The Secret History - Paperback

The Secret History is a historical work written by Procopius of Caesarea in the 6th century AD. It is a scathing critique of the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and his wife, Empress Theodora. The book was not published during Procopius' lifetime and was only discovered in the 17th century.In The Secret History, Procopius reveals the true nature of Justinian and Theodora, painting them as cruel, manipulative, and immoral rulers who were responsible for the downfall of the Byzantine Empire. He describes their personal lives in detail, including their sexual exploits and corrupt practices.The book is divided into seven chapters and begins with a preface in which Procopius explains why he felt compelled to write the book. He then goes on to describe the reign of Justinian, including his military campaigns, building projects, and legal reforms. However, the focus of the book is on the private lives of Justinian and Theodora, and the ways in which they abused their power.The Secret History is a fascinating glimpse into the Byzantine Empire and the lives of its rulers. It is also an important work of historical criticism, as it challenges the traditional view of Justinian and Theodora as great rulers and instead portrays them as corrupt and immoral.So Justinian and Theodora ascended the imperial throne three days before Easter, a time, indeed, when even making visits or greeting one's friends is forbidden. And not many days later Justin died of an illness, after a reign of nine years. Justinian was now sole monarch, together, of course, with Theodora.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.