Download PDF | (Dumbarton Oaks Studies 1) Alexander A. Vasiliev - Justin, the First_ An Introduction to the Epoch of Justinian the Great-Harvard University Press (1950).
453 Pages
Preface
For several years I have been planning to write a monograph on the reign of Justin I (518-527) as an introduction to the epoch of his brilliant nephew Justinian, whose spectacular era quite overshadowed the nine years of the reign of his elderly uncle. I thought that a detailed monograph on Justin might serve as an essential basis for a better understanding and a more profound interpretation of che epoch of Justinian whose rule, behind the throne, of course, started, in my opinion, from the moment of Justin’s elevation. Such a monograph might stirm late some scholars to embark on 2 new study of Justinian’s period, work which is urgently needed, even though we have studies by Charles Diehl, J. B. Bury, W. G. Holmes and others. This task, it is true, will require quite a few years of assiduous and hard work which should deal not only with the external affairs or the problems of Byzantine art, which we know rather well, but also with the social-economic conditions of the empire, with the growing feudalizing processes within it, with the complicated theological situation in the country in which the ‘emperor himself was an accomplished theologian, with his colossal legislative production, and finally, with the general cultural environment which was an extremely complicated conglomeration of diverse elements going back to classical times, to the oriental influences, and to the various irreconcilable theological problems.
As I have pointed out in my book (pp. 6-7), there is no special study on Justin’s reign, and the general histories of che Byzantine Empire devote just a few pages to his period. My book of more than four hundred pages on the nine years of Justin’s reign may seem to be too lengthy. But my aim has not been to compile mere Jabrbiicher. In order to render comprehensible the full significance of his reign, I have been compelled at many points to turn back to previous times and also to look ahead to ‘events which took place after Justin's death.
I think I have used all the primary sources on the subject, with perhaps a few omissions; but as to secondary works, I am sure that I have missed several new publications, because of the unavailability of Euro-pean books immediately after the war, and only lately have I become acquainted with recent works; therefore some books and articles have almost certainly escaped my attention.
T have also indicated in my study (p. 7) that the second volume of Ennst Stein's work Geschichte des spitromischen Reiches is soon to be published, and that this book would certainly contain a chapter devoted to the reign of Justin I. Now I have been informed that this volume, written in French and entitled L’bistoire du Bas-Empire, has appeared in Belgium. Unfortunately I have not yet seen it, but I may hope that the chapter on Justin I in Stein's book will not render my researches absolutely useless; especially because I am aware of his general estimate of Justin's reign as it is revealed in his very substantial article, in fact brief monograph, “Justinus,” compiled by him for Pauly-WissowaKroll, Real-Encyclopadie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, X (1919), 1314-1329.
T tender my warmest thanks to Mrs. Ednah Shepard Thomas, m} faithful collaborator and friend of many years, who, with remarkab! conscientiousness, has revised my manuscript and corrected the inadequacies of my English.
Historical Background
‘The Roman Empire in 518 when Justin started his reign, did not differ in extent from the Roman Empire at the close of the fifth century, under his predecessor Anastasius I, All western European provinces were occupied by the Germanic tribes of the Franks, Burgundians, and Visigoths; the western coastline of North Africa was in the hands of the Vandals; the Appenine Peninsula, with the regions lying along the upper course of the Danube and the northern section of the eastern littoral of the Adriatic Sea, belonged to the Ostrogoths, The islands in the western Mediterranean, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Balearic Isles, were also under Germanic domination. In reality, the Roman Empire in 518 consisted only of the eastern fraction of the territory known by that name. But this fraction, comprising the Balkans, Greece, the islands of the Aegean Sea, the Crimean Peninsula in the northern basin of the Black Sea, some regions in Transcaucasia, for instance a part of Armenia, the whole of Asia Minor, Syria with a section of Mesopotamia, Palestine, and Egypt, composed a vast area involved in various important political, economic, and religious problems, which during Justin’s rule became increasingly difficult.
‘No special monograph on Justin's period has yet been published, In studies on Justinian the Great and in the general histories of Byzantium, Justin’s reign has always been briefly sketched as an introduction liant epoch of his nephew and immediate successor, Justinian, iready seemed to be the soul of Justin’s rule.” Justin has been considered merely a prologue to Justinian, his rule but “the preface to a {great reign,” his period only one of anticipation, “un régne d’attente.”
Of course Justin’s rule was unquestionably an introduction to that of Justinian; but it was an introduction of vital importance. It cleared the ground and laid a firm foundation for Justin’s successor, and we should remember that Justinian’s influence behind the throne was predominant from the opening years of Justin's reign, so that when Justinian wore the purple alone he was continuing policies already inaugurated. In 518 when Justin was chosen emperor, Justinian (born in 482) was already 2 mature man of about thirty-six, He had been thoroughly trained in the fields of theology and jurisprudence, and he had already formed high political ambitions. His strong personality must have played an extremely important part during the nine years of Justin’s reign. This unquestionable influence on Justin’s period, however, has not yet been adequately appreciated or emphasized, and the whole period deserves a special study.
‘With Justin's accession in 518 the government abandoned the monophysite policy of his predecessors and began 2 new Roman policy. During Justin’s reign the monophysite elements in the east underwent severe persecution which undermined the political and economic foundation of the Empire in Syria and Palestine, those two very essential provinces of the Empire, although Egypt, as granary for the capital, was spared and was not disturbed, A man without theological education and without interest in the complicated subtleties of the religious problems of his time, Justin naturally left the religious policy of his administration, which was indissolubly connected with political interests, to his nephew, who at the time was already an accomplished theologian. Justinian's objective at the moment was the redstablishment of normal relations with the Papacy. This not only showed a new religious orientation of Justin’s government but also ‘was a most important foundation for Justinian’s future vast plans for the reconquest of the West, which, though they were never to be realized, were already forming in his mind during the preparatory period of his uncle’s reign.
