Of the Buildings of Justinian

by Procopius

There are two cities, both of which pass under the same name, being both called Augila.[122] They stand at a distance of about four days’ journey from Borium for a lightly equipped traveller, on the southern side of it. They are old cities, and the habits of their citizens are old-fashioned: for all of them, even in my own time, practised the rites of polytheism. Here in ancient times were temples dedicated to Ammon, and to Alexander of Macedon, to whom the inhabitants used to offer sacrifice down to the reign of Justinian, and there was in them a large number of persons called Slaves of the Temple: now, however, our Emperor, who not only provides for the security of the bodies of his subjects, but is also careful to save their souls, took all necessary measures for the benefit of those who dwelt here, making liberal provisions for them in all respects, and above all teaching them the true religion, so that he made them all Christians in a body, and turned them from their pagan ancestral customs. He also built for them a temple of the Virgin, to serve as a fortress for the safety of the city and of the true religion. These were his works in this quarter.

The city of Borium, lying near the Moorish barbarians, has remained free from imposts down to this time, nor have any gatherers of tribute or taxes visited it since the creation. From ancient times Jews dwelt close to it, and had an ancient temple which they greatly respected and reverenced, as it had, according to tradition, been built by Solomon the King of the Hebrew nation. However, the Emperor Justinian compelled them all to desert their ancestral religion and become Christians, while he turned this temple into a church.

III. Beyond this lie what are called the Great Syrtes. I will explain what their appearance is, and why they have received this name. The shore in this quarter, divided by the inroads of the sea, and washed away by the beating of the waves, seems to retire and to withdraw itself inland, so as to form an immense crescent-shaped gulf. The distance across the mouth of this gulf is forty stadia, while the perimeter of the crescent extends to a distance of six days’ journey. The sea forms this gulf by pressing against the mainland; and when a ship is once forced by the wind or the waves within the horns of the crescent, it is thenceforth impossible for it to retrace its course, but it seems dragged along, and always forced further forward. It was, I imagine, from this destruction of ships that the ancients called the place Syrtes. Nor can ships float as far as the shore, for the greater part of the gulf is full of sunken rocks, which make it impossible for ships to float there, so that they are wrecked in the shallows. The crews of these ships can only escape, if they escape at all, in small boats, and reach the land with very great danger. Here is the frontier of the region named Tripolis. In it dwell Moorish barbarians of Phœnician origin. Here is also a city named Cidama, inhabited by Moors who have long been on terms of friendship with the Romans, and all of whom, by the persuasion of the Emperor Justinian, voluntarily adopted the Christian faith. These Moors are now called Pacati, because they always are at peace with the Romans; for the Romans in the Latin language call peace pacem. Tripolis is distant from Pentapolis a journey of twenty days’ journey for a lightly equipped traveller.

IV. Beyond this is the city of Leptis Magna,[123] which in ancient times was great and populous, but since has become almost entirely deserted, having through neglect been mostly buried with sand. Our Emperor rebuilt its walls from the foundation, not, however, enclosing so great an extent as formerly, but much less, in order that the city might not again be exposed to danger, either from human enemies or from the sand, by its great size. He left the buried part of the city as it was, covered with heaps of sand, and fortified the rest in the strongest manner. Here he built an admirable church, dedicated to the Virgin, besides four others. In addition to this, he also rebuilt the ruinous palace which formerly existed here, the work of the Emperor Severus the elder, who was born in this place, and left this palace as a memorial of his good fortune.

Having arrived at this part of my narrative, I cannot pass over the great event which took place at Leptis Magna in our time. When Justinian had already come to the throne, and before he had begun the war against the Vandals, the Moorish barbarians called Leucathæ overpowered the Vandals, who were then masters of Libya, and reduced Leptis Magna to an utter desert. Being encamped with their generals upon some hilly ground not far from Leptis Magna, they suddenly beheld a flame of fire in the midst of the city. Supposing that the enemy had entered it, they rushed hurriedly to attack them; but finding no one there, they laid the matter before their prophets, who, interpreting what had taken place, foretold that at no distant time Leptis Magna would be inhabited. Not long afterwards the army of the Emperor arrived, conquered the Vandals and Moors in battle, and gained possession of Tripolis and the rest of Libya. I now return from this digression to my narrative.

