J u s 



«TOs torn o| an obfcnre race in Dacia, whence, as we bave 

 feen in the article Justin I., lie was brought, and educated 

 vith a view of fuccecding to tlie empire. Juftinian was, 

 during the life of his uncle, made partner in the imperial 

 throne ; and upon the death of Juftin, became its fole pof- 

 fdror, being at that period, A.D 527, in the forty-fifth 

 year of his age. Immediately upon his elevation, he foleranly 

 efpoufed Theodora, an adlrefs, who in early youth had fol- 

 lowed a courfe of prcftitution, and who gained fo complete 

 aa afcendancy over the mind of the emperor, as to be affo- 

 ciated with him on the throne. He began his reign by a 

 violent pcrfecution of lieretics and fedtaries, and he regarded 

 himfclf as a great theologian. His reign was, however, me- 

 morable for many important tranfaftions, mihtary and civil ; 

 and he carried his arms with fuccefs againft his enemies, for 

 ■H'hJch he was chiefly indebted to Belifarius his great general, 

 viio alfo preferved him from a formidable confpiracy. (See 

 the article Belisauius.) The legiflative labours of Juftinian 

 arc what have conferred the chief celebrity on his name. 

 The refori'iation of the Roman jurifprudence occupied the 

 attention of the emperor from his firll pofFeffion of the fu- 

 prerne power. The perfon to whom he principally confided 

 this arduovis tafk was Tribonian, en eminent lawyer of va- 

 rious and exterfive attainments. By his cares, and thofe of 

 nine perfons affociated with him, the new code of Juftinian 

 was completed in the year 529. This publication was fol- 

 lowed in 533 by that of the Pandefts or Digeft, a compila- 

 tion of the decifions and opinions of former civihans ; and of 

 the Inftitutes, an elementary treatife of the Roman law for 

 the ufe of Itadcnts. A new edition of the Code, in 534, 

 made a coniiderable addition to the emperor's own laws ; and 

 Lis Edidls and Novels complete the vaft cdilice of jurifpru- 

 dence, reared by the legiflative fpirit which diftinguiftied his 

 reign. Another remarkable trait in this emperor's charac- 

 ter was his pafiion for building. His piety was difplajed in 

 numerous churches, and other buildings dedicated to reli- 

 gion, of which the celebrated church of Sanfta Sophia at 

 Conftantinople, now fubilfting as the principal mofque of 

 the Turkifn empire, attefts the magnificence of his defigns. 

 Bridges, aquedufts, high-roads, and hofpitals, were among 

 his works of public utility, by which every province of the 

 «mpire was benef ted. His works of perxe were frequently 

 interrupted by wars, which agitated the empire during aU 

 moft the whole of this reign ; but in J^S, a peace upon ho- 

 nourable terms put an end to the long conteils between the 

 Roman and Perfian empires. The rejoicings on this event 

 were difturbed by a dreadful earthquake, which overthrew 

 many ftately edifices, with a great lofs of lives. Juftinian, 

 broken down with cares and old age, died in November 

 ^6^, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, and the eighty- 

 third of his age. Among other diftinguiftied events of this 

 reign, the introduftion of the filk-worm into the Greek 

 empire, by means of two Perfian monks, who went as mif- 

 fionaries to China, ought not to be omitted. The increaf- 

 ing jealoufies, and the heavy burdens which Juftinian im- 

 pofcd upon his fubjeils, had, fome time before his death, 

 deftroyed ai! attachment to his perfon ; and he who, in many 

 refpeifis, deferved the title of the lall Roman emperor, left 

 the ftage unlamented and unhonoured. Gibbon. Univer. 



Ju.STiNiAV II., emperor of the Eaft, fucceeded his father 

 Conftantine Pogonatus in 685, being then only fixteen years 

 of age. He was naturally of a violent temper ; and his love 

 of war induced him to break a treaty which he had made 

 with the Saracens, and renew hoftilities againft them. He 

 recovered feveral provinces from his enemies, and made an 

 extravagant peace with them ; but iii^ exadtions, cruelties, 



JUS 



and debaucheries, tarniflied the glory of his arm?, and ren- 

 dered him an objeft of hatred to all. He formed a deiigW 

 of deftroylng all the inhabitants of Conftantinople: blit' 

 I.eontius, a celebrated commander, attempted the deliver- 

 ance of his country. He was fuccefiful ; dethroned tlie' 

 emperor, and feizqd him and his minifters without refiltance. 

