# Justinian — The Secret History character guide

> Justinian in The Secret History by Procopius.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** the affable Justinian

**First appearance:** 0002-the-secret-history

## Snapshot

An emperor who rewrites the law to marry a courtesan, then rules with a hand in everything and a passion for turmoil.

## Who they are

Justinian begins as the affable nephew maneuvering beside a senile uncle, then seizes sole power with Theodora at his side. His willingness to nullify ancient law for his own marriage becomes Procopius's proof that no restraint remains on his appetites. He sets the book's central machinery in motion: a court where decency is suspicious, wealth is prey, and the emperor's shifting favor is the only weather that matters.

## Relationships

### [Theodora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/theodora)

_romantic_

Justinian and Theodora are married, with a deeply intertwined and passionate but often manipulative partnership.

### [Justin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/justin)

_family_

Justin is Justinian's uncle and predecessor as emperor, who adopted and elevated him to power.

### [Arsenius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/arsenius)

_rivalry_

Arsenius, a Samaritan rebel leader, is a fierce enemy of Justinian's regime and religious persecution.

### [Procopius](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/procopius)

_professional_

Procopius served as Justinian's official historian and secretary, but secretly despised and mocked him in his writings.

## In the story

### [Foreword by the Historian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/foreword-by-the-historian)

One of the central figures whose depravity Procopius intends to expose.

### [The Secret History](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/the-secret-history)

Depicted as a corrupt and tyrannical ruler who debases offices and ruins his subjects.

### [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)

Falls ill with plague, later recovers; complicit in stripping Belisarius of command and wealth.

### [Ignorance of the Emperor Justin, and His Stencilled Signature, and How His Nephew Justinian Was the Virtual Ruler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/vi-ignorance-of-the-emperor-justin-and-his-stencilled-signature-and-how-his-nephew-justinian-was-the-virtual-ruler)

Nephew of Justin and virtual ruler; portrayed as a corrupt, murderous tyrant who ruined the Roman state and killed rivals like Amantius and Vitalian.

### [VII: Outrages of the Blues](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/vii-outrages-of-the-blues)

Joins the Blues faction, incites violence, and openly supports the criminals, giving them money and high offices.

### [Character and Appearance of Justinian](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/viii-character-and-appearance-of-justinian)

Described as villainous, amenable, deceitful, hypocritical, two-faced, cruel, and a liar; he is compared to a moron and a silly ass, and his appearance resembles Domitian.

### [IX: And How Theodora, Most Depraved of All Courtesans, Won His Love](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/ix-and-how-theodora-most-depraved-of-all-courtesans-won-his-love)

Falls violently in love with Theodora, raises her to patrician rank, and together they plunder the empire and favor the Blue faction.

### [X: How Justinian Created a New Law Permitting Him to Marry a Courtesan on Her Promise to Repent Her Past; and the Truth About the Apparent Quarrels of a Happy Pair](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/x-how-justinian-created-a-new-law-permitting-him-to-marry-a-courtesan-on-her-promise-to-repent-her-past-and-the-truth-about-the-apparent-quarrels-of-a-happy-pair)

Manipulates law to marry Theodora, seizes power, and feigns opposition to her to control subjects.

### [XI: How the Defender of the Faith Ruined His Subjects](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xi-how-the-defender-of-the-faith-ruined-his-subjects)

Ruins his subjects through looting, bribery of barbarians, religious persecution, and retroactive laws.

### [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)

Depicted as a demonic figure who confiscates wealth, forges wills, and exhibits supernatural behavior such as shape-shifting and being possessed by a demon.

### [XIII: Deceptive Affability and Piety of a Tyrant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xiii-deceptive-affability-and-piety-of-a-tyrant)

Depicted as a deceptive tyrant who feigns affability and piety while ordering mass murder, confiscating property, and breaking laws for personal gain.

### [XIV: Justice for Sale](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xiv-justice-for-sale)

Depicted as a barbarous, greedy tyrant who personally sells justice and issues decrees without proper procedure.

### [XV: How an Roman Citizens Became Slaves, and a Complaining Patrician Was Ribaldly Mocked by Theodora’s Eunuchs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xv-how-an-roman-citizens-became-slaves-and-a-complaining-patrician-was-ribaldly-mocked-by-theodora-s-eunuchs)

Described as calm but deceitful, entrusting business to Theodora and sharing her avarice and bloodthirstiness.

### [XVI: What Happened to Those Who Fell Out of Favor with Theodora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xvi-what-happened-to-those-who-fell-out-of-favor-with-theodora)

Emperor who is persuaded by Theodora to send Peter to Italy and later pretends ignorance of Priscus's fate while seizing his property.

