PROCOPIUS, pro-lapI-lis, Byzantine his torian: b. Caesarea, Palestine, about 500 A.D.; d. Constantinople, about 565 A.D. After practising as a rhetorician and advocate at Constantinople for a short time he brought himself so much into public notice that in 527 Belisarius made him his legal adviser and private secretary. He found abundant opportunity for seeking the making of history at first hand, for he accom panied Belisarius and counseled him on his most important campaigns. He was with him in Italy, Africa and Persia. About 542 he re turned to Constantinople. The emperor Justin ian made him senator and in 562 prafect of the city. He is the historian in chief to the reign of Justinian, to which his three most important 'works were devoted. These are the
on the connection of Procopius with the 'Anec dotes.' They are the repository of the scandals of Justinian's reign, filled with accusations, often of a ridiculous and improbable nature against Justinian and Theodora. On the other hand the histories are of great value, character ized by accurate personal observation and truth ful presentation of conditions. The best edi tion of the complete works is that contained in Dindorf's
Scriptorum Historix Byzan
(Bonn 1833-38). A more recent edition is thatpublished by J. Haury, 'Procopii Caesar iensis Opera °mina' (3 vols., Leipzig 1905-13). The publication of the original Greek text with an English translation by H. B. Dewig has been begun as part of the Loeb Classical Library under the title 'Procopius) (Vol. I, New York 1914; Vol. II, New York 1916). Consult Dahn, F., (Prokopius von Cxsaree (Berlin 1865) ; Haury, J.,
(Augsburg 1891); (Zur Beurteilung des Geschichtschreibers Pro kopius von C.msaree (Munich 1896-97).