 Juftir.ian's life was fpared, but he was fL-u'cnccd to be ba- 

 iiilhed, and to fufier the amputation of hi-- nofc : herce he 

 was named by the Greeks « Rhinotmetus." In 704 lie, 

 by the afTiftance of the Bulgarians, regained his feat, wbVn 

 he revenged himfelf upon his enemies. The firft viGiins 

 were Leoiitins and Tiberius, who had fucccfiively Riled the' 

 throne during the interval of his baniihment Tiiefo were 

 dragged \-. trinmph tluough the city, and then placed in 

 chains beneath his throne, whence he beheld the fpeclaclesij 

 with a foot upon er.ch of their necks, whilll the inconfcant 

 people ftionted, " Thou fliait trample on tiie afp and ba- 

 fililk." They were then led to c.-circutioa. So many per- 

 fons were, on this occafion, the vifti.ris of his fury, that it 

 is faid wiiole provinces were almoft depopulated by ti-.e mul- 

 titude of his executions. Juflinian died by the hands of 

 aftaflins ia 7 1 1 ; and fuch wa.s the hatred which l:e had every 

 where infpired, that his young fon Tiberius, whom hh 

 grandmother had placed in a fancluary, was dragged from 

 the altar, and murdered before her eyes. Thus (he race of 

 Heraclius was estinguiftied, after a reign of one hundred 

 years. Univer. Hift. Gibbon. 



JUSTIZA, a magiftrate of Arragon, %vhore office bore 

 fome refeniblance to tint of the ephori in ancient Sparta. 

 He acted as the guardian of the people, and the comptrpUcr 

 of the prince. His perfon was facred, and his jurifdiftioii 

 unbounded. He was the fupreme interpreter of the laws. 

 Not only inferior judges, but the kings themfelves, weri; 

 bound to confult him in every doubtful cafe, and to receive 

 his rcfponfes with imphcit deference. An appeal lay to him 

 from the royal judges, as well as from thofe appointed by 

 the barons within their refpeftive territories. Even when 

 no appeal was made to him, he could interpofe by his own 

 authority, prohibit the ordinary judge to proceed, take im- 

 mediate cognizance of the caufe himfelf, and remove the 

 party accufed to the " Manifeftation," or prifon of the 

 ftate, to which no perfon had accefs but by his permiffion. 

 His power was exerted with no lefs vigour and effedl in fu- 

 perintendmg the adminiilration of governinent, than in re- 

 gulating the courfe of juftice. It was his prerogative to 

 infpeft the conduct of the king, to review :dl the royal 

 proclamations and patents, and to declare whether or not 

 they were agreeable to the lav/, and fit to be executed. 

 He, by his fole authority, could exclude any of the king's 

 minifters from the condud of aft<urs, and call them to anfwer 

 for their mal-adminiftration. The juftiza himfelf was ac- 

 countable only to the Cortes for the execution of his high 

 office. By a law enacted in the Cortes, A.D. 1442, it was 

 ordained that the juftiza ftionld continue in office during 

 life, and ftiould not be removed from it, unlefs by the autho- 

 rity of the Cortes. This officer was appointed by the king ; 

 but to prevent his becoming a dependent and tool of the 

 crown, inftead of the guardian of the people, it was deter- 

 mined that he fliould retain his office during life. He was 

 feleded from perfons of the fecoiid clafs, or cavalleros, an- 

 fwering nearly to gentlemen or commoners in Great Britain, 

 and not from the ricoftiombres or noblemen, that he might 

 check the domineering and opprcflive fpirit of the nobles, as 

 well as fet bounds to the power of the monarch ; and that 

 he himfelf might be accountable for the manner in which he 

 executed his truft, and liable to rigorous puniftiment j 

 whertai the ricofliQmbres were not iubjed to capital piinilh- 

 4O 2 Fient, 



