arthurbdd's review against another edition
4.0
Entertainingly salacious slice of Byzantine gossip. Full review: https://refereeingandreflection.wordpress.com/2023/11/13/the-world-is-your-setting-guide-6/
christian_mcguire's review against another edition
4.0
Procopius was an Eastern Roman lawyer and historian, who worked as the law clerk of Belisarius, and later as a court historian (and possibly also Urban Prefect) of the famous emperor Justinian. As a writer of events who was around powerful and consequential people, and frankly as a master of prose, he is considered one of the greatest and most invaluable Greco-Roman historians on the same level as Herodotus, Thucydides and Tacitus. His histories of Justinian's wars, and of his building projects are cornerstones of our understanding of Justinian's life and times. However, Procopius's most famous and most enjoyable work is not his official cornicles, but his scandalous and posthumous tell-all book: The Anekdota, also known as The Secret History. This book is both fantastically written, entertaining and spicy, and genuinely analytic and constructive.
The reason this book is just plain enjoyable is Procopius's firey prose. He is creative in his insults and descriptions, memorable in his idioms, and energetic and passionate. He reads like a man too angry to die, with fast pacing, great insults, and jagged and angular prose resembling Sallust. Yet his prose is colorful and pleasant to read. This is some of the best writing I've encountered from a pre-renaissance writer. The prose isn't the only thing that makes this book worth reading, but I don't think I would be fond of it if Procopius wrote like Bede.
Where this book proves itself important is the history it presents, and Procopius's analysis and asides. There are numerous interesting events that can't be found in other sources. My favorite of these escapades is early on when Belisarius gets cucked by his own son, which results in truly epic family drama, including a wild goose chase around the eastern Mediterranean. Theodora kidnapping people and hiding them in her secret basement is also funny, as is the whale that hangs out in the Bosporus harassing ships. There are numerous tales in here that are stereotypically Byzantine, and it is fun and fascinating to read about. However, it is in the third of the book's three sections where Procopius goes from talking about debauchery to talking about Justinian's economic mismanagement. This is where Procopius reveals himself as a fiscal conservative, but also as someone who values institutions working properly. He is deeply critical of Justinian's absolutely based policy of funding public works by seizing rich people's wealth, but he is also critical of Justinian failing to provide proper oversight to corrupt bureaucrats, as well as needlessly changing many procedures that didn't need abolition or revision, which each time resulted in declines in economic efficiency or increases in general poverty.
The downside is that Procopius's criticisms can get tiring or unfair. He at times is a little too repetitive, and he can also be hard to sympathize with when the things he criticizes aren't actually bad, such as Theodora allegedly being a sex worker (although the details he provides on sixth century sex work is deeply fascinating). Although this book is mostly great, there are moments where I wanted to say to him "okay boomer" or "get on with it". Also, this book splits 124 pages into three chapters, with no line breaks at all, just indentations. This means there are walls of text that last for dozens of pages, which makes the book less digestible. That is not a deal breaker however. Lastly, the translation is absolutely superb, and the footnotes are worthy of gratitude, not only because footnotes are better than endnotes, but also because this book has excellent footnotes.
Overall, Procopius's book-length rant on the misdoings of Justinian is a good read for sure. It provides fascinating and deep details on Roman history and daily life, from geese fetishes and femdom to tax collection and literal whales. It is frustrating on occasion but otherwise is absolutely essential for any reader of classical and medieval texts.
The reason this book is just plain enjoyable is Procopius's firey prose. He is creative in his insults and descriptions, memorable in his idioms, and energetic and passionate. He reads like a man too angry to die, with fast pacing, great insults, and jagged and angular prose resembling Sallust. Yet his prose is colorful and pleasant to read. This is some of the best writing I've encountered from a pre-renaissance writer. The prose isn't the only thing that makes this book worth reading, but I don't think I would be fond of it if Procopius wrote like Bede.
