Procopius
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Procopium Proper-name noun: masculine accusative singular of Procopius
(Προκόπιος), Roman emperor in the East, through rebellion, from A. D. 363 to 366. According to all probability, he was a relation of the emperor Julian through Basilina, the mother of that emperor, and the second wife of Constantius Consul, who was the youngest son of Constantius Chlorus. [See the genealogical table Vol. I. p. 832.] Procopius was a native of Cilicia, where he was born about A. D. 365. Constantius II. made him his secretary, and employed him in the field as tribune. The emperor Julian created him comes, and appointed him commander in Mesopotamia, when he set out against Persia in A. D. 363. It was then said that Julian had advised him to assume the purple, or manifested a wish that he should be his successor in case he should lose his life in the projected expedition, and this saying afterwards found many believers, to the great advantage of Procopius. However, it was Jovian who succeeded Julian, in 363, and by him Procopius was charged with conducting the body of the fallen hero to Tarsus. Aware that Jovian entertained suspicions against him, or, perhaps, in order to carry out schemes which, at that period, nobody expected, Procopius went to Caesareia in Cappadocia, instead of returning to the imperial quarters. This step was sufficient to rouse the suspicions of Jovian, whatever might have been his previous disposition, and some troops were despatched to seize the fugitive, who, however, deceived his pursuers, and escaped with his family to Tauris. Afraid of being betrayed by the barbarians, he soon left that country and returned to Asia Minor; a dangerous step, which, however, throws some light on his secret plans. During some time he wandered from place to place, and his return having been discovered by Valentinian and Valens, the successors of Jovian (364), he hid himself in the mountains, till at last he found refuge at the house of the senator Strategius, who lived near Chalcedon. Strategius became a confidant of the ambitious schemes of Procopius, who found further adherents among the numerous adversaries of Valens in Constantinople, whither the fugitive general often proceeded on secret visits. The eunuch Eugenius became one of the principal promoters of the plans of Procopius, which were now manifestly those of deposing Valens, and making himself master of the East. The plot broke out in 365, and owing to his numerous partisans and his own artifices, the people of Constantinople proclaimed him emperor on the 28th of September of that year. The emperor Valens was at that period staying at Caesareia in Cappadocia, but was soon informed of the rebellion, and prepared for effective resistance. Meanwhile, Procopius set out for Asia Minor with a well-disciplined army, advanced as far as the Sangarius, and, through a bold stratagem, caused an imperial body, which defended the passage of that river, to desert their master, and join his own army. However, Valens advanced in his turn, and laid siege to Chalcedon, but was defeated under its walls, and obliged to retreat into Phrygia; Marcellus, a general of Procopius, took the important town of Cyzicus, and Procopius became master of Bithynia; a series of successes which turned his mind, made him haughty, and caused him more adversaries than adherents. The war was renewed with vigour in the spring of the following year 366, but to the great disadvantage of Procopius, whose army, commanded by the fugitive Persian prince, Hormisdas, was totally defeated by the celebrated general Arbetion. Soon afterwards, on the 27th of May, 366, another battle was fought at Nacolia, in Phrygia, the two rivals commanding their armies in person, and it ended in the rout of the rebels. Procopius fled, accompanied by a few attendants, with whom he wandered some days in the mountains, when they treacherously seized him, and delivered him into the hands of Valens, by whose order he was immediately put to death. Socrates says that Procopius suffered death by being tied to two trees forcibly bent together, which, on snapping asunder, tore the body of the unfortunate man to pieces. The cruel conduct of Valens against the partisans of Procopius belongs to the history of the former. There are gold and silver coins of Procopius extant, the former being extremely rare, according to Eckhel. (Amm. Marc. 26.6; Zosim. lib. iv.; Themist. Orat. 7; Socrat. 4.3, &c. ; Philostorg. 9.5; Eckhel, vol. viii. pp. 156, 157.)
