Justinian

The next volume of the series is dedicated to Emperor Justinian I, who ruled the Byzantine Empire in the mid-6th century. The author narrates in an engaging, partly fictionalized form the labors and achievements of one of the most remarkable... rulers in the history of the Early Middle Ages. The builder of Hagia Sophia, the creator of the code of laws that laid the foundations of all European legislation, he restored the former power of the Roman Empire at an incredible cost, bringing under the control of Constantinople Italy, part of Spain, and North Africa. As the author shows, the life of Justinian is a vivid example of how an energetic, hardworking, and gifted individual shapes the history of the world.
The book presents a concise outline of the history of the Byzantine Empire before Justinian, showcases many aspects of Byzantine life, and provides vivid portraits of contemporary figures of the emperor - his wife Theodora, who rose to power from the lowest echelons of society; the brilliant general Belisarius; and the historian Procopius.