Latium became indigenous to this region; and, although the barbarians in their periodical inroads poured through the passes of Scardus on the north-west to spread themselves over Thrace and Macedonia,[1] the Latinized stock still maintained its ground in the fifth century.[2] Throughout the Empire it was a usual practice for sons of the free peasantry to abandon agricultural penury, and, without a change of clothing, provided only with a wallet containing a few days provisions, to betake themselves on foot to the capital, in the hope of chancing on better fortune.[3] About the year 470, when Leo the Thracian occupied the throne, a young herdsman of Bederiana, bearing the classical name of Justin, resolved on this enterprise, and arrived at Constantinople with two companions whose lot had been similar to his own.[4] There they presented themselves for enlistment in the army, and, as the three youths were distinguished by a fine physique, they were gladly accepted, and enrolled among the palace guards.[5] Two of them are lost to our view for ever afterwards in the obscurity of a private soldier's life,[6] but Justin, though wholly illiterate, entered on a successful military career. At the end of a score of years he reappears under Anastasius, with the rank of a general, and intrusted
- ↑ See Tozer's narrative of his journey through the Pass from Prisrend to Uskiub; loc. cit.
- ↑ Novel. vii, 1. The extensive remains of the Latin occupation still to be seen are described by Evans, op. cit.
- ↑ Procopius, De Bel. Vand., ii, 16.
- ↑ Ibid., Anecdot., 6. The names of the other two are given as Zimarchus and Ditybistus, but I see no reason to call them his brothers as is sometimes done. Justin was cowherd, or swineherd, or field labourer according to Zonaras, xiv, 5.
- ↑ Procopius, loc. cit.
- ↑ According to Alemannus (pp. 361, 461), however, Zimarchus as a centenarian (!) was active in important posts; Theophanes, an. 6054-5.
