Justin I c.450-527AD
Byzantine emperor

He was born in Illyria of peasant stock. He became commander in the imperial bodyguard, and in AD518 was raised to the Byzantine throne by the army. He resigned the civil administration to the quaestor Proclus. In 519 he entered into an arrangement with the pope, and in 523 resigned to Theodoric, King of Italy, the right of appointing consuls in Rome. In the same year he became involved in a war with the Persians. He was succeeded by his nephew Justinian I, who had given him significant help throughout his reign.