman Greatness
• By concentrating all power in himself yet making use of superb
generals and administrators, Justinian went a long way at the
political level toward restoring the greatness of Rome.