There are in the imperial household other officers of much higher rank, who, having purchased their positions for a larger sum, receive better pay in proportion.  These are called “Domestics” and “Protectors.”  They have always been exempt from military service, and are only reckoned members of the palace on account of their dignity and rank.  Some of them are constantly in Byzantium, while others have long been established in Galatia or other provinces.  Justinian frightened these in the same manner into abandoning their salaries to him.  In conclusion, it was the custom that, every five years, the Emperor should present each of the soldiers with a fixed sum in gold.  Accordingly, every five years, commissioners were despatched to all parts of the Empire, to bestow five staters of gold upon every soldier as a gift from the Emperor.  This had long been an established and inviolable practice.  But, from the day that Justinian assumed the management of affairs, he did nothing of the kind, and showed no intention of doing so during the thirty-two years of his reign, so that the custom was almost completely forgotten.

CHAPTER XXV

I will now proceed to mention another mode in which he plundered his subjects.  Those who, at Byzantium, serve the Emperor or magistrates, either as secretaries, or in a military or any other capacity, are placed last upon the list of officials.  As time goes on, they are gradually promoted to the place of those who have died or retired, until they reach the highest rank and supreme dignity.  Those who had attained to this honour, in accordance with an ancient institution, had the right to the enjoyment of a fund of not less than 100 centenars of gold yearly, so that they might have a comfortable means of subsistence for their old age, and might be able to assist others as much as possible; and this was of great influence in bringing about a successful administration of the affairs of state.  But Justinian deprived them of all their privileges, and did great harm, not only to them, but to many others besides, for the poverty which attacked them extended to all those who formerly shared their prosperity.  If anyone were to calculate the sums of which they were thus deprived during these thirty-two years, he would find that the amount was very considerable.  Such was the shameful manner in which the tyrant treated his soldiers.

I will now relate how he behaved towards merchants, mariners, artisans, shopkeepers and others.  There are two narrow straits on either side of Byzantium, the one in the Hellespont, between Sestos and Abydos, the other at the mouth of the Euxine Sea, close to the chapel of the Holy Mother.  In the strait upon the Hellespont, there was no public custom-house, but an officer was sent by the Emperor to Abydos, to see that no ship loaded with arms should pass on the way to Byzantium without the Emperor’s leave, and also that no person should put out to sea from