The Secret History

by Procopius Narrated by David Timson

Overview

Procopius appeared to be a loyal part of the Byzantine establishment, his official writing glorifying the deeds of the Emperor Justinian (d. AD 565). However, he also produced a work that he knew could never be published within the Emperor's lifetime: The Secret History, a vitriolic indictment of the rule of Justinian and his wife Theodora.
In The Secret History, the general Belisarius is presented as an idiot who is manipulated by his conniving wife Antonina, while the Emperor is depicted as a demon king, a dishonest and autocratic destroyer of established institutions. The Empress Theodora doesn't escape Procopius' invective - she is portrayed as the antithesis of the traditional Roman matron: depraved, brutal and bloodthirsty.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

". . . a first-rate job. . . the translation is not only lucid, but wholly engaging and compelling." 
—Dudley Fitts


". . . ranks as one of the supreme hatchet jobs of all time. . ." 
—Newsweek


"The outstanding example of vituperative literature that has come to us from all antiquity." 
—Arthur E. R. Boak

Product Details

BN ID:	2940160015002
Publisher:	Naxos Audiobooks
Publication date:	05/25/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

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