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maniacal ego overtook him as the years passed, to the point he felt himself on par with Christ himself, finally constructing a burial chamber containing sarcophagi with the names of the twelve apostles, his own in the center, indicating that he believed himself to be a messiah as well? His father, Constantius, was nicknamed "the pale". Wonder why? How about that, despite his genius in war and leadership, he had virtually no imagination naming his own children, resorting to names such as, "Constantina" and "Constantius II"?

Justinian I, though not as heralded as the much-beloved Constantine, is among one of the most interesting of the Roman Emperors. He thought big, dreamed bigger and acted on a grand scale. He also discovered Belisarius, an extremely fascinating general who emerged at a very young age during the Nika Revolts to become what some historians have called, "The Scipio of New Rome." To watch this man's rise and downfall (mostly due to Justinian's almost unquestioning acquiescence to his wife, Theodora) is to see opera on an empiric scale. As entertaining, if not more so, than some of the better fiction we read today.

To read about these amazing men and women is to see our own current missteps and mistakes in a different light. For we must admit that, as a species, though we may continue to evolve technologically, psychologically and sociologically we find that we are different, but we are not so different. We see ourselves in mirrors that span centuries before us. We may choose to learn lessons. Or we may choose to continue as we are, perhaps deciding that we, like our historical predecessors, can do precious little more than our best, knowing that life will wield the ultimate outcome in the way she sees fit.

History matters. Because within those people we study and learn about, we find ourselves. Then we begin to understand the old phrase and what it truly means: Nosce te ipsum.

If you're interested in Roman history, check out Lars Brownworth's excellent podcast, "12 Byzantine Rulers: The History of The Byzantine Empire", any of the three books on Byzantium by John Julius Norwich and, for an overall excellent narrative of Rome, check out Tim Holland's "Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic".

Learn more about this author, Carey Henderson.
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