Who Was Justinian? | FIVE FUN FACTS

Summary

This video explores five fascinating facts about Justinian the Great, a pivotal figure in Byzantine history. It covers his rise to power, the creation of the Justinian Code that reformed Byzantine law, his influential wife Empress Theodora, the construction of the iconic Hagia Sophia, and his efforts to reconquer parts of the fallen Western Roman Empire. Hosted by James, the video highlights Justinian’s legacy, including his enduring impact on law, architecture, and the Byzantine Empire's territorial ambitions.

Takeaways

• 👑 Justinian the Great was born Petrus Sabbatius around 482 AD and became the second emperor of the Justinian dynasty.
• 📜 Justinian is known for his legal reforms, including the famous Code of Justinian, which reorganized Byzantine law into four parts: Codex, Digest, Institutes, and Novels.
• 👸 Justinian's wife, Empress Theodora, played a significant political role, helping him maintain power during the Nika riots of 532 AD.
• 🏛️ The Hagia Sophia, built under Justinian's reign, was one of the greatest architectural achievements of the Byzantine Empire and stood as the world's largest cathedral for nearly a millennium.
• ⚔️ Justinian sought to restore the Roman Empire through military conquests, reclaiming parts of the Western Roman Empire, including Africa and Italy.
• 📚 The Digest section of Justinian's Code focused on court rulings, aiming to remove contradictions in past judicial decisions.
• 🏰 Justinian became co-emperor with his uncle, Justin I, in 527 AD before becoming the sole ruler later that year.
• 🎭 Theodora came from a lower-class background, which made their marriage groundbreaking for crossing social classes at the time.
• ⛪ Though the Hagia Sophia was later converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest, it was preserved and turned into a museum by the Republic of Turkey.
• 🛡️ Justinian's conquests, led by General Belisarius, proved the resilience of the Byzantine Empire, even if many territories were eventually lost after his death.

Q & A

Who was Justinian the Great and where was he born?

Justinian the Great was a Byzantine emperor born as Petrus Sabbatius around 482 AD, likely in the region of Thrace or Illyria.

How did Justinian become emperor?

Justinian became emperor after his uncle, Justin I, who had adopted him and made him co-emperor in April 527. When Justin died later that year, Justinian became the sole emperor of the Byzantine Empire.

What is the Code of Justinian and why is it significant?

The Code of Justinian, also known as the Corpus Juris Civilis, was a comprehensive reform of Byzantine law. It clarified legal opinions and addressed issues like marriage, taxation, and imperial powers. It had a lasting influence on European legal systems.

What were the four parts of the Code of Justinian?

The four parts of the Code of Justinian were: 1) Codex, which cleaned up old laws, 2) Digest, which reviewed past court rulings, 3) Institutes, a legal textbook for students, and 4) Novels, which were new laws created by Justinian.

Who was Theodora, and what was her role in Justinian's reign?

Theodora was Justinian’s wife and the Empress of the Byzantine Empire. She played an active role in politics and court affairs, and is especially remembered for persuading Justinian to remain in Constantinople during the Nika riots in 532, saving his reign.

What was the significance of the Nika riots in Justinian's reign?

The Nika riots were a significant uprising in 532, where rival factions nearly overthrew Justinian. Theodora’s courage in urging Justinian to stay led to the suppression of the revolt, ensuring Justinian’s continued rule.

What is the Hagia Sophia, and why is it important in Justinian’s legacy?

The Hagia Sophia, or Church of Holy Wisdom, was constructed under Justinian’s reign between 532 and 537 AD. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly 1,000 years and remains one of the most iconic architectural achievements of the Byzantine Empire.

What happened to the Hagia Sophia after the fall of Constantinople?

After the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in 1453, the Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. Later, under the Republic of Turkey, it was secularized and turned into a museum, with many of its Christian artworks restored.

What was Justinian’s goal in the reconquest of Rome?

Justinian sought to restore the glory of the Roman Empire by reconquering lost territories. His general, Belisarius, led campaigns to reclaim parts of the Western Roman Empire, including North Africa and Italy, bringing Rome back under Byzantine control for a brief period.

Did Justinian personally lead military campaigns during his reign?

