The eminent English classicist, Robert Graves, published this novel in 1938. Like his 'Claudius' novels, this one is also based on the writings of a contemporary historian, Procopius, whose
History of Justinian's* War' is the factual basis of the story. Belisarius is portrayed as a man of incorruptible virtue, a soldier extraordinaire and completely above the politics of the Byzantine Court. He was born in the Balkans in 500 A. D. He attended school in Adrianople, and later a military academy in Constantinople. He excelled and at the age of 20 was in charge of training troops to fight and defend the northern boundaries of the Empire in the Balkans. Before he was thirty, he had caught the eye of Emperor Justinian and was put in charge of the armies fighting in the east, where he famously defeated the Persians at Dara in 530 A.D. He received many awards, including the hand of Antonia, dear friend of the Empress Theodora.
By the sixth century, the western empire was no more and was occupied by Germanic tribes that purported to be allied with the Eastern Emperor. Offended by the Vandals in North Africa, Justinian sent Belisarius and a small invasion force to capture Carthage. He succeeded and returned to Constantinople with vast riches and 15,000 prisoners. He then turned his attention to Sicily, which he promptly occupied before sailing to Italy. He captured Naples after a brief siege and took Rome without any opposition. However, the Goths launched a major counterattack and besieged the city for over a year. Once again though, Belisarius prevailed and again returned triumphantly to Constantinople. Although very successful, his many enemies plotted against him and he was stripped of rank and wealth. Antonia and Theodora were able to convince Justinian to reinstate him and back to campaigning in Italy he went. He returned after five years of continual fighting to live quietly with Antonia. In 558, the ungrateful Justinian once more requested his help and he stopped an invasion of Bulgarian Huns at the gates of the city. Honored and then dishonored by his Emperor, Belisarius died in March, 565
This novel may be appreciated by those who are familiar with and fascinated by the Romans. I became intrigued while studying Latin in high school. That said, this story suffers from some of Rome's ongoing themes. The usual back-biting, politicking and betrayals are perhaps universal, but certainly endemic in Roman history.
*Justinian the Great codified Roman law, built St. Sophia and won back N. Africa from the Vandals, Italy from the Ostrogoths and Spain from the Visigoths.
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