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The Secret History of the Court of Justinian

Procopius · 549-562 (composed under Justinian; period covered by the work) primary

passage 18 of 92 · CHAPTER I

↪ you wandered here via “Pope Symmachus Roman synod” — the connecting lines are tinted below

in brief
The passage lists policy cuts and hardships—ending spectacles, suppressing the consulship, and reducing decorations—then turns to religious persecution and punitive actions against church leaders in multiple cities.

Destruction of city decorations and ornaments--Advocates deprived of their fees by the institution of arbitrators--Physicians and professors deprived of their pensions--Public spectacles discontinued--The consulship suppressed--Scarcity of corn and water at Byzantium, Rome, and Alexandria--Generosity of Theodoric, the conqueror of Italy--Greed of Alexander Forficula--Disbanding of the garrison of Thermopylae--Spoliation of Athens and other Greek cities--Hephaestus and Diocletian.

Conduct of Justinian and Theodora in regard to the clergy and council of Chalcedon--Arsenius the Samaritan persecutes the Christians of Scythopolis with impunity--Paul, archbishop of Alexandria, has the deacon Psoes put to death--Rhodon, the governor, by his orders, tortures him: but he is dismissed, and then put to death, together with Arsenius, through the influence of Theodora--Liberius, the new governor, and Pelagius, legate of Pope Vigilius at Alexandria, depose Paul, who buys back the favour of Justinian--Resistance of Vigilius--Faustinus, governor of Palestine, denounced by the Christians as a Samaritan--His condemnation by the Senate--The sentence annulled by Justinian--Outrages upon the Christians.

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topics: censorship and the press · crime and punishment · religious persecution and toleration

The Secret History of the Court of Justinian · Procopius · 549–562