Katie Willey

HST 550

2-5-09

Historiography: Procopius’ Secret History

“…I was compelled to hide the real explanation of many matters glossed over in my previous books…it is now my duty to tell and reveal the remaining hidden matters and motives.” (Procopius, 3) This statement made by Procopius within the introduction of the Secret History, exemplifies his attitude to not only his past works, but his fervor and feeling of duty that surrounded the creation of the Secret History. The shocking events and descriptions within the document place key political figures in a different light than previously described within his past works. The motives of Procopius are numerous, however those motives combined with; his attention to detail, the time in which it was written and the fact that the writings were first hand accounts, make Procopius a reliable source for depicting high ranking officials in a way that the rest of history neglects to.

Procopius’ birth date, as well as date of death, is unknown. However, it is suggested that he was born between 490 and 507AD in Caesarea, capital of Palestina Secunda. (Procopius, v) The style of his writing indicates that Procopius was educated in Greek classical literature…and was undoubtedly the most notable Greek historian of the Later Roman Empire. (Procopius, v/ vii) Due to his dealings and career within political and public sectors, it is also suggested that Procopius was also educated in the area of law. (Procopius, v) His career began as a consiliarius to general Belasarius in 527AD, accompanying him on his military expedition to the Vandal Kingdom of North Africa and to Ostrogothic Italy. Procopius’ time with Belasarius became the focus of his History of the Wars, a detailed and objective account of the Persian, Vandal and Gothic wars of Justinian. (Procopius, vii)

The History of the Wars was written in seven books, and is suggested that hisnext piece, Secret History, was a supplement and corrective to the first seven books of History of the Wars.. (Procopius, viii) Procopius claims that the Secret History gives an inside story of court intrigues, objectives of imperial policy and the true character of the leaders of the state. (Procopius, ix) In other terms, he creates a very colorful and critical portrait of Emperor Justinian, Theodora, Belasarius and his wife Antonina.

Motive for influencing Procopius in writing such an account was the frustration withthe inability to engage in open criticism of the government under the autocratic regime of the Late Roman Empire. (Procopius, ix) Procopius used the Secret History as an outlet for his discontent that could not be included within the History of the Wars, without risk of execution. An example of his disgruntlement is seen in chapter VII of the Secret Historytitled “Character and Appearance of Justinian”, Procopius describes Emperor Justinian as; “deceitful, devious, false, hypocritical, two-faced, cruel, skilled in dissembling his thought, never moved to tears by either joy or pain…a liar always, not only offhand, but in writing, and when he swore sacred oaths to his subjects in their very hearing.” (Procopius, 41) Although this account seems outrageous and exaggerated, Procopius’ description comes from his disillusionment in Justinian’s efforts to reclaim and restore the Empire. He felt that Justinian’s efforts were counterintuitive, tearing Rome apart and in turn making its people suffer. (Procopius, x)

Procopius not only felt that Justinian was cruel, but a squanderer of the resources that made Rome so great. Through chapter XIX within the Secret History, we see that Procopius documents Justinian exhausting the imperial treasury for “his senseless building program on the coast and his lavish presents to the barbarians; though one might have thought that it would take the most extravagant of Emperors a hundred years to disburse such wealth.” (Procopius, 95-96)

Procopius felt a waning allegiance towards General Belisarius also. An example is seen in chapter II of the Secret History, titled “How Belated Jealousy Affected Belasarius’ Military Judgment”. “Belisarius, had just taken the fort of Sisauranum when the news of her [Antonina] coming was brought to him; and he, setting everything else as nothing in comparison, ordered the army to retire.” (Procopius, 12) This statement suggests that Belisarius letemotion get in the way of his military campaigns, and that he was weak for doing so. This statement sounds malicious, but was formed and based on the experiences of Procopius while working with Belasarius on his campaigns from 527AD onwards. Procopius saw the expansion and conquest efforts of Belisarius to be cause of suffering amongst the Romans, and this particular chapter within the Secret History provides themeans for Procopius to verbalize his frustrations with what he was observing in the field, focusing on his weaknesses.

Procopius also wrote about Theodora, Justinian’s wife and Empress to Rome. The Secret History goes into detail regarding Theodora’s controversial past and promiscuous habits. In chapter IX, “How Theodora, Most Depraved of all Courtesans, Won his Love”, Procopius describes how “on the field of pleasure she was never defeated.” (Procopius, 47) It is also said that “there was no shame in the girl, and no one ever saw her dismayed: no role was too scandalous…” (Procopius, 46) Presenting this information made known that Justinian, as Emperor, could have chosen any well-bred woman he wanted for a wife – a fact that made his marriage to the vilified Theodora un-natural. (Evans, 96) In chapter X of the Secret History,it describes how Justinian had to have law reformed in order to marry Theodora, a high-class prostitute. This furthermore placed a shadow on not only the Emperor, but the Empire as well.

Seemingly to be strict opinion and vented frustrations, the Secret History does hold historical significance. Justinian’s efforts to restore the Empire, through the benefit of hindsight, were superfluous and beyond the ability and resources of Rome, which is also the argument of Procopius. His accounts of Theodora and Antonina do hold historical clout and the facts are as stated in his writing, however, some of the explanations and motive behind each character’s actions are distorted through his hostility.

Despite some embellishments, Procopius is an important historical resource for he was a first hand observer of the events taking place, rather than being an analyst of past events. He may have interjected opinion into his critique, however the opinion only wraps around the historical truth and facts that were present in his time. The originality of the Secret History paired with the fluent writing style of Procopius make the Secret History a reliable document when studying and analyzing the reign of Justinian. It allows us to view this part of history through the eyes of a cynic rather than through the censored eyes of a government paid historian, which provides us with a more balanced view of this time era.

Bibliography

Procopius, Secret History (The University of Michagan, 1961)

Evans, J.A.S., Procopius. (Twayne Publishers, 1972)