What Happened
Procopius documents the shifting fortunes of the Roman and Persian empires during the high-stakes reign of Justinian I. As legal adviser to the brilliant general Belisarius, the author provides a granular view of 6th-century warfare, from the building of trenches at Daras to the siege of Amida. The narrative follows the transition of power from the aging King Cabades to the ambitious Chosroes I, whose repeated invasions are driven as much by a desire for Roman tribute as for territory. Amidst the capture of Antioch and the defense of Edessa, a catastrophic bubonic plague emerges, defying medical theory and forcing a pause in the imperial violence.
Key figures
- Belisarius
General of the East and Justinian's primary military commander.
- Chosroes I
Sassanid Persian King who broke treaties to invade Roman lands.
- Justinian I
Eastern Roman Emperor who sought to expand and defend imperial borders.
- Alamoundaras
Saracen leader who sparked war via a boundary dispute over Strata.
- John
Roman hostage and treasurer whose fate fulfilled a strange prophecy.
What it's really about
- Imperial Extortion
- Warfare serves as a mechanism to extract gold and tribute.
- Divine Intervention
- Plague and miracles disrupt the best-laid military strategies.
Why it's memorable
- A holy man in a fence whose presence freezes the hands of attacking archers.
- King Chosroes wandering in circles twice while trying to find the city of Edessa.
Where it lands
A high-ranking John is forcibly shorn and ordained, fulfilling a prophecy by wearing another man's priestly cloak.
For your book club
- Whether the plague was a divine judgment or a natural disaster beyond human comprehension.
- How Saracen allies were used as deniable proxies to break inconvenient peace treaties.