Good Historical books on the era of Justinian's reign

[TheApostate]

Hail.

After seeing this mod it has sparked my interest even more into the era of the Byzantine zenith and I can hardly find any books on it (Contemporary or original source) and knowing the wide knowledge of the TW center forums I bet somebody knows something.

Thanks.

[FliegerAD]

Oh, there are sooo many. For the contemporaries of Justinian, Procopius of Caesarea is the prime source having written the History of the Wars (a history of Justinian's wars, semi-official), the Buildings (panegyric), and the Secret History (an anti-Justinian book). There are a lot more, like Marcellinus Comes, John Malalas, John Lydus, Agathias, and many others...

For modern ones, the list is almost endless:
- The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Justinian, edited by M. Maas
- The Ruin of the Roman Empire, by J.J. O'Donnell
- The Cambridge Ancient History, Vol.14, edited by A. Cameron, B. Ward-Perkins, Michael Whitby
- Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, by G. Halsall
- The Emperor Justinian and the Byzantine Empire, by JAS Evans
- The Mediterranean World in Late Antiquity, by A. Cameron
- Economy and Society in the Age of Justinian, by P. Sarris

Actually the best book I know is German: Das andere Zeitalter Justinians, by M. Meier, but I guess you wanted English books only - which is sad, because German historians have written very good stuff on that period

These are only very few hints, there are really hundred of books (even though there are many sadly bad books as well).

[TheApostate]

Thank you ! but If I knew german I would defiantly check it out I think I will look for the one by James Evans I stumbled upon one called 'Justinian the last Roman Emperor' looks good I will have to check out all of these only if they didn't cost such a pretty penny oh well it will be worth it in the long run shame in textbooks everybody learns about Julius, Augustus but not Justinian I mean I know he had his faults believe me but in a sense his conquests were the 'Empire strikes back' and its never touched upon really the whole Byzantine empire. But thank you I know have a place to start looking

[Cope]

Dont get some boring academic book if you dont know much about it. Better to read a couple of more general books first then you'll understand what the hell the pompus historians are talking about when you read their academic works.

[TheApostate]

Oh no I don't want to read a textbook or some old tome there, and I have read some general books before, just looking for some deeper topics now

[Cope]

As a student of history, I can tell you I hate academic books beacuse they successfully suck all the fun out of the past whilst being insufferably arrogant.

[FliegerAD]

Leving, you are free to disdain the "pompus" and "insufferably arrogant" historians so much. However, your sweeping judgement is just your own personal opinion and should not be presented as fact, nor should you discourage people who would actually like to read academic books. You are also free to call yourself "student of history" for that matter.

@ TheApostate

academic books often have a big price tag, that is true, but some of the books I listed above are also intended for a more general readership, thus reasonably priced. O'Donnell's book, although I am not a fan of it, will do a lot to challange your perception of the 'stricking "back"', while Halsall provides a great starting point for the whole migration period. Evans is more old-fashioned in many respects, but he clearly knows his stuff.

[Cope]

Since I'm a post graduate student who studies history, calling myself a student of history is actually a fact.
It is also clearly my perogative to comment on the general accessibility of academic works both in terms of availability and readability. Since you yourself are obviously well aquainted with historical academia, you are also free to encourage others to partake in the reading of more advanced history.

See how I managed not only to irritate you with my tone, but also to abandon the original point of this topic? Thats how to write an academic history book.

Leving.

[pirro]

Procopious and Zosimus. Also I got many articles about the Belisaurius campaings, but in spanish. Also j.c. Fuller talk about the Italian campaign

[Iaius Statius Laurentius]

I say ick to Averell Cameron. Just saying. Peter Brown is more acceptable, for a modernist.

[Diocle]

Can I add, 'Procopius of Caesarea': 'Gothic Wars' or 'De Bello Gothico' and the 'Secret History'
and very interesting by 'Robert Graves' : 'Count Belisarius' (if this is the right English edition title)

Being Italian I cannot give the correct titles of the English Editions of Procopius works, but I found Procopius very readable and fascinating, expecially the Secret History.

[Dikaphalos Eagle]

And if anyone was looking for relatively light, but immensely enjoyable reading, John Julius Norwich's "Byzantium: The Early Centuries". Although it doesnt compare to original contemporary works or Acedemic projects, Norwich spends about a fourth of the book around Justinian. I recommend it for the newly interested because it is much easier to find (bookstore, Amazon), and is alot easier on your wallet.

[Giorgios]

And if anyone was looking for relatively light, but immensely enjoyable reading, John Julius Norwich's "Byzantium: The Early Centuries".

Indeed. As an introduction to Byzantine history, Norwich stands in nobody's shadow, he really is superb.

[Fedual]

Resurrecting an old thread here... Does anyone know a good version (english or swedish) of Procopious History of the Wars/Wars of Justinian?'

Would this version be a good one?