The Emperor Justinian was one of greatest rulers of the Byzantine Empire. He is also one of the most well-known and most students who were exposed to history while in grade school as well as in college. I think that it is important to educate students on how best to approach Emperor Justinian from multiple angles. This post isn’t meant to replace critical thinking skills but to provide a guideline for students seeking a way to write an essay on multiple topics relating to Emperor Justinian.
This is an outline for an essay that one can modify according to the specific instructions of their teachers.
The Nike Riots are some of the most important events in the history of the Byzantine Empire.
Here is an outline of such an essay which can be changed according to your needs and requirements.
Byzantine History Essay: How important were the Nike Riots to the Reign of Justinian?
The Nike Riots are often the first thing that people know about Justinian. Generally, one finds out about his wife Theodora giving him the strength to remain in Constantinople while the riots were going on. These riots were an important event which allowed for Justinian to reshape the empire into his own image.
1. The True Power of the Emperor
With the riots ending in a bloody purge by Justinian and his generals Mundas and Narses, the Byzantine Empire would truly start to showcase the real gulf in power between the Byzantine Senate and the Byzantine Emperor. Unlike in the Roman Republic or early Early Roman Empire, the senate was basically a rubber stamp parliament when the emperors were on the throne, only ocassionally having influence during a succesion to a new ruler in the empire.
2. The influence of Empress Theodora
When writing an essay about Justinian’s response to the riots, one has to understand the influence that Theodora had on the Emperor and his thoughts on how to respond to them. Consider the position of Roman women and Roman historians used to put them in context of their husbands who were ruling. Compare this to Procopius and other contemporary writers who are now living in a Christian culture where Paganism is largely in the shadows rather in the open.
3. Procopius and the influence of historians on History
Procopius, our best primary source for the Byzantine Empire under Justinian is a clear example of bias in historical writings. When composing an essay on the Nike Riots, it is important to take into account how his writings attempt to criticize the Emperor and Empress in his Secret History. Such perspectives have colored entire centuries of Byzantine History, even going up to the Macedonian Era.
How to start an essay on the Nike Riots
The Byzantine Empire was the cusp of a great age of expansion, but the Emperor Justinian was about to face his crisis which would pit a Thracian peasant against the Constantinopolitan establishment.
The essay should be divided into these parts.
Introduction: Setting the scene for the Byzantine Empire in 532 AD and Justinian butting heads with his wealthier rivals.
1st Body Paragraph: Talk about the nature of the power of Emperor and how Justinian’s ability to crush the rebellion in Constantinople was able to solidify his power on the throne and be able to resist the power of the aristocracy who were trying to overthrow him. With his Victory, Justinian manages to build his empire through a more autocratic empire.
2nd Body Paragraph: Give a contrast to Empress Theodora’s leadership qualities and how the society at large saw her influence on Justinian. Explain how her influence was pivotal in allowing Justinian to find his footing as an autocratic ruler.
3rd Body Paragraph: Talk about Procopius and how he frames Justinian’s response to the riots. Discuss how the historical record of the 6th Century, especially is beholden to the writings of Procopius. Explain how that may color our views of how Justinian managed to overcome this crisis.
Conclusion: Combine these points together in order to explain the importance of the Nike riots on the reign of Justinian and how it affected the empire.
Byzantine-Empire.com 