Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus, known as Justinian the Great, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) emperor, 483 -565

Justinian came to power in 527, and his reign is seen as an attempt to revive the grandeur of the Roman Empire. His main ambition was to restore the empire back to its previous wealth and boundaries, and although he couldn’t accomplish it fully, still he managed to recover some of the territories belonging to the Western Roman Empire, including Rome. He introduced a building programme to the empire, especially to the capital Constantinopolis.

In 532, a very important event shook the empire: the Nika Riot. Chariot races in the Hippodrome that had started as a sports activity, within the course of time turned to be a social event, a political activity. Competing teams were supported by different associations which acted like political parties. At the time of Justinian, Blues and Greens were the two major parties, and Justinian himself was a supporter of the Blues. On January 13, 532, Blues and Greens came together, joned forces and revolted agaist the empire and Justinian. For almost a week, the city of Constantinopolis was burnt, looted, and violently destroyed. Justinian was also famous for his marriage to Theodora, a former circus actress. According to the accounts of historians, he was ready to leave the throne and escape to save his life because of the riot, but it was Theodora who convinced him to stay and suppress the riot. She is said to have dissuaded him, saying "Those who have worn the crown should never survive its loss. Never will I see the day when I am not saluted as empress." Finally commander Belisarius ended the upheaval at the cost of thirty thousand lives and Justinian went on ruling the empire.

Justinian’s importance in Byzantine history lies in spreading Byzantine culture and art, and making judicial reforms and revising Roman law. Although Procopius, a Byzantine historian writes badly about him saying that he was “cruel, venal and incompetent”, still Justinian is regarded as one of the most significant and successful rulers of the Byzantine Empire.