# Belisarius — The Secret History character guide > Belisarius in The Secret History by Procopius. **Role:** major **First appearance:** 0003-i-how-the-great-general-belisarius-was-hoodwinked-by-his-wife-whose-lover-became-a-monk ## Snapshot The empire's greatest general, who conquered kings abroad and then crawled to his wife's feet for his life at home. ## Who they are Belisarius returns from victories over Gelimer and Vitiges only to find the palace hostile and his own fortune coveted by the imperial pair. Terrified and stripped of manhood by fear, he prostrates himself before Antonina when Theodora spares him, trading mastery for slavery in his own house. His humiliation matters because it shows how completely the court can break even the man who won its wars — and how his weakness lets Antonina and Theodora work unchecked. ## Relationships ### [Antonina](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/antonina) _romantic_ Antonina and Belisarius are married, but their relationship is marked by Antonina's infidelity and Belisarius's blind devotion. ### [Theodora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/theodora) _professional_ Belisarius is a general serving Empress Theodora, who both relies on and ruthlessly manipulates him for her own ends. ### [Theodosius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/theodosius) _rivalry_ Belisarius is cuckolded by Theodosius, his own godson, who carries on an affair with Belisarius's wife Antonina. ### [Photius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/photius) _family_ Photius is Belisarius's son, who becomes estranged from his father after exposing his mother Antonina's adultery. ### [John the Cappadocian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/john_the_cappadocian) _professional_ Belisarius and John the Cappadocian are colleagues in the imperial administration, but John schemes against Belisarius. ### [Justin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/justin) _professional_ Belisarius served as a general under Emperor Justin, who trusted and favored him before Justinian's reign. ## In the story ### [Foreword by the Historian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/foreword-by-the-historian) Procopius begins by revealing the folly of Belisarius as part of his disclosure. ### [The Secret History](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/the-secret-history) A general whose affairs and loyalty are exploited by Antonina and Theodora. ### [How the Great General Belisarius Was Hoodwinked by His Wife, Whose Lover Became a Monk](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/i-how-the-great-general-belisarius-was-hoodwinked-by-his-wife-whose-lover-became-a-monk) The great general, easily hoodwinked by his wife Antonina, despite catching her in adultery and receiving testimony from slaves. ### [II: How Belated Jealousy Affected Belisarius’s Military Judgment, to the Joy of the Enemy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/ii-how-belated-jealousy-affected-belisarius-s-military-judgment-to-the-joy-of-the-enemy) Consumed by jealousy over Antonina's affair, he prioritizes personal revenge over military strategy, prematurely withdrawing from the Persian campaign. ### [III: Showing the Danger of Interfering with a Woman’s Intrigues, Especially When the Woman Is the Friend of an Empress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/iii-showing-the-danger-of-interfering-with-a-woman-s-intrigues-especially-when-the-woman-is-the-friend-of-an-empress) Forced to reconcile with Antonina; his campaign against Chosroes fails. ### [How Theodora, Revenging Her Dear Antonina, Humiliated the Conqueror of Africa and Italy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/iv-how-theodora-revenging-her-dear-antonina-humiliated-the-conqueror-of-africa-and-italy) Stripped of command, humiliated by Theodora, forced to grovel at Antonina's feet, and sent to Italy with no funds. ### [How Theodora Tricked the General’s Daughter Into a Liaison with the Empress’s Nephew, and Belisarius Became a Public Laughing Stock](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/v-how-theodora-tricked-the-general-s-daughter-into-a-liaison-with-the-empress-s-nephew-and-belisarius-became-a-public-laughing-stock) Returns from Italy in disgrace, plunders Italians, loses Rome, becomes estranged from John, and is publicly mocked for his subservience to Antonina. ### [XII: Proving That Justinian and Theodora Were Actually Fiends in Human Form](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xii-proving-that-justinian-and-theodora-were-actually-fiends-in-human-form) Referenced as having given John as a hostage to the Persians. ### [XVIII: How Justinian Killed a Trillion People](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xviii-how-justinian-killed-a-trillion-people) Recalled from Libya after Justinian falsely suspected him of seeking kingship. ### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/endnotes) Noted as possibly of Slavonic origin ('White Prince') and from Germania on the border of Thrace and Illyria; his end is mentioned in a discredited fable of being blinded and begging. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/belisarius - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters