ABSTRACT
The reign of the Byzantine emperor Justinian (527-565) was pivotal in late antiquity. From his headquarters in Constantinople he accomplished great deeds in the most diverse fields: major legal reforms were successfully carried out, vast numbers of architecturally distinguished buildings were erected, wars were launched and won against established powers in Africa and Italy, substantial innovations were made to the administration of the empire, and the position of the Christian religion and that of non-Christians in the empire were both changed considerably. There were other important events which the emperor did not initiate but to which he had to respond, such as the outbreak of a disastrous plague and depressing developments in foreign affairs. There can be no doubt that the activities of Justinian, which exhibit characteristics which can be readily labelled 'classical' side by side with others which seem 'medieval', marked an important stage in the move from the world of antiquity to that of the middle ages in the lands around the eastern half of the Mediterranean and beyond.
