Justinian historians

Who are the historians for Justinian?

• Averil Cameron

• Croke

• Humphress

• Sarris

• Kadellis

• Pohl

• Meier

Who has noted that some argue that Justinian marks the re-establishment of strong imperial rule, but that others have seen his rule as an autocracy?

Averil Cameron

Who argues that there was a systematic centralisation of power under Justinian? (eg. consulship lapsed, pomp and majesty of imperial ritual became increasingly liturgified)

Croke

Who notes that the corpus was intended to ‘obtain the force of a general constitution’ and that Justinian offered the motive of ‘imperial perfection’ as a reason for the Codex’s 2nd edition?

Humphress

Who argues that although the reconquest was successful in re-establishing direct rule, it created long term structural problems of having to maintain such a large army and thus the short term success was undermined by long-term failure? (eg. burden on tax payers)

Pohl

Who argues that Justinian genuinely tried to find a theological solution to the Christological debate?

Sarris

Who writes that Justinian represents a bridge between classical Empire and Byzantium? (single centralised military, admin, fiscal and judicial institutions, single coinage and single body of law)

Kadellis

Who argues that the reconquest of Italy destroyed the structures that it set out to rescue and that achievements were hard to sustain in the long term?

Averil Cameron

Who discusses Justinian’s legislation? (law after earthquake on loose public morals, and law on arms manufacturing)

Croke

Who discusses the religious persecution under Justinian? (Sardis inscriptions of pagans killed and the burning of the Manichean sect in Constantinople)

Sarris

Who uses the term ‘theocratic micromanagement’, arguing that Justinian’s authority was seen as being backed by God, but that he split the church further in two?

Kadellis

Who argued that the territorial battle that took place under Justinian didn’t constitute a restoration and that, in combination with the wars with Persia, they constituted a huge drain on gold, men and resources?

Averil Cameron

Who mentions Cyril Mango and talks about the defensive building on the Eastern and Northern frontiers? (‘high point of Early Byzantine architecture’)

Sarris

Who argues that Justinian repeatedly claimed that his aim was to restore the glory of the Roman Empire, and that he was successful in that he revitalised (to some extent) the idea that the Romans had ‘imperial hegemony’ over others?

Kadellis

Who talks about marriage/divorce laws that gave women limited divorce rights under Justinian?

Averil Cameron

Who calls Justinian a ‘Ceasaropapist’?

Averil Cameron

Who writes that Justinian faced revolts in Africa and that the reconquest was far from over?

Sarris

Who writes that the number of sources who agree on the impact of the Justinianic Plague are compelling and that such death would have had huge impacts in such a fiscalised society? (10k a day, ½ city’s pop. killed)

Sarris

Who argues that the plague affected the population of the east the most in the cultural and religious sphere, arguing that the plague must have played a prominent role in people’s minds?

Meier

Who argues that the plague figures of Procopius and John of Ephesus are ‘grossly exaggerated’?

Meier

Who discusses the emergence of iconolatry and a resurgence in the sacralisation of the emperor, which he terms ‘a process of religious intensification’? (Procopius reports of blaming spectres)

Meier

Who agrees with Sarris’ assessment that the plague brought a ‘period of major instability’, characterised by food shortages, famines and financial problems which were also evident in the military sector, where troops complained about unpaid wages?

Meier