Where this book proves itself important is the history it presents, and Procopius's analysis and asides. There are numerous interesting events that can't be found in other sources. My favorite of these escapades is early on when Belisarius gets cucked by his own son, which results in truly epic family drama, including a wild goose chase around the eastern Mediterranean. Theodora kidnapping people and hiding them in her secret basement is also funny, as is the whale that hangs out in the Bosporus harassing ships. There are numerous tales in here that are stereotypically Byzantine, and it is fun and fascinating to read about. However, it is in the third of the book's three sections where Procopius goes from talking about debauchery to talking about Justinian's economic mismanagement. This is where Procopius reveals himself as a fiscal conservative, but also as someone who values institutions working properly. He is deeply critical of Justinian's absolutely based policy of funding public works by seizing rich people's wealth, but he is also critical of Justinian failing to provide proper oversight to corrupt bureaucrats, as well as needlessly changing many procedures that didn't need abolition or revision, which each time resulted in declines in economic efficiency or increases in general poverty.
The downside is that Procopius's criticisms can get tiring or unfair. He at times is a little too repetitive, and he can also be hard to sympathize with when the things he criticizes aren't actually bad, such as Theodora allegedly being a sex worker (although the details he provides on sixth century sex work is deeply fascinating). Although this book is mostly great, there are moments where I wanted to say to him "okay boomer" or "get on with it". Also, this book splits 124 pages into three chapters, with no line breaks at all, just indentations. This means there are walls of text that last for dozens of pages, which makes the book less digestible. That is not a deal breaker however. Lastly, the translation is absolutely superb, and the footnotes are worthy of gratitude, not only because footnotes are better than endnotes, but also because this book has excellent footnotes.
Overall, Procopius's book-length rant on the misdoings of Justinian is a good read for sure. It provides fascinating and deep details on Roman history and daily life, from geese fetishes and femdom to tax collection and literal whales. It is frustrating on occasion but otherwise is absolutely essential for any reader of classical and medieval texts.
c2pizza's review against another edition
4.0
I've no idea how much of this history is true, and how much of it is polemic, but it is quite a guilty pleasure seeing some of the most revered historical figures, Justinian and Theodora, brought down to size and dragged through the mud. Some of the charges are so perfectly scandalous to a 6th century mindset, particularly those relating to Theodora's early life, that I'm certain a great amount of the narrative is nothing more than inflammatory bluster. It's hard to tell how much. Certainly the empire would have fallen had it all been true... but then again the Persians and Saracens (Arabs, if you prefer modern language) overwhelmed Rome within a century. Perhaps Justinian helped get that ball rolling. Who knows? (Besides historians)
One thing I find apparent though. One, if not both, versions of Justinian's reign are propaganda. It's scary - in the eye-opening way - how easily a person's public image can be entirely a well-crafted illusion.
One thing I find apparent though. One, if not both, versions of Justinian's reign are propaganda. It's scary - in the eye-opening way - how easily a person's public image can be entirely a well-crafted illusion.
rosekk's review against another edition
3.0
The savage account of Emperor Justinian and his court is an entertaining read, but a lot if the tales are hard to believe (especially contrasted with more sober accounts of the Emperor).
Procopius (and his translator) have a great capacity for writing insults. The snide tone alone was worth a read. More seriously, it was interesting to see how plausible accounts of poor leadership blended with the most vicious stories of the rumour mill. In a way it's comforting to know that genuine criticism could easily turn into character assassination, even in the 500s, so it's not a phenomenon unique to the internet age.
The book did start to get repetitive (despite the authors assurance that some tales had been left out to avoid creating a long volume), especially at the end when it felt as though spite towards the Emperor and his associates had long outstripped any interest in recording actual events. Similarly, while I didn't mind the way some of the stories strained at credulity to begin with, by the end it was tiring because the ridiculousness of the narrative undermined it.
As an account of Emperor Justinian's reign I'd take everything in the book with a massive pinch of salt. As a study in how personal and political dislike can warp a view point, it's highly informative.
