Observations On The Status Of The Senatorial Aristocracy In The Age Of Justinian Through Secret History

As a serious historical book, Procopius'Secret history embodies the stand of conventional senator on procopius, the writer of this book.The paper talk about the true historical status of byzantine senator during 4-6 centuries by analysing Secret history and the thought of Procopious.The first part talk about the economic status of byzantine senator in the time of Justiaian. The senator owned large estates, their power mighty enough even threatened the power of emperor. This kind of development about senator resoulted from their positive action on economy and national privatization on land during 4-6 centuries.This kind of old landlord must be suppressed by autocratic emperors.The second part talk about the political status of byzantine senator in the time of Justiaian. Senator's dignity and the political power were attacked brutally by emperor. At last, they became the role of setoff. The reason lied in the excessive power of old landlord and the autocratic ideal of emperors.The third part talk about the belief status of byzantine senator in the time of Justiaian.The classical culture were taken place by the overwhelming power of Christianity.Eventually, those conservative senators lost their privilege in economy and politics, even if they still owned lots of big estates. Classical culture and civilisation only developed in the senators also faded. It was the standpoint of the senator elite that made Procopius dislike Justinian and showed sympathy on senators put down cruelly by Justinian.