No, Justinian did not personally lead military campaigns. He focused on domestic issues while his general, Belisarius, carried out the reconquests in North Africa and Italy on his behalf.

Outlines

00:00

👑 Justinian the Great and His Rise to Power

In this introduction, James welcomes viewers to the 'Look-Back History' channel and highlights that today's episode will explore five fun facts about Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great. Born as Petrus Sabattus around 482 AD in a Roman family, Justinian would go on to become the second emperor of the Justinian dynasty after his uncle, Justin I. He was possibly the last Roman emperor to speak Latin as a native language. His rise began when Justin adopted him, educated him in law, history, and theology, and made him his co-emperor before Justinian succeeded him as sole ruler in 527 AD.

05:02

⚖️ The Code of Justinian: Reforming Byzantine Law

One of Justinian’s greatest contributions to history was his legal reforms, known as the 'Code of Justinian.' This legal overhaul involved a comprehensive revision of Byzantine law, covering matters like marriage, taxation, and imperial authority. The Code consisted of four parts: the Codex, which cleaned up old laws; the Digest, which revised court rulings; the Institutes, a textbook for law students outlining the empire’s governing institutions; and the Novels, new laws enacted by Justinian himself. These reforms aimed to bring clarity and unity to the Byzantine legal system.

👸 Theodora: The Empress Who Saved Justinian’s Throne

Justinian's reign was greatly influenced by his wife, Empress Theodora, who was born into a lower-class family, with her father being a bear trainer and her mother a dancer. Despite her humble origins, she played a crucial role in Byzantine politics. The most notable instance of her influence came during the Nika Riots in 532, when Justinian was on the verge of fleeing Constantinople. Theodora convinced him to stay and fight, ultimately saving his throne. After her death in 548, Justinian never remarried, highlighting her importance in his life.

🏛️ The Aya Sophia: Justinian’s Architectural Masterpiece

The Aya Sophia, or 'Church of Holy Wisdom,' was built between 532 and 537 AD during Justinian’s reign and stands as his most lasting architectural legacy. Located in Constantinople, the church was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the construction of the Seville Cathedral in the 16th century. Though the city eventually fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Aya Sophia was preserved and converted into a mosque. Later, during the Turkish Republic, it was secularized and turned into a museum, with much of its Christian artwork restored.

⚔️ The Reconquest of Rome: Restoring Byzantine Control

Under Justinian’s leadership, the Byzantine Empire sought to reclaim lost territories of the Western Roman Empire. While Justinian himself did not lead military campaigns, his general, Belisarius, was instrumental in these reconquests. Beginning with Africa and the defeat of the Vandals in Carthage, Byzantine forces also regained control of Rome by 536 AD. Though these territorial gains were short-lived after Justinian’s death, they demonstrated that the Byzantine Empire was still a formidable power, not ready to fade from the world stage.

Keywords

💡Justinian the Great

Justinian the Great was one of the most significant emperors of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 527 to 565 AD. He is the central figure of the video and is known for his ambitious efforts to restore the Roman Empire's glory. His legacy includes legal reforms, military conquests, and significant architectural achievements. For example, the video highlights his role in the construction of the Hagia Sophia and his codification of Byzantine law.

💡Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in the east during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. In the video, the Byzantine Empire serves as the context for Justinian's rule, with references to its capital, Constantinople, and its legal, political, and military systems. Justinian's reign marked a period of attempted reconquest of former Roman territories.

💡Code of Justinian

The Code of Justinian, or Corpus Juris Civilis, was a major legal reform initiated under Justinian's reign, aimed at consolidating and clarifying Byzantine law. The video describes this legal code as one of Justinian's greatest legacies, which reorganized and cleaned up centuries of Roman law and judicial rulings. It had lasting influence on legal systems in Europe and the wider world.

💡Theodora

Theodora was the wife of Justinian and played an important role in Byzantine politics. In the video, she is portrayed as a key advisor and partner to Justinian, notably during the Nika riots when she convinced him to stay and fight, saving his rule. Her background as a performer from a lower social class, as well as her influence in the imperial court, highlights the progressive social changes under Justinian’s reign.

