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Home / Periods / Byzantine Empire / Reign of Justinian I

Phase

Reign of Justinian I

527–565 CE

Justinian's government codified Roman law, built major churches and attempted to restore imperial control over former western provinces. These ambitions required heavy taxation and sustained military campaigning.

The reign included war with the Sasanian Empire, the conquest of the Vandal kingdom and the prolonged Gothic War in Italy. Court politics centred on Justinian, Theodora and powerful military and administrative officials.

Count Belisarius views the period through the household of its leading general, contrasting Belisarius's loyalty with the suspicion and rivalry of the imperial court.

Related people for Reign of Justinian I

Antoninafl. 6th century; died after 565 Belisarius505–565 Justinian Ic. 483–565 Narsesc. 478–573 Procopiusc. 5th century–565 Theodorac. 500–548

Series

Series about Reign of Justinian I (3 series)

The Last of the Romans in Order

by William Havelock 7 books 4.5(13,354)

The Last of the Romans follows the campaigns of Belisarius during the sixth-century attempt by Emperor Justinian I to restore Roman rule across the Mediterranean. Told through Varus, a fictional Herulian soldier who rises through the imperial army, the series moves from the Persian frontier and the Nika…

Sarantine Mosaic in Order

by Guy Gavriel Kay 2 books 4.3(34,850)

The Sarantine Mosaic is a two-volume historical fantasy inspired by Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I and Theodora. Through the mosaicist Caius Crispus, the series enters an imperial capital of monumental building, chariot factions, theological division, espionage and court ceremony, where artistic patronage is inseparable from political…

Caesar’s Sword in Order

by David Pilling 3 books 4.1(1,672)

Caesar's Sword follows Coel ap Amhar, the imagined grandson of King Arthur, as he carries the legendary blade Caledfwlch into the wars of Emperor Justinian. From the Vandal kingdom in North Africa to the siege of Rome and the final campaigns against the Ostrogoths, the trilogy combines post-Arthurian…

Books

11 Best Novels About the Reign of Justinian I

Non-Fiction

3 Best Non-Fiction Books About the Reign of Justinian I

Histories, biographies and reference works are listed separately from the historical novels above.