Best books about Justinian? General best Historians?

>>9100195
The secret history by Prokopius. Kalldelis translation. Written by a contemporary obviously, but it's one of the rare instances in regards to ancient Rome where I would suggest starting with contemporary texts rather than research lit.

"Who Gives a Fuck" by Fuck Off

>>9100355
Wew, clever. I'm interested though, are you having a rough day or just your normal bored browsing routine through 4chan boards?

>>9100361
>are you having a rough day
Not really, just getting my /lit/ on.

I'd love to see his response

Hope you like IVS.

>>9100195
I almost started a thread about the secret history a few days ago

>>9100195
You're into Byzantine Erotica, as well?

>>9100195
Think about how crazy/cool it is that throughout history how many people just had epic supreme power, I mean look at this guys face, maybe if he was alive today he would just be some office drone somewhere, but time and place dictated him near ruler of the world, now go and look at some office drone somewhere, and imagine them transported back to that time and place

"On January 13, 532, a tense and angry populace arrived at the Hippodrome for the races. The Hippodrome was next to the palace complex, and thus Justinian could watch from the safety of his box in the palace and preside over the races. From the start, the crowd had been hurling insults at Justinian. By the end of the day, at race 22, the partisan chants had changed from "Blue" or "Green" to a unified Nίkα ("Nika", meaning "Win!!" "Victory!" or "Conquer!"), and the crowds broke out and began to assault the palace. For the next five days, the palace was under siege. The fires that started during the tumult resulted in the destruction of much of the city, including the city's foremost church, the Hagia Sophia (which Justinian would later rebuild).

Some of the senators saw this as an opportunity to overthrow Justinian, as they were opposed to his new taxes and his lack of support for the nobility. The rioters, now armed and probably controlled by their allies in the Senate, also demanded that Justinian dismiss the prefect John the Cappadocian, who was responsible for tax collecting, and the quaestor Tribonian, who was responsible for rewriting the legal code. They then declared a new emperor, Hypatius, who was a nephew of former Emperor Anastasius I."

Justinian, in despair, considered fleeing, but his wife Theodora is said to have dissuaded him, saying, "Those who have worn the crown should never survive its loss. Never will I see the day when I am not saluted as empress."[2] Although an escape route across the sea lay open for the emperor, Theodora insisted that she would stay in the city, quoting an ancient saying, "Royalty is a fine burial shroud," or perhaps, "[the royal color] Purple makes a fine winding sheet."

As Justinian rallied himself, he created a plan that involved Narses, a popular eunuch, as well as the generals Belisarius and Mundus. Carrying a bag of gold given to him by Justinian, the slightly built eunuch entered the Hippodrome alone and unarmed, against a murderous mob that had already killed hundreds. Narses went directly to the Blues' section, where he approached the important Blues and reminded them that Emperor Justinian supported them over the Greens. He also reminded them that the man they were crowning, Hypatius, was a Green. Then, he distributed the gold. The Blue leaders spoke quietly with each other and then they spoke to their followers. Then, in the middle of Hypatius's coronation, the Blues stormed out of the Hippodrome. The Greens sat, stunned. Then, Imperial troops led by Belisarius and Mundus stormed into the Hippodrome, killing the remaining rebels.

About thirty thousand rioters were reportedly killed.[4] Justinian also had Hypatius executed and exiled the senators who had supported the riot. He then rebuilt Constantinople and the Hagia Sophia, and was free to establish his rule. He was also free to pursue his ultimate dream of a united Roman Empire."

>>9102539
Would make a good story desu, (similar to that john goodman movie, schlub in kings court of something, but like) freaky friday, where some random person is transported back to ancient times and has to rule an empire, and the emperor of those times are transported to his office job