A secretary to the general Belisarius and the primary historical source for the mid-sixth century Byzantine period, Procopius documented key moments of Justinian's campaigns in the west. His account records the intelligence gathered before the African expedition against the Vandals, as well as the desolation of Rome under the Ostrogothic king Totila, whom he credits with leaving the city so depopulated that only around 500 inhabitants remained.
What each episode says
Episode 8 (1 mention)
Procopius was Belisarius's personal secretary and is described by Brownworth as 'our primary historian for the period.' He appears in the narrative when, while stopped in Sicily, he happened to run into an old friend whose slave had returned from Carthage, providing Belisarius with crucial intelligence about Vandal unpreparedness.
“information, and there got his first stroke of good luck. His personal secretary, Procopius,”
Episode 9 (1 mention)
Cited by Brownworth as the source for the detail that only 500 citizens remained in Rome when Totila took possession of it, describing the city as an almost deserted capital.
“According to Procopius, only 500 citizens were left.”
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