ABSTRACT
This chapter considers sixth-century East Roman strategies in the Western Mediterranean. It suggests that Justinian's overarching objective was an economic strategy, pursued partly by war, to control the trade routes of the Mediterranean. The chapter argues that Procopius was promoted from adviser to senior adviser to Belisarius and that he was involved in the drafting of military correspondence, which was recycled into parts of the C. J. 1.27 and Wars. It also argues that where military correspondence informed both the C. J. 1.27 and Procopius' works, it suggests a link in their geneses. Procopius refers to his own official status and relationship to Belisarius by using terms that he uses for the roles of other officials. Procopius states that Belisarius, magister militum per orientem, was not only the highest ranking general in the empire, but also that he held supreme authority during two western campaigns. Regarding his relationship with Belisarius, there are indirect and direct instances of his involvement and relatively close connection. Belisarius' strategy, Mediterranean, economic strategy, Belisarius, Procopius,.