### [XVII: How She Saved Five Hundred Harlots from a Life of Sin, Made Away with Her Own Natural Son, and Other Curious Incidents of Her Passion for Match Making](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xvii-how-she-saved-five-hundred-harlots-from-a-life-of-sin-made-away-with-her-own-natural-son-and-other-curious-incidents-of-her-passion-for-match-making)

Affects to lament Callinicus's death but does nothing except seize the dead man's estate.

### [XVIII: How Justinian Killed a Trillion People](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xviii-how-justinian-killed-a-trillion-people)

Portrayed as a demonic figure responsible for the deaths of countless people through war, taxation, and mismanagement.

### [XIX: How He Seized All the Wealth of the Romans and Threw It Away in the Sea and on the Barbarians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xix-how-he-seized-all-the-wealth-of-the-romans-and-threw-it-away-in-the-sea-and-on-the-barbarians)

Depicted as squandering the state's wealth on building and barbarians, then illegally confiscating estates from his subjects.

### [XX: Debasing of the Quaestorship](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xx-debasing-of-the-quaestorship)

Debases the Quaestorship by appointing corrupt officials, creates new magistracies and monopolies to plunder subjects, and encourages officials to compete in destroying people.

### [XXI: The Sky Tax, the Selling of All Offices, and How Border Armies Were Forbidden to Punish Invading Barbarians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxi-the-sky-tax-the-selling-of-all-offices-and-how-border-armies-were-forbidden-to-punish-invading-barbarians)

Instituted the 'sky tax' and sold offices to corrupt magistrates, later confiscating their fortunes; forbade border armies from attacking invading Huns.

### [XXII: Further Corruption in High Places](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxii-further-corruption-in-high-places)

Easily swayed by Theodora and sorcery, complicit in corruption, removes Peter only under pressure but reinstates him.

### [XXIII: How Landowners Were Ruined](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxiii-how-landowners-were-ruined)

Refused for 32 years to remit arrears, imposed ruinous levies, and exempted captured cities only for one year; blamed for ruining landowners.

### [XXIV: Unjust Treatment of the Soldiers, and How Justinian Tricked the “Students” Out of Their Pay by Threatening to Send Them to War](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxiv-unjust-treatment-of-the-soldiers-and-how-justinian-tricked-the-students-out-of-their-pay-by-threatening-to-send-them-to-war)

Schemes to defraud soldiers by selling commissions, creating and disbanding Supernumeraries, threatening the Student Corps, and withholding bonuses for 32 years.

### [XXV: How He Robbed His Own Officials, Merchants, Sailors, Workmen, and Everybody Else](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxv-how-he-robbed-his-own-officials-merchants-sailors-workmen-and-everybody-else)

Deprives officials of their pensions, establishes customhouses at both straits, debases coinage, and seizes control of the silk trade.

### [XXVI: How He Spoiled the Beauty of the Cities and Plundered the Poor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxvi-how-he-spoiled-the-beauty-of-the-cities-and-plundered-the-poor)

Emperor who debased lawyers, cut subsidies, transferred municipal taxes, ended spectacles, imposed monopolies, adulterated bread, neglected aqueducts, and approved oppressive measures by Alexander and Hephaestus.

### [XXVII: How the Defender of the Faith Protected the Interests of the Christians](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxvii-how-the-defender-of-the-faith-protected-the-interests-of-the-christians)

Dissembles and disregards God, priests, laws, and loyal subjects; appoints Paul as bishop of Alexandria; orders Rhodon to serve Paul; later expresses horror at the murder of Psoes; accepts a bribe from Paul to reinstate him; annuls Faustin's exile after receiving money.

### [XXVIII: His Violation of the Laws of the Romans, and How Jews Were Fined for Eating Lamb](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxviii-his-violation-of-the-laws-of-the-romans-and-how-jews-were-fined-for-eating-lamb)

Emperor who abolishes the statute of limitations for the church and suppresses Jewish Passover customs.

### [XXIX: Other Incidents Revealing Him as a Liar and a Hypocrite](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxix-other-incidents-revealing-him-as-a-liar-and-a-hypocrite)

Revealed as a liar and hypocrite through contradictory letters, bribery, and seizure of estates.

### [XXX: Further Innovations of Justinian and Theodora, and a Conclusion Which Imagines the Death of an Emperor](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xxx-further-innovations-of-justinian-and-theodora-and-a-conclusion-which-imagines-the-death-of-an-emperor)

Described as a tyrant who forced prostrate homage, dismantled state infrastructure, and arbitrarily seized property.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/endnotes)

Refused to remove John of Cappadocia from office; accused Belisarius of conspiracy in a discredited fable; associated with the Blues faction and Athanasian orthodoxy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters/justinian
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- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_secret_history_se/characters