e day that Justinian assumed the
management of affairs, he did nothing of the kind, and showed no
intention of doing so during the thirty-two years of his reign, so
that the custom was almost completely forgotten.

CHAPTER XXV

I will now proceed to mention another mode in which he plundered his
subjects. Those who, at Byzantium, serve the Emperor or magistrates,
either as secretaries, or in a military or any other capacity, are
placed last upon the list of officials. As time goes on, they are
gradually promoted to the place of those who have died or retired,
until they reach the highest rank and supreme dignity. Those who had
attained to this honour, in accordance with an ancient institution,
had the right to the enjoyment of a fund of not less than 100
centenars of gold yearly, so that they might have a comfortable means
of subsistence for their old age, and might be able to assist others
as much as possible; and this was of great influence in bringing about
a successful administration of the affairs of state. But Justinian
deprived them of all their privileges, and did great harm, not only to
them, but to many others besides, for the poverty which attacked them
extended to all those who formerly shared their prosperity. If anyone
were to calculate the sums of which they were thus deprived during
these thirty-two years, he would find that the amount was very
considerable. Such was the shameful manner in which the tyrant treated
his soldiers.

I will now relate how he behaved towards merchants, mariners,
artisans, shopkeepers and others. There are two narrow straits on
either side of Byzantium, the one in the Hellespont, between Sestos
and Abydos, the other at the mouth of the Euxine Sea, close to the
chapel of the Holy Mother. In the strait upon the Hellespont, there
was no public custom-house, but an officer was sent by the Emperor to
Abydos, to see that no ship loaded with arms should pass on the way to
Byzantium without the Emperor's leave, and also that no person should
put out to sea from Byzantium without letters of licence signed by the
proper official, no ship being allowed to leave the city without the
permission of the secretaries of the Master of Offices. The amount
which the praetor exacted from the shipmasters under the name of toll
was so insignificant that it was disregarded. A praetor was also sent
to the other strait, who received his salary regularly from the
Emperor, and whose duties wer