During Justin's rule new page opened in the history of the Balkans. It was the beginning of the dense penetration and permanent settlements of the Slavs south of the Danube; from this time on, according to Uspensky, ‘the southern Slavs are entitled to begin their national history.” * The Slavonic problem in the Balkans, which became firmly established during Justin's rule, was destined to have a further striking development under Justinian and his successors.
here he appeared not as the defender of the offical Chalcedonian credo which was energetically imposed within the boundaries of his empire but as the protector of Christianity in general, have left a deep impress upon Abyssinian historical tradition. At one of the most important periods in the national history of Ethiopia, when the so-called Solomonian dynasty ascended the throne in the thirteenth century, Abyssinian writers turned to the origin of the political power of their country, and emphatically stated that the political power of Abyssinia originated from the division of the earth between Justin 1 and their king, Kaleb. This story as it is given in Kebra Nagast (The Glory of the Kings), one of the most important works of Ethiopian literature, is of course merely a legend; but the legend goes back to the historical fact of the political, religious, and economic relations of Justin with Abyssinia. These will be discussed in detail below.
In spite of some rather tense relations with Sassanian Persia, the permanent foe and rival of the Byzantine Empire, Justin, during most of his rule, had no serious difficulty in maintaining the peace, Only at the very end of his reign did trouble break out.
‘The new dynasty represented by Justin I, his nephew Justinian, and Justinian’s nephew Justin If (518-578), was of western origin, since its founder Justin originated from the province of Dardania in the West Balkans. He was, in other words, of barbarian origin, and belonged to a humble class, being probably 2 herdsman. The new dynasty had no connection with the East, and this fact was extremely important for Justin’s rule. But in this respect the new dynasty was not ‘unusual, because no emperor since Diocletian had been of eastern origin, with the single exception of Zeno the Isaurian, and many emperors had belonged to the lower classes. The new democratic dynasty inaugurated by the former herdsman occupied the throne sixty years, and its last representative, Justin If, secured the throne in 565 without a struggle.
‘There is no clear evidence that during Justin’s rule there was any serious clash between him and the nobility represented by high-ranking officials and larger landowners, although, as one writer says, they tself later, between Justin’s successor Justinian and the great landed proprietors, and this class struggle was one of the characteristic features of the social problems of Justinian’s time.
In our sources Justin I is sometimes called "Tovorivos 8 néyas, Justin the Great or Justin the Elder, while Justin II is named “Toverivor 8 paxpés, that is, Justin the Younger.
Justin I was not a strong personality capable of conceiving vast horizons and broad plans. At his accession he was already an old man, sixty-six or sixty-cighe years of age. His previous career had passed in military service, which had made him s good soldier, an efficient commander, but not a great statesman. From the opening years of his rule, therefore, he was dominated by the influence of his nephew Justinian, and the nine years of his reign were in reality nine years of unofficial rule by Justinian. By giving this book the subtide dn Introduction to the Epoch of Justinian the Great, I have wished to emphasize that the rule of Justinian really began behind the throne in 518, and that the reign of Justin I is to be regarded as the unofficial reign of Justinian, During this time all Justinian’s principal ideas, his ambitious political plans of reconquest, his conception of 2 colossal legislative work, his building activities, especially the fortifications for the protection of his future empire, and his new religious orientation as one of the foundations for his future western campaigns —all these were definitely formulated, The nine years of Justin’s rule are of utmost value for our better understanding of the manifold activities of his brilliant nephew. By studying the time of Justin we lay 2 foundation for our comprehension of the time of Justinian.
‘As I have noted above, there is no special monograph study on Jostin’s reign. The most detailed description of his rule, based on pri-mary sources and still useful, is found in the old French work of Lebeau, Histoire du Bas-Empire, new edition by M. de Saint Martin, VIII (Paris, 1827), 6-85. Among recent publications there is 2 very substantial article, in fact a brief monograph, “Justinus,” compiled by Ernst Stein for Pauly-Wissowa-Kroll Real-Encyclopidie der classischen Altertumswiessenschaft, X (1919), coll. 1314-1329. Useful chapters are to be found in W, G. Holmes, The Age of Justinian and Theodora, and ed., I (London, 1912), 299-320, and in J. Kulakovsky, History of Byzantium, I (Kiev, 1912), 1-36 (in Russian). Very brief sketches of no particular importance can be read in Charles Diehl, Justinian et la civilisation byzantine au Vie sidcle (Paris, 1901), pp. 5 8; J. B, Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, 11 (London, 1923), 16-23; Théodore Uspensky, A History of the Byzantine Empire, 1 (St. Petersburg, 1914), 410-12 (in Russian). In the most recent general history of the Byzantine Empire, L. Bréhier devotes to Justin's reign hardly a page: Vie et mort de Byzance (Paris, 1947), pp. 21-22. Of course occasional references to Justin's reign are to be found throughout these works.
Te was known among scholars that the very eminent German historian Ernst Stein had for some time been working on the second volume of his history of the Byzantine Empire. The first volume, already published (Geschichte des spitromischen Reiches, I, Vienna, 1928), covers the period from 284 to 476, that is, to the so-called fall of the Western Roman Empire. Without doubt the second volume includes Justin's period. To our great regret Stein died in Switzerland on February 25, 1945. But we have now the very encouraging news that he completed the second volume before his death. It is written in French (Histoire de Pempire byzantin) and is soon to be published ‘under the editorship of M. Palanque-t It is my personal hope that the chapter devoted to the reign of Justin in Stein's forthcoming work will not render absolutely useless my own present study.
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