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Procopius of Caesarea, c. 500?-c. 560?, the last major Classical Roman Historian (not "Byzantine" in the narrow sense) .Our major source on the reign of Justinian (apart from his laws of course).

Historical fanart by @sekihamsterdiestwice

Circa 540-550, Procopius was furiously scribbling something, the only thing he could do after retiring from his position as "legal counselor". In his hand is an ancient Greek comic mask for his favorite author, Aristophanes. He was extremely fond of quoting his Cloud, especially in the Secret History.

Photios, the 9th-century Patriarch of Constantinople, believed that Procopius was actually a greater author of (Greek) history than Thucydides, or in his words, the most brilliant "rhetor" in the field of historical writing. He was unaware of the existence of Secret History. The appearance (in the 17th century) and utterly confirmation (in the late 19th-early 20th centuries) of Secret History would revolutionize the perception of Byzantine and Roman history.

Procopius' perception of himself as a rhetor and a jurist is also unified. In fact he considered rhetoric to be a necessary condition of jurisprudence. And historical writing, likewise, is a necessary extension of rhetoric. This also explains why he took up historical writing after his “compulsory retirement” from his post as "legal adviser" to Belisarius, the two "disciplines" being completely separate in modern scholarship. But at that time they were united by "rhetoric".

In any case, Procopius's rhetorical achievements make the reign of Justinian and the Mediterranean world of the early 6th century one of the most richly depicted periods of Roman history. But such a detailed picture is highly problematic. For Procopius presents three very different works: one seemingly objective and even somewhat propagandistic Wars, one very erotic and violent Secret History that is entirely abusive of the emperor and his regime, and one Buildings that glorifies the emperor, who had previously been criticized to the point of inhumanity.

Behind Wars, Secret History, and Buildings are there three Procopiuses, or is it the metamorphosis of one Procopius? If the former, why does he present himself as three very different persons? If the latter, how does this one man reveal his true self under three very different faces? This is in fact the central topic of the study of Procopius. And one simply cannot begin to study the period in which he was writing without first realizing this question. And this question is the mystery that Procopius' masterful rhetoric has left for future generations.

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Dedication to the Princeps

fanart by @sekihamsterdiestwice

One afternoon in northern Italy around 500 A.D., the young senator Cassiodorus was sent by the Senate of Rome to the court of the Gothic king Theodoric the Great, who then ruled the whole Italy as Princeps. Performing an oration before a monarch is the best way for those young senators who aspire climb up along the cursus honorum with literary talent. In this, Cassiodorus followed what his predecessor Quintus Aurelius Symmachus had done for Emperor Valentinian I.

However, he belonged to the last generation of ancient senators who gained such reputation and prestige through Roman&secular service.

So, cherish this cozy and tranquil afternoon.

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Coursework

Acrylic on wood

26 × 24 cm

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Really doubt how many are actually able to see this page these days so I’m only posting a preview today

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Theodoric the Great，King of Ostrogoths ，Princeps Romanus and Western Roman Emperor de facto，by @sekihamsterdiestwice

as young boy in Pannonia，hostage of Constantinople，and consul et magister militum in borderland of Byzantine Empire

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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The Iron King by @sekihamsterdiestwice

A fan art of young Philip IV“the fair”，want to show his solitude，piety and grimness

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Merry Christmas

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No works these days but two of my recent purchases to mark the third year of all these… all of them dated to late medieval period

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Can’t believe I have wasted 15 hrs on this and it still looks pathetic. Decide to end this now. The only wise thing I did is making it half length so that the face is not emphasized in the whole composition. To save my dignity, do not zoom in...will NEVER do detailed pieces again.

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Posted with commissioner’s permission

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Revisited

(Apparently running out of thoughts as school day is coming back)

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This looks stupid but I am still posting it.

To avoid the embarrassment caused by citing serious biblical text, the Latin inscription is translated from a classic Chinese flattery, thanks to @riviereenete​ 

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Well since not many people are happy with the sad dance here I present the happy dance…