[W.P]
(Προκόπιος), one of the most eminent Byzantine historians, was a native of Caesareia in Palestine, where he was born, at the beginning of the sixth century of the Christian era. He went to Constantinople when still a young man, and there obtained so much distinction as an advocate and a professor of eloquence, that he attracted the attention of Belisarius, who appointed him, in A. D. 527, his ὑπογραφεύς, or secretary. In this quality Procopius accompanied the great hero on his different wars in Asia, Africa, and Italy, being frequently employed in state business of importance, or in conducting military expeditions. In the Gothic war we find him entrusted with the commissariat department, and at the head of the Byzantine navy, a post of vital importance for the success of the campaign. Procopius returned with Belisarius to Constantinople a little before 542. His eminent talents and corresponding merits were appreciated by the emperor Justinian, who conferred upon him the title of illustris, made him a senator, and in 562 created him prefect of Constantinople. Procopius died a little before, or a little after the death of Justinian, that is, about A. D. 565, at the age of sixty and upwards, probably nearer to seventy. Of this great historian Gibbon says, with much truth, that according to the vicissitudes of courage or servitude, of favour or disgrace, he successively composed the history, the panegyric, and the satire of his own times. It is, however, still doubtful whether Procopius actually was the author of that collection of satire and scandal which is attributed to him, under the title of Historia Arcana or Anecdotes. We shall speak of it after first mentioning two other points of doubt regarding our author, the solution of which has occupied the mind and the pen of eminent scholars. First, it has been questioned whether he was a Christian or a Pagan. Space, however, will not allow us to give even the shortest account of the different opinions that have been, or are still, prevalent on that subject, and we consequently merely mention that, while Eichel and La Mothe de Vayer, both quoted below, declared him to be a Pagan, Gerard Vossius, Fabricius, Harles, and others thought that he was a Christian. Indeed, Procopius frequently speaks of faith, either Christian or Pagan, in a manner inconsistent with his own words, so as fully to justify doubts respecting his creed. Assemanni and Cave take a middle course. The latter thinks that he was neither Christian nor Pagan entirely, but being somewhat of a sceptical turn of mind (or perhaps we ought to say, extremely liberal and excessively tolerant in religious matters) he used to despise the supersitions of the Pagans in his conversations with Christians, and would admit, when in company with Pagans, that there was also truth without the sphere of Christianity. We may add that Justinian, who was a bigoted Christian, whether in orthodoxy or heterodoxy, would probably not have permitted a Pagan to discharge the functions of a senator, or a prefect of Constantinople. The other doubtful point alluded to above is of a very strange description. For, since Procopius has given a most graphic description of the plague which devastated Constantinople in 543, rendering his narrative still more lucid and scientifically descriptive, by entering into medical details concorning the symptoms of the disease, &c., it has been thought by some that he was a professional medical man. He thus figures as a physician in several French medical dictionaries. But this is going too far. Procopius betrays, in all his works, a vast deal of miscellaneous knowledge, and while describing the plague, probably derived some additional information from medical friends, which, however, no more makes him a physician, than his work on the Buildings of Justinian constitutes him a professional architect. Assessment
As an historian Procopius deserves great praise. Many of his contemporaries, as well as writers who lived a short time after him, speak of him with unreserved esteem. His style is good, formed upon classic models, often elegant, and generally plastic and full of vigour. The general impression of his writings is that of a man who has thought much and seen much, from a position at the highest quarters of information. Procopius is the principal historian for the eventful reign of Justinian. Works
Among the works of Procopius the most important is :-- 1. Ἱστορίαι (Historia
Ἱστορίαι, in 8 books; viz., two On the Persian War, containing the period from A. D. 408-553, and treating more fully of the author's own times; two On the War with the Vandals, from A. D. 395-545; four On the Gothic War, or properly speaking, only three books, the fourth (eighth) being a sort of supplement containing various matters, and going down to the beginning of A. D. 553. It was continued by Agathias till 559. The work is extremely interesting; the descriptions of the habits, &c. of the barbarians are faithful and masterly done. Photius gives an analysis of the first two books, and Agathias, the continuator of Procopius, gives an analysis of all the eight books, in the preface to his History. Editions Latin Versions.
The first of these was published under the title De Bello Italico adversus Gothos gesto, lib. iv. Foligno, 1470, fol., Venet. 1471, fol., by Leonardo Aretino, or Leonardo Bruni of Arezzo, who, thinking that he had the only existing MS. of the work, was dihonest enough to style himself the author of it.
Other versions are :--De Bello Pers. et Vandal. ex Versione Raphaelis Volaterran., Rome, 1509, fol.; by Christopherus Persona, Rome, 1506, fol.; cum Praefatione Beati Rhenani, Basel, 1531, fol.; cum Zosimo, ibid. 1576, fol.; cum Jornande et Agathia, Lyon, 1594, 8vo.; sub titulo De Gothorum Origine, Frankfort, 1606, fol.; by Hugo Grotius, in his Historia Gothor. Longobard. et Vandal., Amsterdam, 1655, 8vo.; and others. Greek and Greek and Latin :
A portion of the Bellum Gothicum, Graece et Latine, by Petrus Pithoeus, in his Codex Legum Wisigothorum, Paris, 1579, fol.; the 8 books by David Hoeschel, Graece, together with De Aedificiis, Augsburg, 1676, fol.; Descriptio Ponti Euxini, ex Libr. I. de Bello Gothico, Graece et Latine, by Bonaventura Vulcanius, in his Scriptores Rer. Gothicar., Leyden, 1597, 1617, 8vo. H. Holcroft published an English translation, London, 1653, fol. There are also French, German, and Italian translations. 2. Κτίσματα (De Aedificiis.)
