[869] He mentions (Anecd., 18, 23, 24), that he is writing thirty-two years after Justinian came into power, meaning 518, the date of the accession of the superannuated Justin; see p. 304. The credit of pointing out the very obvious fact that Procopius ignores Justin as a cypher, is due to Haury, Procopiana, Augsburg, 1891.
[870] Jn. Malala, loc. cit. The name was not uncommon, so that the identification is only highly probable.
[871] De Bel. Pers., i, 1.
[872] See his own remarks, i, introd., iii, 1.
[873] For an expanded account and appreciation of Byzantine writers, see Krumbacher's Gesch. d. Byz. Lit., 2nd ed., Munich, 1896; also the introduction to Diehl's Justinian, and his Études Byzant., 1904. Useful summaries and jottings on various points are also to be found in the appendixes to Bury's Gibbon, especially vol. iv.
[874] See his tracts for educational purposes, some of which are referred to on p. 212.
[875] See Agincourt's pictorial series, which exemplifies the perfection of Greek and Roman art, traces its decay, and finally illustrates its rehabilitation in the fifteenth century. In Diehl's Justinian there are many excellent photographs of sixth century productions.
[876] The mosaics of Ravenna can be examined in the South Kensington facsimiles, and their crudity recognized by comparing them with modern work of the same kind executed on the walls of the museum. One of the faces in these tableaux, that of Maximian, Bishop of Ravenna, who stands besides Justinian, gives the impression of being a faithful likeness; which is probable, since the work was executed under his own supervision (c. 545). This was a man of some force of character, who gained considerable repute in his day. Of him an amusing story is told: it is said that he discovered a great treasure, which it was his duty to hand over to the Emperor, but, as he wished to retain a portion for his charitable obligations, he hit on the following expedient. Having killed an ox, he emptied the abdomen and stowed a quantity of the gold inside. He then took a pair of boots and filled them with a further amount. With the rest of the treasure he set out for Constantinople and, on his arrival, presented it to Justinian. The Autocrator immediately inquired, "Is this the whole of what you discovered?" "All," said Maximian, "except what I put in the belly and the boots." By this answer he is supposed to have hoodwinked the Emperor, who imagined him to allude merely to his sustenance and travelling expenses while on the road; Agnellus, Lib. Pontif., in Vita.
[877] There is one very pleasing example, the well-known diptych of the archangel Michael in the British Museum, but it seems of unique merit.
[878] A century or so before Justinian, however, very fine capitals of a Corinthian type were being sculptured at Thessalonica; see the pictorial exposition of the churches in that city by Texier and Pullan. Some of those done in the sixth century are represented, and seem to be very inferior, as are those at St. Vitale.