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Justinian

Mosaic of Justinian, Sant' Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna (Italy).
Justinian (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz)
Justinian: emperor of the East-Roman (Byzantine) empire (527-565).

Names:

  • 482: Flavius Petrus Sabbatius
  • April 527: made co-ruler by Justin
  • 1 August  527: Flavius Justinianus
  • 14 November 565: natural death
Successor of: Justin I

Relatives:

  • married to: Theodora, daughter of Acacius
Justinian on the Barberini Ivory. Louvre, Paris (France). Photo Marco Prins.
Justinian on the Barberini Ivory (Louvre)

Main deeds:

  • 482 Born in Vederiana
  • 525 Marries Theodora
  • 526 War breaks out with the Sasanian Empire (Iberian War)
  • 527 Succeeds Justin I
  • 528 Consul II
  • 529 Academy of Athens closed
  • 530 Belisarius defeats the Persians near Dara
  • 531 In the Sasanian Empire, king Kavad I is replaced by Khusrau I 'deathless soul'; Belisarius defeated near Callinicus
  • 532, January: Nika Riots.
  • 532, September: "Eternal peace" with Persia, end of Iberian War
  • 533 Consul III; codification of Roman law (Institutiones, Digestae) completed; Belisarius leaves for Africa
  • 534 Consul IV (with Flavius Decius Paulinus); Belisarius conquers Africa (15 September: enters Carthage)
  • 535 Belisarius occupies Sicily; sent to Italy
  • 536 Belisarius takes Napels and Rome
  • 537, 26 December: Inauguration of the Hagia Sophia
  • 537-538 Ostrogoths lay siege to Rome
  • 539 Founding of Theodorias
  • 540 Belisarius takes Ravenna; Persians sack Antioch
  • 541 Fall of John the Cappadocian
  • 544 Belisarius again in Italy
  • 548 Death of Theodora
  • 549 Belisarius replaced by Narses
  • 551 Justinian intervenes in Andalusia
  • 552 Narses conquers Italy
  • 553, 5 May: Fifth Ecumenical Council in the Hagia Sophia; condemnation of the "three chapters"
  • 554 Settlement of Italy
  • 558 Collapse of the First Hagia Sophia
  • 559 Invasion of the Huns; Belisarius repels them from the walls of Constantinople
  • 562 Belisarius in disfavor
  • 563 Belisarius restored; inauguration of the second Hagia Sophia
  • 565 Death of Belisarius; John Scholasticus (John Malalas) made patriarch of Constantinople; death of Justinian
Coin of Justinian
Coin of Justinian (©!!)

Buildings in Constantinople:

Elsewhere:

Cast of a bust of Theodora. The original is in Milano (Italy); this cast is in the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum in Mainz (Germany). Photo Marco Prins.
Theodora (Römisch-Germanisches
Zentralmuseum, Mainz)

Contemporary events:

  • 536 Pope Sylvester forced to abdicate
  • 540 Rule of Benedict
  • 542 Plague
  • 550/551 Procopius publishes the History of the Wars
  • 554 Procopius publishes the Buildings
  • 554 Death of Procopius
  • 557 Earthquake
  • 563 Foundation of Jona
  • 565 Publication of Procopius' Secret History
Succeeded by: Justin II
This brief article has been written to offer background information
to the real articles on Livius.Org. One day, this webpage will be
improved. A list of completed articles can be found here.
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