Procopius (and his translator) have a great capacity for writing insults. The snide tone alone was worth a read. More seriously, it was interesting to see how plausible accounts of poor leadership blended with the most vicious stories of the rumour mill. In a way it's comforting to know that genuine criticism could easily turn into character assassination, even in the 500s, so it's not a phenomenon unique to the internet age.
The book did start to get repetitive (despite the authors assurance that some tales had been left out to avoid creating a long volume), especially at the end when it felt as though spite towards the Emperor and his associates had long outstripped any interest in recording actual events. Similarly, while I didn't mind the way some of the stories strained at credulity to begin with, by the end it was tiring because the ridiculousness of the narrative undermined it.
As an account of Emperor Justinian's reign I'd take everything in the book with a massive pinch of salt. As a study in how personal and political dislike can warp a view point, it's highly informative.
plaidpladd's review against another edition
2.0
I think the translator could have done a better job. Why were the currencies translated into "modern" (1960s) English pounds? This means just as little to me as whatever the original units were. Also some truly yikes-worthy passages about women in the Introduction.
amber_nana's review against another edition
5.0
It’s interesting from a historiography and ideology perspective, but G.A.Williams I am so ready to throw hands.
selisabethc's review against another edition
funny
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Very entertaining - Procopius is scathing and doesn’t hold back his real thoughts on Justinian and Theodora.
siria's review against another edition
3.0
This is an odd, odd little book. It's probably the strangest ancient work of history you will ever come across. In fact, if it weren't for the fact that Procopius is otherwise a respected author of sixth century Byzantine history, one would be inclined to dismiss this work as the work of someone who was more than a little biased, sex-crazed, and, well, insane.
As it is, it contrasts strangely with Procopius' other works, which are neutral-to-favourable on the subject of Justinian and Theodora, the rulers of the empire at the time he was writing. In The Secret History, however, Theodora is represented as a sex-crazed, infant-killing harlot, and Justinian, we are told, is quite literally the devil. No-one knows quite why this happened - was Procopius writing the real and unvarnished truth, in the hopes that his work would come down to posterity after his death? Is it a grudge-piece? Is it even written by Procopius?
Much of the work cannot be taken at face value; much of the rest of it has to be skimmed in distaste (I really don't want to read about Theodora servicing fifty men in one night, thank you so much). However, if that is taken into account, it is still a fascinating read for someone examining some of the political attitudes and social mores which permeated Byzantium at the time - even if one does not believe the accusations laid at the door of the imperial couple, the question of why these particular accusations were made against them is an interesting one to ask. Worthwhile reading if you have any interest in the late Roman empire or Byzantium.
As it is, it contrasts strangely with Procopius' other works, which are neutral-to-favourable on the subject of Justinian and Theodora, the rulers of the empire at the time he was writing. In The Secret History, however, Theodora is represented as a sex-crazed, infant-killing harlot, and Justinian, we are told, is quite literally the devil. No-one knows quite why this happened - was Procopius writing the real and unvarnished truth, in the hopes that his work would come down to posterity after his death? Is it a grudge-piece? Is it even written by Procopius?
Much of the work cannot be taken at face value; much of the rest of it has to be skimmed in distaste (I really don't want to read about Theodora servicing fifty men in one night, thank you so much). However, if that is taken into account, it is still a fascinating read for someone examining some of the political attitudes and social mores which permeated Byzantium at the time - even if one does not believe the accusations laid at the door of the imperial couple, the question of why these particular accusations were made against them is an interesting one to ask. Worthwhile reading if you have any interest in the late Roman empire or Byzantium.
mdumont's review against another edition
4.0
I LOVED this book. I've always loved medieval books that talk about scandal. Or rather, books the emperor would kill you for writing :). Procopius definitely disliked Justinian and Theodora. It gives me no end of amusement to read his real thoughts about them (and the general and his wife). This book is just so much fun.