The Artios Home Companion Series Unit 3: Justinian the Great

Teacher Overvie w

JUSTINIAN the Great was an emperor who wanted to reunite the old Roman Empire; however, he never realized that dream. Among his accomplishments, though, were a number of great educational and legal reforms. He is known for creating the Justinian Code, which took all the Roman laws and simplified and clarified them. This unit will look at the life, reforms, accomplishments, and failures of this Eastern emperor.

Reading and Assignments Based on your student’s age and ability, the reading in this unit may be read aloud to the student and journaling and notebook pages may be completed orally. Likewise, other assignments can be done with an appropriate combination of independent and guided study.

In this unit, students will:  Complete one lesson in which they will learn about Justinian the Great.  Visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Leading Ideas An individual’s character will be reflected in his leadership. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

— Proverbs 23:7 (KJV) The Barberini Ivory, which is thought to portray either

Justinian or Anastasius I There is power in the spoken word to do evil or to do good. Key People, Places, and Out of the abundance of the heart the Events mouth speaks. — Matthew 12:34 Justinus Justinian the Great The rise and fall of nations and Belisarius leaders is determined by God.

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. – Proverbs 21:1 Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 36 L e s s o n O n e

History Overview and Assignments The Rise and Reign of Justinian the Great

JUSTINIAN the Great was an emperor who dreamed of reuniting the old Roman Empire. But he never had the chance. He instituted significant educational and legal reforms and created a code of law called the Justinian Code, which took all the old Roman laws and clarified them. In today’s reading, you will look at the life, reforms, accomplishments, and failures of Justinian the Great.

Detail of a contemporary portrait mosaic in the Basilica An older Justinian; mosaic in Basilica of of San Vitale, Ravenna, of Emperor Justinian. Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna (By Petar Milošević - Basilica of Saint Vitalis, CC BY-SA 4.0, (By Testus - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40035957) https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4728857)

Reading and Assignments  Read the article: Justinian the Great.  After reading the article, summarize the story you read by either: ▪ Retelling it out loud to your teacher or parent. OR ▪ Completing an appropriate notebook page. Either way, be sure to include the answers to the discussion questions and an overview of key people, places, dates, and events in your summary.  Be sure to visit www.ArtiosHCS.com for additional resources.

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 37 Key People, Places, and Discussion Questions Events 1. How did Justinian the Great rise to Justinus power? Justinian the Great 2. What did Justinian the Great Belisarius accomplish during his reign?

Adapted for Elementary School from the book: Famous Men of the Middle Ages by John Henry Haaren Justinian the Great

While Clovis I was in power in the grew up tall. He had black curly hair and Western Roman Empire, the Goths lived in was handsome. The people in the Emperor’s what is now Bulgaria. A poor shepherd boy court liked and respected him. lived there. At sixteen years of age, he was But one day things changed. The very bright. One morning he left his home Emperor died, and the people chose Justin and set out for the city of Constantinople. to be the new emperor. His new title was The city was many miles away. He had to Justinus I. Now the poor shepherd boy was walk the whole way, but he was excited to the nephew of the Emperor!

see what the future held. This boy had an uncle named Justin. Many years earlier Justin had also gone to Constantinople and joined the Roman army. He was a very good soldier and was soon an important soldier. He became the leader of the army that took care of the Emperor. The boy had heard his uncle’s story and Tremissis of Emperor Justin I (Tremissis was a currency of the Late Ancient Rome.) decided to go to Constantinople too. It took him many weeks to get to the city. He The boy took a new name too. He was walked through dark forests, climbed tall called Justinian. His uncle had been hills, and crossed rivers. He finally made it emperor for a few years and was getting old. to the city. He asked Justinian to help him rule the He easily found his uncle Justin because empire. They were now joint emperors. everyone in the city knew who Justin was. In the year 527 A.D., Justin died and His uncle was kind to him. He welcomed the Justinian became emperor. He ruled for boy into his family and helped him get the almost forty years and did many important best education. things. He was called Justinian the Great. The boy was a very good student. He There were many wars while he ruled,

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 38 but he was not a soldier and did not fight in wanted to fight against the two Roman the wars. He had two generals to lead his generals. armies. One was named Belisarius. The Vitiges attacked Rome. He thought they other was Narses. These men were excellent would surrender. But Belisarius got his men generals. ready, and they fought back. They defeated Belisarius was an amazing soldier. He Vitiges, and he fled to Ravenna. Belisarius won many battles for Justinian and followed him and attacked the city. The recaptured many Roman lands. Goths surrendered, and the Goth king was The Vandals lived in the north part of taken to Constantinople as a prisoner. Africa, where they had built a kingdom. Belisarius and Narses marched on to Carthage was its capital, and the King was Northern Italy, where they fought a long named Gelimer. war. They defeated all of the tribes there. Justinian decided to start a war with Justinian’s power was made known Gelimer to get the land back. Belisarius was throughout the whole country, and Rome sent to Africa. He had a large army of thirty- was again ruled by a Roman emperor. five thousand men. He had five thousand Justinian’s generals won wars, while horses and six hundred ships. It took three Justinian made things better at home. He months to get to Carthage. built great buildings. One was the cathedral Belisarius arrived. He and his men were of St. Sophia, the grandest church in the treated well by the people because they were world. It still exists. Now it is a museum. tired of being ruled by the Vandals. They Justinian also improved the laws. This wanted to be under Roman rule instead. was his most important act, and he became Soon Belisarius met a Vandal army, led famous for his lawmaking. The Roman laws by Gelimer’s brother. The armies fought. were confusing. Justinian made many good The Vandals lost, and Gelimer’s brother was new laws, and he reformed old laws. He killed. Gelimer was beaten, and he ran hired a lawyer named Tribonian, who away. The Romans took Carthage. helped to make many important laws Soon Gelimer formed another army and simpler. The laws were called the Code of fought the Romans again. Belisarius Justinian. It still exists. Most of today’s defeated him once more. Gelimer gave in to countries in Europe use it to make their Belisarius and was taken to Constantinople. laws. Justinian gave him some land, and Gelimer Justinian also started many trades in lived there in peace for the rest of his life. Constantinople. He was the first to bring Justinian had conquered the Vandals. silkworms to Europe. Now he wanted to conquer Italy, but the Justinian was strong and active. He Ostrogoths ruled Italy. Belisarius and stayed that way until the end of his life. He Narses took an army, marched into Rome, was a hard worker. He often studied or and took the city. In a few months the Goth worked all day and night. He died in 565, king, Vitiges, arrived. He had an army and when he was eighty-three years old.

Medieval to Renaissance: Elementary Unit 3: Justinian the Great Page 39