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A unique look at a powerful marriage in the celebrated age of
Justinian Belisarius and Antonina were titans in the Roman world
some 1,500 years ago. Belisarius was the most well-known general of
his age, victor over the Persians, conqueror of the Vandals and the
Goths, and as if this were not enough, wealthy beyond imagination.
His wife, Antonina, was an impressive person in her own right. She
made a name for herself by traveling with Belisarius on his
military campaigns, deposing a pope, and scheming to disgrace
important Roman officials. Together, the pair were extremely
influential, and arguably wielded more power in the late Roman
world than anyone except the emperor Justinian and empress Theodora
themselves. This unadulterated power and wealth did not mean that
Belisarius and Antonina were universally successful in all that
they undertook. They occasionally stumbled militarily, politically,
and personally - in their marriage and with their children. These
failures knock them from their lofty perch, humanize them, and make
them even more relatable and intriguing to us today. Belisarius
& Antonina is the first modern portrait of this unique
partnership. They were not merely husband and wife but also
partners in power. This is a paradigm which might seem strange to
us, as we reflexively imagine that marriages in the ancient world
were staunchly traditional, relegating wives to the domestic sphere
only. But Antonina was not a reserved housewife, and Belisarius
showed no desire for Antonina to remain in the home. Their private
and public lives blended as they traveled together, sometimes
bringing their children, and worked side-by-side. Theirs was
without a doubt the most important nonroyal marriage of the late
Roman world, and one of the very few from all of antiquity that
speaks directly to contemporary readers.
This book explores the professional and social lives of the
soldiers who served in the army of the Byzantine Empire in the
sixth century. More than just a fighting force, this army was the
setting in which hundreds of thousands of men forged relationships
and manoeuvred for promotion. The officers of this force, from
famous generals like Belisarius and Narses to lesser-known men like
Buzes and Artabanes, not only fought battles but also crafted
social networks and cultivated their relationships with their
emperor, fellow officers, families, and subordinate soldiers.
Looming in the background were differences in identity,
particularly between Romans and those they identified as
barbarians. Drawing on numerical evidence and stories from
sixth-century authors who understood the military, Justinian's Men
highlights a sixth-century Byzantine army that was vibrant, lively,
and full of individuals working with and against each other.
This book explores the professional and social lives of the
soldiers who served in the army of the Byzantine Empire in the
sixth century. More than just a fighting force, this army was the
setting in which hundreds of thousands of men forged relationships
and manoeuvred for promotion. The officers of this force, from
famous generals like Belisarius and Narses to lesser-known men like
Buzes and Artabanes, not only fought battles but also crafted
social networks and cultivated their relationships with their
emperor, fellow officers, families, and subordinate soldiers.
Looming in the background were differences in identity,
particularly between Romans and those they identified as
barbarians. Drawing on numerical evidence and stories from
sixth-century authors who understood the military, Justinian’s
Men highlights a sixth-century Byzantine army that was vibrant,
lively, and full of individuals working with and against each
other.
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