Justinian I (also translated as Justinian I, Latin: Iustinianus I; Greek: Ιουστινιανός Α ※; From around 482 to November 14, 565, he was the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (527-565), known as Justinian the Great.

Justinian I assisted his uncle Justinian I in ascending the throne and governing the country in his early years, and later succeeded him as his adopted son. In terms of internal affairs, he appointed Triponian and others to compile codes (528-534) and issued new imperial edicts (534-565), forming the first comprehensive and systematic code in Europe, the Complete Collection of National Laws; Suppressing the Nika Uprising (532), reforming administration, and strengthening centralization; [1] Developing foreign trade and introducing the silk weaving industry; Intervention in religious affairs, persecution of heretics such as the Arius sect; Build the Santa Sophia Cathedral. Externally, famous generals such as Belisarius fought against Sassanid Persia in the east, conquered the Vandal Kingdom of North Africa (533-534) and the Kingdom of East Gothic in Italy (535-554) in the west, and occupied the southern part of the Visigothic Kingdom (around 552). In his later years, he devoted himself to theology and shortly after his death, the empire lost its territories in the West.
Justinian I's policies were summarized by scholar Alexander Vasiliev as "an empire, a church, and a code of law." [2-4] His reign is generally seen as an important transitional period from the classical Eastern Roman Empire to the Hellenistic Byzantine Empire.

Early experiences
On May 5, 482 (also known as May 11, 483) [7], Justinian I was born in the village of Tauresium in the province of Daldania in the Eastern Roman Empire (also known as "Tauresium" [8], "Tauresium" [9], "Tolicium" [10], "Tauresium" [11], etc., "Tauresium" [12] or its translation; Tavrision; Tauresium in English) [13]. Henry Bronson Dewing believed that it was close to Sofia. 7] [14] However, archaeological evidence suggests that the area is close to Skoplje in present-day Macedonia, and [8] [15] also suggests that Skoplje is its ancestral home. [12]
Justinian's original name was Vladius Petrous Sabatius, and he came from a peasant family with a poor background. He uses Latin and regards it as his "mother tongue" [16], which may indicate that he has received a good education [12], or it may be because he comes from a Latinized ethnic group. In his youth, he went to Constantinople to seek refuge with his uncle Justin, who was then a senior general, and received better cultural education there. [12] Justin also had high hopes for Justinian, adopting him as an adopted son and adding his surname "Justinianus". In this way, without adding honorifics (Caesar and Augustus) and adjectives, Justinian I's full name was Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Justinianus Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός）。

Assisting Uncle
In 518, Anastasius I passed away, and with the assistance of Justinian, Justinian was crowned as the Byzantine Emperor, known as Justinian I. Afterwards, Justinian continued to assist Justinian I in formulating important policies both domestically and internationally as an adopted son, and was granted the title of Caesar. Internally, he assisted his adoptive father in executing aristocratic leaders such as Vitalian, and also cancelled Anastasius I's religious policy, temporarily quelling social unrest caused by religious conflicts. Externally, he invited the Roman bishop to visit Constantinople to maintain peace with Persia, while also forming alliances with forces such as the Lacats and Ethiopians to restrict Persian expansion. [17]
In 523 (some say 525), Justinian married Theodora. [18]
In 526, Antioch was hit by a severe earthquake, resulting in 250000 deaths (or 300000 others). [19-20]
Ascending the throne and proclaiming oneself emperor
On April 1, 527, Justinian was granted the title of Augustus and co ruled with his uncle. On August 1st of the same year, Justin passed away and became the sole monarch. In order to compete for the export from the Caucasus to the Black Sea and participate in trade competition with the East, he quickly engaged in a battle with Sassanid Persia.
On February 15, 528, it was ordered to form a committee of ten, including Triphonian, to begin writing the Justinian Code. In the same year, Antioch suffered another earthquake. [19] In addition to providing funds for disaster relief, Justinian also exempted Antiochus from taxes for three years and renamed the city Theopolis (meaning "City of God") to appease the people. [22]
On April 7, 529, the Justinian Code was promulgated and came into effect on April 16. In the same year, Justinian closed the Platonic Academy and exiled seven renowned scholars to Persia. [18] Samaritans launched an uprising in Palestine, and Jews also participated in it. [24]
In 530, the Samaritan uprising was suppressed. In the same year, the imperial government issued an order in Antioch, Syria, that anyone who did not recognize the Council of Jagdun would be exiled. [18] On December 15th, Justinian formed a sixteen member editorial committee and began editing the "Compilation of Doctrines".

