The Secret History

The Secret History is a historical text written by Procopius of Caesarea in the 6th century AD. The book is a scandalous and revealing account of the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and his wife, Empress Theodora. Procopius was a court historian and advisor to the emperor, and his work is a departure from his previous writings, which were more traditional histories.In The Secret History, Procopius portrays Justinian and Theodora in a negative light, revealing their private lives and personal flaws. He accuses the emperor of being a cruel and ineffective ruler who was obsessed with building grand structures, such as the Hagia Sophia, at the expense of his people. Theodora is portrayed as a manipulative and promiscuous woman who rose to power through her sexuality.The book also contains scandalous stories about other members of the court, including Belisarius, the general who led Justinian's military campaigns. Procopius accuses Belisarius of being a coward and a thief, and suggests that he was involved in a plot to overthrow the emperor.The Secret History was not published during Procopius' lifetime, and it is unclear whether he intended for it to be made public. The book was discovered in the Vatican Library in the 16th century and has since become a popular source for historians and scholars interested in the Byzantine Empire. Despite its scandalous content, The Secret History is considered an important historical text for its insights into the character of Justinian and Theodora, as well as the political and social climate of the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century.So Justinian and Theodora ascended the imperial throne three days before Easter, a time, indeed, when even making visits or greeting one's friends is forbidden. And not many days later Justin died of an illness, after a reign of nine years. Justinian was now sole monarch, together, of course, with Theodora.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

The last major ancient historian, Byzantine scholar PROCOPIUS OF CAESAREA (c. 500-565) traveled with the army of Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I as a military adviser, and published his accounts of the wars the emperor fought in his eight-volume History of the Wars.

But what was the real story of life with Justinian, his wife, Theodora, and Justinian's greatest general, Belisarius? Procopius' Secret History was so scandalous that he withheld it during his lifetime, and in fact, it was not published until 1623. In this 1927 translation by RICHARD ATWATER (1892-1998), considered the best available, Procopius gives us all the scoop on:

* how the great general Belisarius was hoodwinked by his wife * how Theodora humiliated the conqueror of Africa and Italy * how Justinian created a new law permitting him to marry a courtesan * Justinian and Theodora: fiends in human form * the deceptive affability and piety of a tyrant * what happened to those who fell out of favor with Theodora * and much more.

An enthralling read, this curio of ancient history will fascinate anyone interested in tales of royal intrigue.