nto bands, marched against the barbarians, slew a number of them, and
succeeded in capturing their horses together with their plunder. This
success, however, proved very unfortunate for them; for agents were
sent from Byzantium, who had no hesitation in beating and wounding
them and seizing their property, until they had restored all the
horses that they had taken from the barbarians.

CHAPTER XXII

After the Emperor and Empress had destroyed John of Cappadocia, they
were desirous of appointing someone else to his office, and agreed to
search for a man even more vicious than he. They looked around to find
this instrument of tyranny, and examined the dispositions of all, in
order that they might the more speedily be able to ruin their
subjects. They temporarily conferred the office upon Theodotus, who,
though certainly not an honourable man, was not sufficiently wicked to
satisfy them. They continued their search in all directions, and at
last by accident found a banker named Peter, a Syrian by birth,
surnamed Barsyames. He had long sat at the copper money-changer's
counter, and had amassed large sums by his disgraceful malpractices.
He was exceedingly cunning at thieving obols, ever deceiving his
customers by the quickness of his fingers. He was very clever at
filching without ado what fell into his hands, and, when detected, he
swore that it was the fault of his hands, and made use of most
impudent language in order to conceal his guilt.

This Barsyames, having been enrolled in the praetorian guard, behaved
so outrageously that he approved himself beyond all others to
Theodora, and was selected by her to assist in carrying out those of
her nefarious schemes which required the most inventive genius. For
this reason Justinian and Theodora immediately deprived Theodotus of
the dignity bestowed upon him as the successor of the Cappadocian, and
appointed Peter in his stead, who in every respect acted in accordance
with their wishes.

He not only, without the least fear or shame, cheated the soldiers of
their pay, but offered commands and offices for sale to a greater
extent than before. Having thus degraded them, he sold them to persons
who were not ashamed to engage in this unholy traffic, giving express
permission to the purchasers to deal as they pleased with the lives
and properties of those who were subject to their authority; for
Barsyames claimed for himself and granted to anyone who had paid down
the pr