Justinian (novel)
Encyclopedia
Justinian was published in 1998 by Tor Books
. It is a novel
by American
writer Harry Turtledove
writing under the pseudonym
H. N. Turteltaub, a name he uses when writing historical fiction.
Turtledove later used the Turteltaub name when writing a series of books about traders
in post-Alexandrian Greece
. Titles include Over the Wine Dark Sea
and Owls to Athens
.
Emperor Justinian II
and is told through the ideas of a fictional soldier named Myakes. The book follows Justinian's time before and after taking the throne, as well as his overthrow, mutilation and exile in the Crimea
, his subsequent return to power (following a possibly apocryphal nose-job), his insane quest for revenge, and his finally being unseated a second time and executed.
wants him to be there. If he's acting in the name of God, how can he be doing evil?
Another central theme of the book is the importance of religion in the 700s. Justinian's father is shown convening a synod, and both Justinian and his father lead battles against the newly arisen Muslim
faith. The Popes, who are considered by many in Constantinople
to be merely the Bishop of Rome, are shown as not having as much influence then as they would have in later centuries.
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
. It is a novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer Harry Turtledove
Harry Turtledove
Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.- Life :...
writing under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
H. N. Turteltaub, a name he uses when writing historical fiction.
Turtledove later used the Turteltaub name when writing a series of books about traders
Hellenic Traders
Hellenic Traders refers to a series of historical fiction books published by TOR and written by H.N. Turteltaub . The books center around cousins Menedemos and Sostratos who work as seaborne traders in the years following the death of Alexander the Great...
in post-Alexandrian Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Titles include Over the Wine Dark Sea
Over the Wine Dark Sea
Over the Wine Dark Sea is a novel by H.N. Turteltaub . It takes place in the years shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, and centers on a pair of Greek cousins from Rhodes, Menedemos and Sostratos, who work as sea-going traders...
and Owls to Athens
Owls to Athens
Owls to Athens is the fourth book in the Hellenic Traders series by H N Turteltaub. Like the others in the series it is a work of historical fiction concerning the adventures of a pair of Greek traders from Rhodes...
.
Plot summary
The book centers around ByzantineByzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
Emperor Justinian II
Justinian II
Justinian II , surnamed the Rhinotmetos or Rhinotmetus , was the last Byzantine Emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty, reigning from 685 to 695 and again from 705 to 711...
and is told through the ideas of a fictional soldier named Myakes. The book follows Justinian's time before and after taking the throne, as well as his overthrow, mutilation and exile in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, his subsequent return to power (following a possibly apocryphal nose-job), his insane quest for revenge, and his finally being unseated a second time and executed.
Historical Accuracy
H. N. "Harry Turtledove" Turteltaub has a doctorate in Byzantine history, and most of what's in the book is historically accurate. The parts that are pure conjecture, such as certain names and the way Justinian's mutilation was taken care of, are mentioned as being conjecture in the Author's Note.Major themes
The central theme of the book seems to be "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", but this is not necessarily the case. Justinian is a man who believes he can do no wrong. After all, he's on the throne because GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
wants him to be there. If he's acting in the name of God, how can he be doing evil?
Another central theme of the book is the importance of religion in the 700s. Justinian's father is shown convening a synod, and both Justinian and his father lead battles against the newly arisen Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
faith. The Popes, who are considered by many in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
to be merely the Bishop of Rome, are shown as not having as much influence then as they would have in later centuries.