In this city the Emperor Justinian built public baths, rebuilt the walls from their foundations, and gave both the baths and all other public buildings an appearance worthy of a city. Moreover, he induced the neighbouring barbarians, named Gadabitani, who up to this time were entirely given up to the Greek form of paganism, to become zealous Christians, as they are at this day. He also fortified the city of Sabaratha, in which he built a most notable church.

In the further part of this country there are two cities, named Tacapa[124] and Girgis, between which lies the lesser Syrtis. Here every day a wonderful phenomenon takes place. The sea, pent up in a narrow place, forms there a crescent-shaped gulf, such as I described in the other Syrtis. Here the sea flows into the mainland for a distance of more than eight days’ journey for a lightly equipped traveller, and towards evening retires again, leaving the shore there dry, like any other sea-beach. Sailors bound for this land, which at times becomes sea, sail in the ordinary manner as far as they are able in the day-time, but towards nightfall prepare to pass the night on dry land. They carry long poles on purpose, and as soon as they suspect that the waters are about to ebb, they take these poles in their hands, and without any hesitation leap out of the ship. At first they swim, but afterwards, when the water does not reach above their faces, they stand on their feet, and sticking the points of their poles into the ground, which by this time is, or shortly will be, dry, they fix them upright underneath their ship, supporting it on either side, that it may not be damaged by falling to one side or the other. Early on the following morning the land is again covered by the waves of the sea, which raises the ships and causes them to float; then the sailors take up their poles and sail on again. This proceeding never varies, but this interchange of the elements takes place every day.

V. After Tripolis and the Syrtis, let us proceed to the rest of Libya. We must begin with Carthage, which is the largest and most important of the cities in this country, prefacing our description by observing that when Genseric and the Vandals possessed Africa, there occurred to them a destructive idea worthy of barbarians; for they imagined that they would be better off if all the towns in this country had no walls, so that the Romans might not occupy any of them to their disadvantage. They accordingly at once pulled down all the walls to their very foundation; for all barbarians, as a rule, most quickly devise and most promptly execute any plans which they form for the injury of the Romans. The walls of Carthage and some few other places alone were left, which they did not care to keep in repair, but allowed to be ruined by age. However, the Emperor Justinian, against the advice of all men, who shrank in terror from the enterprise, and only led on and assisted by God, sent Belisarius with an army to Libya, took Gelimer, and destroyed the power of the Vandals, killing many of them and making the rest prisoners of war, as I have recounted in my ‘History of the Wars.’ He rebuilt all the ruined fortifications in Libya, and himself built many new ones.

First of all, he gave his attention to Carthage,[125] which now, as is right, is named Justiniana. He rebuilt the whole of its ruined walls, and dug a trench encircling it, which did not previously exist; he also built churches, one dedicated to the Virgin, which is in the palace, and one outside the palace dedicated to St. Prima, one of the local saints. He built porticos on both sides of what is called the Maritime market-place, and a noble public bath, which he named the Baths of Theodora, after the name of the Empress. He also built a monastery on the sea-shore within the walls, close to the harbour, named Mandracium, which he enclosed with a strong wall and formed into an impregnable fort.

These were the works of Justinian at New Carthage. In the country near it, which is called the Proconsulate, there was an unwalled city named Baga,[126] which was liable to be taken by barbarians, not only if they marched especially to attack it, but even if they passed near it. This place the Emperor Justinian enclosed with a strong wall, thus raising it to the rank of a city, and one, too, which was capable of affording security to its citizens, who, having met with such favour, named the city Theodorias, in honour of the Empress. He also built a fort in this country, named Tucca.