The Nika Incident
In 531, Justinian appointed Giovanni di Cappadocia, who was skilled at gathering, as the commander of the imperial army in the eastern region (praefect praetorio Orientis) and implemented a policy of increasing taxes. Many residents of the empire became poor and flocked to the capital. [25]
In 532, the Nica Uprising broke out in Constantinople. At that time, carriage racing was prevalent in Constantinople, and the racing teams were divided into blue, white, green, red, and other teams based on the coachman's attire. In fact, they became political parties, with the blue and green parties having the strongest influence and frequent conflicts between the two sides. Some people were also arrested. On January 11, 532, at a racing event, people from both parties requested Justinian's forgiveness for the death row inmates imprisoned in their respective parties, but were refused, which escalated the situation. On the 12th, some disappointed nobles joined the uprising team. On the 15th, armed conflict broke out between the rebels and the government. They destroyed churches, burned government offices, attacked prisons, attacked the palace, and rhythmically chanted the slogan "Nika" (meaning "victory"). [25]
On January 18th, the rebels had almost taken control of Constantinople and were preparing to elect a new emperor. [26] Justinian I wanted to abandon the city and flee, but it was only with the persuasion of Empress Theodora that he decided to stay and not leave. [18] After discussion, Justinian eunuch Narses bribed the Blue Party involved in the uprising with money, and also sent generals Belisarius and Mundus to enter the racetrack on the same day to massacre the people who were preparing to support the new emperor. It is said that more than 35000 people were killed. [18] After the uprising was suppressed, Justinian continued to kill or exile the implicated nobles. In the same year, efforts were made to rebuild the Saint Sophia Cathedral, which had been destroyed by the uprising.

Expand territory and expand territory
In 532, Justinian spared no expense in paying 11000 pounds of gold as compensation and signed a "permanent" peace agreement with Persia. For the attacks of the barbarian tribes in the northern Balkans, Justinian also sought peace by bribing chieftains with a large sum of money. In this way, the border between the East and the North has been temporarily stabilized. Justinian immediately concentrated his forces and launched a war to the west, attempting to eliminate the barbarian states established on the former site of the Western Roman Empire. [18]
In August 533, Justinian, under the pretext of his ally Hildes being deposed, sent Belisarius to lead his army to attack the Vandal Kingdom. [18] On November 21st, the Legal Ladder was announced. On December 16th, the "Compilation of Doctrines" was published. On December 30th, both will take effect. In the winter of the same year, Constantinople was hit by an earthquake. [29]
In 534, Belisarius destroyed the Vandall Alam Kingdom, annexed North Africa, and occupied Sardinia and Corsica. Justinian, in order to rule the conquered territories, established the Afrikaans extended government and the Governor's Office in Carthage, and returned the land occupied by the Vandals to the local residents and the Catholic Church. In order to celebrate the restoration of his homeland, he held a grand triumphal ceremony for Belisarius in Constantinople. In the same year, eunuch general Solomon defeated the rebellious Berber tribe Mori in the Battle of Mames. On November 16th, the revised Code of Justinian (also known as the "Revised Code of Justinian") was re promulgated and came into effect on December 25th. [21]
In 535, Justinian launched the first war against the East Goths under the pretext of the murder of the Regent Queen of East Goths, Emmanuel. Belisarius led his army to land in Sicily.

