Series:

History of Warfare

2 primary works • 3 total works

Book 111

Cover of Battles and Generals: Combat, Culture, and Didacticism in Procopius' Wars
In Battles and Generals: Combat, Culture, and Didacticism in Procopius' Wars, Whately reads Procopius' descriptions of combat through the lens of didacticism, arguing that one of Procopius' intentions was to construct those accounts not only so that they might be entertaining to his audience, but also so that they might provide real value to his readership, which was comprised, in part, of the empire's military command. In the course of this analysis we discover that the varied battles and sieges that Procopius describes are not generic; rather, they have been crafted to reflect the nature of combat - as understood by Procopius - on the three fronts of Justinian's wars, the frontier with Persia, Vandal north Africa, and Gothic Italy.

Book 134

Cover of Procopius on Soldiers and Military Institutions in the Sixth-Century Roman Empire
In Procopius on Soldiers and Military Institutions in the Sixth-Century Roman Empire, Conor Whately examines Procopius' coverage of rank-and-file soldiers in his three works, the Wars, Buildings, and Secret History. By evaluating his accounts alongside other comparative evidence, such as the edicts of Anastasius, legislation from the Codex Justinianus, and various papyri, Whately reveals the limitations to Procopius' work, especially when it comes to frontier soldiers. However, this study also shows the impact of Procopius' experiences with institutional matters such as unit structures on his writing, and the particular value he brings to our understanding of recruitment in the sixth century CE.

Cover of Battles and Generals: Combat, Culture, and Didacticism in Procopius' Wars