Justinian Augustus I (abt. 482 - abt. 565)

Born about 0482 in Taor, Eastern Roman Empire

Husband of Θεοδώρα Acacius — married 0525 in Constantinople

Died about 14 Nov 0565 at about age 83 in Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire

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Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Justinian Augustus I was a member of aristocracy in ancient Europe. Join: Medieval Project Discuss: medieval

Biography

Names

Latin: Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Justinianus Augustus Born Petrus Sabbatius into a peasant family believed to have been of Illyro-Roman or Thraco-Roman origins, he later adopted the name Justinian to indicate he was adopted by his uncle Justin.^[1]

He was also traditionally known as Justinian the Great and also as Saint Justinian the Emperor in the Eastern Orthodox Church.^[2]

Birth

His mother was was Vigilantia, the sister of Justin of the imperial guard who became emperor from 518-527. ^[3]

Reign as Emperor

Justinian's uncle Justin was proclaimed emperor when Emperor Anastasius died in 518. Justinian was Justin's close confidant and assistant. Justinian became consul in 521 and later commander of the army of the east. Justin made Justinian associate emperor on 1 April 527 and Justinian became the de facto ruler near the end of Justin's reign. When Justin died on 1 August 527, Justinian became sole emperor.^[3]

Code of Justinian

Justinian is perhaps best known for his judicial reforms achieved through a complete revision of all Roman civil law, known today as Corpus juris civilis.^[4] It forms the basis of Cannon law, and its influence can still be seen in many aspects of modern civil law.

Second Council of Constantinople

Justinian also had a great interest in theology and the theological conflicts of his day. Although the Council of Chalcedon in 451 had condemned as heresy the Monophysite doctrines that Jesus Christ had one divine nature or a synthesis of a divine and human nature, adherents of this doctrine remained a source of controversy during Justinian's reign. He sought to resolve the issue first by making the Nicaeno-Constantinopolitan creed the sole symbol of the Church and giving legal force to the canons of the first four ecumenical councils.^[5] Then in 553, he convened the Second Council of Constantinople, composed of an overwhelming majority of eastern bishops, for the purpose of confirming the creed adopted at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 and reinforcing the rejection of the Nestorian view of the nature of Jesus Christ.^[4][6] Although Justinian sought to reunite the Christian Church through this council, it led to further schisms within the Church, particularly between the bishops in the west and those in the western and eastern patriarchal sees.^[7]

Marriage

Around 525 in Constantinople, Justinian married the courtesan Theodora who was approximately 20 years younger than him. She had previously been his mistress.^[3]

Death

Justinian died on 14 Nov 565.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Justinian I citing Michael Maas (2005-04-18). The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139826877; Treadgold, Warren T. (1997). A history of the Byzantine state and society. Stanford University Press. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-8047-2630-6.; Barker, John W. (1966). Justinian and the later Roman Empire. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-299-03944-8; Barker, John W. (1966). Justinian and the later Roman Empire. University of Wisconsin Press. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-299-03944-8; Shifting Genres in Late Antiquity, Hugh Elton, Geoffrey Greatrex, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2015, ISBN 1472443500, p. 259; Pannonia and Upper Moesia: A History of the Middle Danube Provinces of the Roman Empire, András Mócsy, Routledge, 2014, ISBN 1317754255, p. 350.
2. ↑ "St. Justinian the Emperor". Orthodox Church in America (https://oca.org/saints/lives/2017/11/14/103301-st-justinian-the-emperor : accessed 21 Mar 2019)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Wikipedia: Justinian I citing Robert Browning. "Justinian I" in Dictionary of the Middle Ages, volume VII (1986).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Wikipedia: Justinian I
5. ↑ Novel 131 (https://www.uwyo.edu/lawlib/blume-justinian/ajc-edition-2/novels/121-140/novel%20131_replacement.pdf : accessed 21 Mar 2019)
6. ↑ Papal Encyclicals, Second Council of Constantinople – 553 A.D. (http://www.papalencyclicals.net/councils/ecum05.htm : accessed 21 Mar 2019)
7. ↑ Catholic Encyclopedia: Justinian I (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08578b.htm : accessed 21 Mar 2019)

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Sherri Harder for starting this profile.