Antonina: A Byzantine Slut

by Paul Kastenellos

In the year 531 AD the late Roman (Byzantine) general Flavious Belisarius married a prostitute named Antonina. Though little known in the west, Belisarius was perhaps the noblest person ever to lead great armies and is considered to be one of the ten – some would argue three – most successful commanders in history. Belisarius loved and was faithful to Antonina their whole lives together. Antonina loved him yet engaged in a ten year affair with their godson. They accompanied Belisarius on his military campaigns in which he regained North Africa and Italy for the Emperor Justinian who now resided in Constantinople. She also became the chief confidant of the empress Theodora and acted as her agent in the reconquered lands. In an age when wives might be secluded and without political power, Antonina raised and led an army in Italy and stood a year-long siege in Rome. Regrettably, the historical picture of Antonina has been colored by the hatred for her of Belisarius' adoring but prissy biographer. In this book we see the life of her famous husband through Antonina's realistic eyes, and Antonina, through his. Theirs is a love story worth telling. Antonina “descended from a family of charioteers; and her chastity has been stained with the foulest reproach. Yet she reigned with long and absolute power over the mind of her illustrious husband; and if Antonina disdained the merit of conjugal fidelity, she expressed a manly friendship to Belisarius, whom she accompanied with undaunted resolution in all the hardships and dangers of a military life.” Edward Gibbon … The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire “All this can be properly attributed to folly, for it is she who sees that a wife is attractive to her husband and a husband to his wife, that peace reigns in the home and their relationship continues. A husband is laughed at, cuckolded, called a worm and who knows what else when he kisses away the tears of his unfaithful wife, but how much happier it is for him to be thus deceived than to wear himself out with unremitting jealousy, strike a tragic attitude, and ruin everything!” Erasmus of Rotterdam … In Praise of Folly

Genres: Historical Fiction

404 pages, Paperback

First published June 8, 2012

Reviews

[Leiki Fae · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read it because I thought a narrative would make it easier to develop a framework for understanding and remembering information about what was going on in the 6th-century Roman empire. I also listened to a podcast about Belisarius, and I think the two overlapped pretty effectively. Despite the title, this book was mostly about Belisarius' battles in Italy, northern Africa, and against Persia, and I felt like that was good content. Anything else about the relationship between Belisarius and Antonina was really awkward, though. It was like listening to your grandma talk about sex. Like, you have to assume she knows about it, but you really don't want to think about her sex life. And although there were a couple of descriptions or heavy-handed allusions to Antonina and Belisarius in bed, I kept expecting there to be something definitive between Antonina and Theodosius and nothing ever happened, and then Antonina was feeling guilty and Theodosius was on the lam and none of it made much sense.
I feel like a lot of writers from this era find it impossible to imagine relationships that aren't motivated and maintained by romantic love, the way we expect our relationships to be. A lot of times I felt like the conversations between Antonina and Belisarius, or Theodora and Justinian, just rang false because it felt like they were being made to explore emotional issues that they may not even have recognized in the sixth century. Love and marriage had such different meanings then, and women were in such a different place in society. I just couldn't ever suspend my disbelief.
But in terms of wanting to learn and retain more about this historical period, I think this was a valuable read.

[Ion · Rating 1 out of 5]