Κτίσματα, Libri VI. de Acdificiis conditis vel restoratis auspicio Justiniani. A work equally interesting and valuable in its kind, though apparently too much seasoned with flattery of the emperor. Gibbon thinks that Procopius was afraid of having offended the pride of Justinian, through too faithful a narrative of glorious events in which the emperor had no personal share, and that he subsequently wrote on the splendid buildings of his master, in order to regain his favour. Editions
The editio princeps, by Joan. Hervagius, Graece, Basel, 1531, fol.; the same, Paris, 1543, and ibid. 1537, 4to., with a Latin translation by Fr. Cranenveld, and notes of Th. Adamaeus; a Latin version by Arnoldus Vesaliensis, together with the eight books of the History and Zosimus, Basel, 1576, fol.; by David Hoeschel, Graece, ad calcem "Historiarum," Augsburg, 1607, fol. 3. Ἀνέκδοτα
Ἀνέκδοτα, Historia Arcana, a collection of anecdotes, some of them witty and pleasant, but others most indecent, and sometimes absurd, reflecting upon Justinian, the empress Theodora, Belisarius, and other eminent persons. It is a complete Chronique Scandaleuse of the court of Constantinople, from A. D. 549 till 562. The authorship of Procopius has been much doubted, partly because his contemporaries do not mention it, and partly because such a production can hardly be reconciled with the character of a grave historian and statesman. However, the first writer who attributed this work to Procopius, namely Suidas (s. v. Προκόπιος), does so in a verve positive manner, and adds that it had until then not been issued for circulation, which, indeed, it was not fit for. Montesquieu and Gibbon both give credit to the Anecdotes, and do not doubt the authorship of Procopius. Editions
Historia Arcana. Graece et Latine, cum Notis N. Alemanni, Lyon, 1623, fol.; idem, Cologne, 1669, fol.; a Joan. Eichelio, Helmstädt, 1654, 4to.; Excerpta, by Hugo Grotius, in his work quoted above. The famous Christian Thomasius intended to make a new edition, but it did not appear. There is an English translation, 1674, 8vo.; a German, by Paul Reinhard, Erlangen and Leipzig, 1753, 8vo.; and there are French and Italian versions. 4. Orationes,
Orationes, probably extracts from the "History," which is rather overstocked with harangues and speeches. Editions
Orationes, Basel, 1538, 8vo. Editions
There are two collections of the Works of Procopius, with Latin versions, notes, &c.; the first by Claude Maltret, Paris, 2 vols. fol. 1662, 1663, which is not very carefully edited, and was badly reprinted at Venice, 1729, fol.; and the second in the Bonn Collection of the Byzantines, by Dindorf, Bonn, 3 vols. 8vo. 1833-1838: it contains Alemanni's valuable notes on the Historia Arcana, an index, and a text revised with great care. Further Information
Fabric. Biblioth. Graec. vol. vii. p. 553, &c.; Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. i. p. 510; Hanckius, Script. Byzanl. ; La Mothe de Vayer, Jugemens sur les listoriens Grecs, in the 8th vol. of his Oeuvres. [W.P]
(Προκόπιος). A Greek historian of Caesarea in Palestine, a rhetorician and advocate by profession. In and after A.D. 526 he attended the general Belisarius as private secretary and adviser in nearly all his campaigns. He was afterwards made a senator, and in 562, when prefect of Constantinople, was deposed from his office by a conspiracy, and shortly afterwards died suddenly, more than seventy years old. He has left us a history of his own times down to 554 in eight books Ἱστορίαι), dealing with the wars of Justinian against the Persians, Vandals, and East Goths; a book on the buildings of Justinian (Κτίσματα); and the Anecdota (Ἀνέκδοτα), or secret history, supplementing the first-mentioned work. It discloses the scandals of the court of the day, and, on account of its contents, was not published until after the death of the author. His information is partly derived from the oral testimony of others, but he prefers to record his own experiences. This, and his fresh treatment of his subject, together with his pure and, on the whole, simple style, make him one of the most eminent authors of his age. The collected works of Procopius, including orations, are edited by Dindorf in 3 vols. (Bonn, 1833-38). There is an old translation of Procopius into English by Henry Holcroft (London, 1653). See Renan, Essais de Morale et de Critique (3d ed. Paris, 1867).