In 536, Theodosius, a confidant of Empress Theodora, was sent to Alexandria as the Archbishop, sparking resistance from the Egyptian people. Although the rebellion was suppressed, Justinian deeply felt that continuing to use high-pressure methods against the monotheistic sect would endanger his rule. He then adopted the Queen's opinion and attempted to compromise with this sect, retrieve the exiled bishop of the monotheistic sect, and try to reconcile the conflicts between the monotheistic believers and the imperial government and official church. In the same year, Belisarius attacked Rome. [18]
In 537, sunlight and moonlight were obscured along the Mediterranean coast for several months, for unknown reasons, possibly due to volcanic eruptions. The result is climate change and reduced agricultural yields. In the same year, the Hagia Sophia Cathedral was completed.
In 539, Bulgarians invaded Greece and plundered extensively.
Internal and external troubles
In 540 AD, Persia invaded the Eastern Roman Empire and Antiochus was destroyed.
In 541, the Persian army invaded the Lazica region from the north again. Justinian once again appointed Belisarius to command the Eastern battlefield and launch a series of counterattacks. In the same year, the plague spread from East and Central Africa to Egypt. [30]
In the spring of 542 AD, the plague spread to Constantinople and then spread to the entire empire and even beyond through trade routes and military expeditions. This great plague is known as the Justinian plague. In Constantinople, Justinian ordered Theozoros to handle the bodies and provide relief for the sick, and later ordered the excavation of a deep pit in Gala at the Golden Horn to bury the bodies. Justinian himself also fell ill at one point, during which an officer planned a coup. Although the conspiracy itself failed due to Justinian's recovery, a group of civil and military officials, including those left behind by Belisa, were implicated. In the same year, Justinian I abolished the position of consul, which had been left over from the Roman Republic (possibly due to cost considerations).

In 544, the East Goths launched an uprising, and Justinian once again sent Belisarius to Italy to suppress it.
On June 28, 548, Empress Theodora passed away. At the same time, issues such as succession to the throne, northern Balkan borders, and religious disputes gradually became prominent, becoming important factors that troubled Justinian's later rule. [2]
In 549, a conspiracy against Justinian I was uncovered.
In 550, Justinian sent Patrician Liberius, who held the noble title, to lead a fleet and occupy part of the southern part of the country under the pretext of interfering in the internal affairs of Visigoth. [2] The year of the event is still controversial, with different claims such as 552 and 554.
In 551, a strong earthquake occurred in the eastern Mediterranean, causing particularly severe damage to the Greek region. [19]
In 553, in order to ease the conflict between the Orthodox and One Sex denominations of Christianity, Justinian presided over the union of the two, the Second Council of Constantinople. The meeting ultimately turned into a critique of Christianism.
In 554, Narses defeated the invading Franks in the Battle of Casillanum and ultimately eliminated the Kingdom of East Goth. [7] To guide the reconstruction of Italy, Justinian issued the Pragmatica sanctio, which stipulated the preservation or abolition of the laws left over by the East Gothic Kingdom, as well as some specific legal issues. By that year, Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearic Islands, and Dalmatia had all been incorporated into the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire had taken over most of the old territories of the Western Roman Empire, except for Gaul and Britain, almost doubling its original territory. However, the prolonged foreign war consumed a significant amount of military and economic power in the country, and the successors of Justinian I ultimately failed to stop the continuous invasions of the Slavs, Bulgarians, remnants of the Huns, and Avars.

Sangyu Evening Scenery
In 555 AD, the Samaritans launched another uprising, and a large number of Jews responded. Justinian mobilized the expeditionary forces stationed in North Africa and suppressed the uprising in 556. [24]
In 557, a strong earthquake occurred in Constantinople, causing the arch of St. Sophia's Cathedral to collapse.
In 558, the plague relapsed in Constantinople, and since then, outbreaks have also occurred in Silesia and other places. [33]
In 559, the remaining Huns (also known as Bulgarians) invaded the Eastern Roman Empire and arrived in the suburbs of Constantinople. Justinian was forced to employ the unemployed Belisarius, who won with a small number of his own soldiers. Afterwards, Justinian used diplomacy to bribe the Xiongnu tribes to kill each other and reduce their threat, until these Xiongnu tribes were annexed by the Slavs and Avars. [2] In the same year, Constantinople fell into chaos due to rumors of Justinian's death, until the rumors were clarified. [29]
At the end of 561, the Eastern Roman Empire made peace with Sassanid Persia and signed a peace treaty for a period of 50 years.
In 562 AD, another conspiracy against Justinian I was uncovered, and the Hagia Sophia was rebuilt.
On November 14, 565, Justinian I passed away. Justin II succeeded to the throne. Shortly thereafter, most of the conquered areas were lost.