Justin II

Early Life and Rise to Power

Justin II was the Eastern Roman emperor from 565 until 578. He was the nephew of Justinian I.

Reign as Emperor

When Justin II became emperor, he inherited a large but weakened empire. There were fewer resources, and he made some tough decisions.

He stopped paying tributes to neighboring groups, which led to wars with the Sassanid Empire and the Lombards. These conflicts took away much of the Roman territory in Italy.

Later Years and Death

Later in his rule, Justin II suffered from severe mental illness. He died on 5 October 578.

Family

Justin II was the son of Vigilantia and Dulcidio. Vigilantia was the sister of Justinian, and Dulcidio was his brother-in-law. Justin II had siblings named Marcellus and Praejecta. With his wife Sophia, he had a daughter named Arabia. They may have also had a son named Justus, who died when he was very young. Justin II also had a niece named Helena.

Early life

Justin’s early years are not very clear. Some old records say he may have been born around the year 511, but historians are not sure. Others think he was born by 520 at the latest.

During the time when Justinian I was emperor, Justin worked at the court in an important job. He first appears in records from the years 552 and 553, when he was part of a group sent to talk to Pope Vigilius about a religious disagreement.

In 559, Justinian I sent Justin to help guide some raiders called the Kutrigur who were moving back across the Danube river. Later, Justin worked to calm down big street fights in Constantinople caused by two groups of fans called the Blues and Greens.

Over time, Justin made many friends at the court.

Reign

Justinian I died without children on 14 November 565. His nephew Justin became the new emperor. Justin promised to fix problems left by his uncle, like paying back debts and filling the treasury.

Justin changed many policies. He stopped paying enemies to keep peace, which led to new wars. He also allowed local leaders more power. Later in his rule, Justin faced mental health issues, and his wife Sophia helped manage the empire during those times.

Succession and death

After 572, Justin sometimes was not well. Some stories say he acted strangely and needed extra help.

But Justin could still make big choices. In 574, with help from Sophia, Justin chose Tiberius as caesar and made him like a son. On 7 December, Justin gave a speech when he passed on the crown. He told Tiberius to be wise, kind, and fair to the people.

In 578, Justin named Tiberius as Augustus. Justin died only nine days later, on 5 October 578.