[Transcriber's Note: Macrons (straight line above a vowel) are
indicated in this text by surrounding square brackets and an =
sign. For example, [=e] indicates an e-macron]





THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE COURT OF JUSTINIAN


PROCOPIUS


_LITERALLY AND COMPLETELY TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK FOR THE FIRST TIME

ATHENS: PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR THE ATHENIAN SOCIETY: MDCCCXCVI_




PREFACE


Procopius, the most important of the Byzantine historians, was born at
Caesarea in Palestine towards the beginning of the sixth century of
the Christian era. After having for some time practised as a
"Rhetorician," that is, advocate or jurist, in his native land, he
seems to have migrated early to Byzantium or Constantinople. There he
gave lessons in elocution, and acted as counsel in several law-cases.