Procopius, De Aedificiis, 1.11.18–20: Caesarea Maritima and the Building of Harbours in Late Antiquity

Procopius of Caesarea Maritima composed De Aedificiis (On Buildings) around 554 CE. ¹ This treatise enjoys a unique place in Byzantine literature. Although its purpose is clearly to glorify the reigning emperor Justinian as a master builder and imperial patron par excellence, nevertheless it does present a compendium of significant building activities throughout the extent of the sixth-century Mediterranean world. Beyond its obvious panegyric intent, it is a contemporary gazetteer that provides an invaluable catalogue of Late Antique monuments and cities, some of which are known only from this source. ² No other document like this work has survived.