💡Nika riots

The Nika riots were a major uprising in Constantinople in 532 AD, involving factions of chariot-racing fans known as the Greens and the Blues. The video explains that Justinian was ready to flee the city, but Theodora convinced him to stay and suppress the revolt, which he did with brutal force. This event solidified Justinian’s authority but also demonstrated the volatility of popular unrest during his reign.

💡Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia, also referred to as the Church of Holy Wisdom, was a monumental church built in Constantinople under Justinian's orders. The video emphasizes its significance as one of Justinian’s greatest architectural achievements, symbolizing his legacy in both the religious and physical landscape of the empire. The Hagia Sophia was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly 1,000 years and remains a symbol of Byzantine culture.

💡Reconquest of Rome

The reconquest of Rome refers to Justinian’s military campaigns aimed at reclaiming parts of the Western Roman Empire, which had fallen to barbarian kingdoms. The video highlights his efforts to restore Roman rule in areas such as North Africa and Italy, including the re-entry of Roman troops into the city of Rome in 536 AD. Though the conquests were temporary, they demonstrated Justinian’s vision of a revived Roman Empire.

💡Belisarius

Belisarius was a prominent general under Justinian, responsible for leading many of the military campaigns during the emperor's reign. In the video, he is noted for his role in the reconquest of former Roman territories, such as Africa and Italy. His victories were instrumental in Justinian's efforts to restore the empire, even though Justinian himself never led troops in battle.

💡Corpus Juris Civilis

The Corpus Juris Civilis, also known as the Body of Civil Law, was a comprehensive codification of Roman law commissioned by Justinian. The video discusses this work as one of Justinian’s greatest legacies. It was divided into four parts: the Codex, Digest, Institutes, and Novels, which together systematized legal thought and served as the foundation for future European legal systems.

💡Constantinople

Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, plays a central role in the video as the heart of Justinian’s empire. It was a major political, economic, and cultural center. The video describes its importance during events like the Nika riots and the construction of the Hagia Sophia. Constantinople's strategic position made it a focal point of Justinian’s reign and the Byzantine Empire.

Highlights

Justinian the Great was born Petra Sabattus to a Roman family and became the second emperor of the Justinian dynasty.

He was likely the last Roman Emperor to have spoken Latin as his native language.

Justinian was educated in Roman law, history, and theology, setting the foundation for his rule.

He became Co-Emperor with his uncle Justin I in April 527 and became sole Emperor after Justin's death.

The Code of Justinian was a complete reset of Byzantine law, clarifying legal opinions on issues like marriage, taxation, and the powers of the Emperor.

The Codex removed inconsistencies and contradictions in old laws and outdated imperial edicts.

The Digest compiled rulings from courts to clarify legal precedents, similar to the Codex's role with laws.

The Institutes served as a textbook for first-year law students, outlining the structure of the empire's governing institutions.

The Novels were new laws created by Justinian himself during his reign.

Justinian's wife, Empress Theodora, played a crucial role in Byzantine politics and helped save his crown during the Nika riots.

Theodora convinced Justinian to stay in Constantinople during the riots, allowing loyal forces to put down the rebellion.

The Aya Sophia, built during Justinian's reign, was one of his most lasting architectural achievements and dominated the Constantinople skyline.

The Aya Sophia remained the largest cathedral on earth for nearly 1,000 years until the Seville Cathedral was constructed.

Justinian's general, Belisarius, led the reconquest of Rome and brought much of the Western Roman Empire under Byzantine control.

The reconquest proved the Byzantine Empire, though weakened, was still a significant force in the Mediterranean world.

