The History of the Wars: Complete Works: The Persian War, The Vandalic War & the Gothic War

by Procopius, Henry Bronson Dewing (Translator)

History of the Wars is a historical masterpiece written by Procopius. The author divided his work into eight books recounting the series of wars prosecuted during the rule of Emperor Justinian I.

His first two writings, often referred to as The Persian War, recounted the struggle of emperors Justinian I and Justin I against Khosrow I and Kavadh, two Persian kings. The second two books, The Vandalic War, cover successful campaigns run by Belisarius fighting the Vandal kingdom that had conquered Rome’s North African provinces a century earlier. The last three books, The Gothic War, describe the Italian campaigns organized by Belisarius fighting Ostrogoths in Italy from 554-559. The final book provides more summary of the occurrences of Emperor Justinian’s Reign.

Procopius was born in Caesarea, Palestine. He became a lawyer late in the 5th century and was later appointed as Belisarius’s general advisor during the rule of Justinian I. Procopius is impartial and fair in his writing and is bold enough to express his true feelings about Emperor Justinian and his general. This book is a perfect read for military history enthusiasts and people who love well-written, accurate historical accounts.

732 pages, Paperback

Published August 16, 2023

About the author

Procopius of Caesarea was born in the latter years of the fifth century at Caesarea in Palestine. He originated from the land-owning provincial upper class and, like Zosimus, became a civil servant. As early as A.D. 527, before the emperor Justin's death, Procopius became counsellor, assessor, and secretary to Belisarius, whose fortunes and campaigns he followed for the next twelve or fifteen years. Small wonder he became very knowledgeable of military affairs through this service. He has long been respected as a historian of the emperor Justinian’s wars, and is reckoned the greatest of the later Greek historians. Procopius was finally raised to the dignity of an illustrius, and died not earlier than A.D. 562.