Origins & Early Life

Procopius of Caesarea (; Ancient Greek: Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς Prokópios ho Kaisareús; Latin: Procopius Caesariensis; c. 500 – 565) was a prominent Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea in Palestine. Accompanying the Byzantine general Belisarius in Emperor Justinian's wars, Procopius became the principal historian of the 6th century, writing the History of the Wars, On Buildings, and the Secret History. Apart from his own writings, the main source for Procopius's life is an entry in the Suda, a Byzantine encyclopaedia written sometime after 975 which (based on older sources) discusses his early life.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He was a native of Caesarea in Palestine. He would have received a conventional upper-class education in the Greek classics and rhetoric, perhaps at the school at Gaza. He may have attended law school, possibly at Berytus (present-day Beirut) or Constantinople (now Istanbul), and became a lawyer (rhetor). He evidently knew Latin, as was natural for a man with legal training. In 527, the first year of the reign of the emperor Justinian I, Procopius became the legal adviser (adsessor) for Belisarius, a general whom Justinian made his chief...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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