M-a interesat cartea cand am aflat despre subiectul ei. Imi plac fictiunile istorice, iar una despre Belisarius si Antonina parea foarte promitatoare, insa este foarte slab scrisa.
Pentru epoca in care este plasata actiunea, exista prea multe referinte la fapte si lucruri ulterioare epocii, uneori chiar moderne. Nu sunt autor, dar nu cred ca este ceva practic pentru genul acesta literar.
De asemenea, actiunea este secventiala, are pauze temporale si pare uneori o lectie de istorie, cu date si explicatii care iarasi nu se potrivesc in fictiuneile istorice. In loc sa incerci sa educi pe cititor, mai bine il faci interesat de poveste, iar momentele istorice le lasi sa fie intelese implicit.
Sunt prea multe lecturi excelente care asteapta sa fie descoperite ca sa pierzi timpul cu ceva asa de slab, asa ca stop si next.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Antonina, is Kastenellos' second book on life in Byzantium. It is a fictionalized biography like Count No Man Happy, but this time set in the Sixth Century CE when both North Africa and Italy itself had fallen to barbarian invaders and Persia was threatening what remained of the Roman Empire in the east. The story is set in the reign of Justinian and Theodora, a former prostitute and courtesan who had risen through cunning and willpower from a life of concubinage. The main characters are the famous general Flavius Belisarius and his liberated wife Antonina, also a one-time prostitute, who loved her husband but conducted a ten year affair with their godson right under his nose. Kastenellos' portrait of Antonina is sympathetic however. She stood a year long siege in Rome with them and led an army in the successful reconquest of the city. Other important characters in this diligently researched and detailed novel are the historian Procopius whose writings contributed greatly to the historic accuracy, the eunuch Grand Chamberlain Narses, and a host of other fascinating players. It is as much a history of the court politics of the day as a tale of battles. It speaks of jealousies, infidelity, betrayal, honor, nobility, redemption, and finally love and forgiveness. Antonina was a delight to read. The scenes of Machiavellian intrigue at court and the battles against Persia and in North Africa and Italy – during which Antonina and her paramour accompanied the general – are my personal favorites. I look forward to his next book as his novels are not just exciting to read as entertainment but an education regarding the Byzantine Empire in the post classical era and the somewhat later Byzantine dark ages.
I must also address Mr. Warrington’s review of this book, I can't see why this guy singled out a single very minor element of the story: the spanking of Belisarius. According to Procopius, Belisarius was in fact completely dominated by his wife. That said, this is fiction, and I'd imagine that there was a bit of extrapolation on that fact. There is no doubt of the nobility of Belisarius. He was perhaps the noblest commander to ever lead great armies, and Kastenellos honors him as such. But the essence of the story is about Antonina of whom the historical record is sparse. I think what Kastenellos was aiming for was to understand her story by some subtext reading of the obviously biased Procopius. Throughout the book, Kastenellos stays faithful to the known historical record, as much as he can, fleshing out the story and interplay between characters. I don't understand why Mr. Warrington calls the story silly. I can't imagine how he got that impression, because the story is anything but. As previously mentioned the book is an education regarding the Byzantine Empire, and the research and effort that went into producing this work is clear. I am unsure whether Mr. Warrington has read Procopius himself. Some people prefer plaster saints to authentic portrayals of history. For those who would prefer a clearer, more honest work, Paul Kastenellos tells a fine tale.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't listen to the first poster; I really enjoyed this book. It's like nothing else I've ever read! The title, needless to say, really grabs your attention. It's rare that you see heroines from this era captured in literature, and Paul Kastenellos does a top-rate job. His writing style really draws you into that era, teaching you about the politics and customs of the time. It's like seeing a piece of history relived before your eyes, viewing it through the characters themselves. Ironic to the title, Antonina deserves our respect. She had very humble beginnings, only to become the noble wife of a highly respected general. Yet, this is not about Belisarius; this is about his wife and how she coped with being in Belisarius' spotlight. That said, it is also a beautiful love story of Belisarius and Antonina, and how their love withstood the many savage battles that they witnessed throughout time. Reading this historical novel, you will get a glimpse into a world seldom seen. I highly recommend this book to anyone, no matter what your knowledge of the time. You'll come away satisfied, I guarantee it.

[Caesar Warrington · Rating 2 out of 5]

Belisarius, one of the greatest generals in history, acknowledged even by his enemies to be a moral stalwart, is portrayed by Kastenellos as some sort of borderline masochist who enjoys being spanked by his wife, Antonina. One third of the way into the book the story was turning so silly I stopped reading.