The Secret History

"Procopius was a trusted member of the Byzantine establishment whose official works glorify the deeds of the Emperor Justinian. Yet all the while, the dutiful scribe was working on a book that could never be published during his lifetime - The Secret History, a sustained assault exposing the horrific tyranny and corruption of the Emperor's regime. Here, Justinian is a demon king capable of any evil deeds, while his wife, Empress Theodora, is a bloodthirsty monster of depravity and cruelty, and the celebrated general Belisarius is the foolish dupe of his scheming wife, Antonina. Magnificently vitriolic and startlingly original, The Secret History is a work of explosive energy, depicting holy Byzantium as a hell of murder and misrule." "This revised edition of G. A. Williamson's lively translation includes an introduction by Peter Sarris discussing Procopius' life and the versatility and craftsmanship of his writings. This volume also includes further reading, a chronology, a genealogy, maps and notes." --Book Jacket.