Transcripts

hello out there my name is James and

welcome to look-back history the channel

which day will dive into five fun facts

about one of the most impactful and most

famous leaders of the Byzantine Empire

Justinian the great but first if you

enjoy our five fun facts series or just

history in general don't forget to go

down below and hit the subscribe button

and the Bell to make sure that you get

notified about our next video number one

a new dynasty Justinian the Great was

born Petra Sabattus - a Roman family and

either frase or Illyria around the year

482 AD he would become the second

emperor of the Justinian dynasty after

his uncle just in the first and was

likely the last Roman Emperor to have

spoken Latin as his native language when

his nephew was born Justin lived in the

Byzantine capital Constantinople and was

a member and later captain of the

Imperial Palace car he eventually

adopted Petrus who took the name

Justinian in honor of Justin and was

educated in Roman law history and

theology when he grew older Justinian's

earned his uncle in the guard but when

the emperor anastasius the first died

without an heir in 518 justin was

elected emperor a man nearly in his 70s

he required a region for much of his

reign a role that was fulfilled by

Justinian in April 527 with his uncle's

health failing gist idiom became

Justin's official Co Emperor and when

Justin died later that year Justinian

was crowned the sole sovereign of the

Byzantine Empire

number two the code of Justinian or more

accurately the body of civil war done

mostly by the Empire's top legal

scholars and jurists it was a complete

reset to Byzantine law aimed at

clarifying legal opinion on issues

ranging from marriage to taxation to

even the powers of the Emperor it was

made up of four parts which were

published four out Justinian's reign the

first - the Codex looked at old laws and

basically clean them up a bit it removed

inconsistencies and contradictions in

the law as well as old imperial edicts

that were determined to be obsolete the

second part the digest was compiled by

16 respective Byzantine jurists it

looked not at past laws but at past

rulings decisions by courts

and then essentially did the same thing

to them as the codex did to law the

third section the institute's was a

textbook that outlined in basic terms

the relationships between all of the

empires governing institutions

it was meant for first-year law students

finally there were the novel's new laws

made by Justinian himself number three

the Empress Theodora Justinian didn't

reign alone and his wife the Empress

Theodora played an active role in

Byzantine politics and within the

imperial court Theodora was born into a

lower-class background possibly on the

island of Cyprus her father was a bear

trainer for one of Constantinople major

Chariot Racing teams the greens while

her mother was a dancer and performer

when she married Justinian two years

before he became Emperor it only

recently became legal for marriage

between social classes to take place in

the empire but Justinian would have been

glad that he married Theodora

specifically when in January 532 riots

broke out in Constantinople between

supporters of the greens and their rival

team the blues Justinian facing

overwhelming odds prepared to flee the

city as the rioters crowned a new

emperor but Theodora persuaded him to

stand his ground soon forces loyal to

Justinian were able to put down the

revolt Theodora essentially saved his

crown she died

seventeen years before Justinian in 548

he never remarried

number four the aya Sophia if his code

stands as Justinian's most lasting

impact on the world of law and the aya

Sophia the Church of holy wisdom stands

as his most lasting impact on the

physical world it was built between 532

and 537 ad in the heart of

Constantinople the skyline of which it

dominated the church served as the

headquarters of the ecumenical patriarch

of Constantinople and when it was

completed it was the largest Cathedral

on earth an order retained for nearly a

thousand years until the construction of

the Seville Cathedral in the early 16th

century in a testament to Justinian's

legacy even as the Empire declined in

the 14th and 15th centuries aya Sophia

was maintained and when the Muslim

Turkish Ottoman Empire eventually

conquered Constantinople in 1453 the

building was preserved it was also

converted into a

and much of its original Christian

artwork was destroyed however some was

merely plastered over and when the

Republic of Turkey replaced the Ottoman

Empire it secularized

ayasofia and turned it into a museum

much of its art was restored

number five the reconquest of Rome when

Justinian took power what was once the

Roman Empire was a shell of its former

self even the old capital Rome had

fallen to barbarians but Justinian

driven by an ambitious goal renovation

Emperor I decided it was time for the

Byzantines to expand once more he never

led troops himself instead focusing on

domestic issues and most of the

conquests under his reign were performed

by the general Belisarius and

Justinian's direction he brought much of

the fallen Western Roman Empire under

Byzantine control starting with the

province of Africa the land around the

destroyed city of Carthage Africa was

controlled by the Vandals a Germanic

group that had seized the territory in

the last days of the Western Roman

Empire after their defeat

Belisarius turned north towards Italy

and in 536 Roman troops entered the

Eternal City for the first time in

decades the conquests that occurred

during Justinian's reign didn't last for

long after the Emperor's death but they

did prove that the Empire while weakened

wasn't going away anytime soon if you

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