Procopius

• Procopius of Caesarea (c.500-560 CE) was the main Historian of the sixth century CE.
• He accompanied the General Belisarius, during the Reign of Justinian I (527-565 CE), who attempted to reconquer the Western Empire and was the last Roman Emperor whose first language was Latin.

Works

• The History of the Wars (532-554 CE)
  • Books 1-2: The Persian War covers the campaigns against the Sassanid Empire and the Plague of Justinian (541-9 CE).
  • Books 3-4: The Vandal War covers Belisarius campaigns against the Vandals in Northwest Africa.
  • Books 5-8: The Gothic War covers Belisarius’ campaigns against the Ostrogoths in Italy.
    • In Book VII he describes the Pinsk Marshes along the river Pripyat which forms the northern Ukraine border with Belarus, as being virtually impassable to armies.
• Secret History
  • An unflattering description of the Emperor Justinian, his wife Theodora, General Belisarius and his wife Antonina. It covers the same period as ‘The History of the Wars’.
• The Buildings
  • An appraisal of all the Buildings constructed by Justinian I, including the Hagia Sophia (537 CE), which included buildings constructed by his predecessor Justin I.