225:. Paul mentions the conspiracy, stating that the conspirators were within the palace and about to attack when caught. He claims that God granted this victory to Emperor Justinian. Peter N. Bell notes that "Paul devotes some 30 lines (25–55) near the start of his poem" to the plot of Ablabius and another 21 lines (937–958) to further conspiracies of the time. Paul emphasizes that God takes care of the personal safety of the Byzantine emperor, and portrays both Emperor Justinian and his deceased wife, Empress
194:). While Ablabius had access to the room, he was unable to approach the "sacred presence" of the Byzantine emperor without permission, and so he had to arrange matters with a palatine official. He entrusted his secret to Eusebius and John, but this led to the discovery of the plot by the authorities. when his requests aroused suspicions and were investigated. On 25 November 562, Ablabius attempted to enter the palace of Emperor Justinian armed with a
290:
during this period. Corripus even claims: "the old man no longer cared; he was altogether cold ... many things were too much neglected while was alive". Corripus was making a comparison between
Justinian I and Justin II, which might explain his negative view on Emperor Justinian. But his views are
269:
Instead of reducing further expenses, Emperor
Justinian had increased pressure on the businessmen. In the summer of 562, money-changers, silver merchants, and jewel merchants found themselves required to put up "a costly display of lights" for the consecration of a new church dedicated to
127:
Ablabius was a son of
Meltiades. Nothing else is known about his family, and Ablabius's exact status in society is uncertain. The primary texts describe him as "ο Μελιστής" (the Melistes). This Greek word has two meanings, one of them being a name for a musician, related to the term
253:
to the
Sassanids. However, the first seven years were to be paid in advance, and an estimated 2,900 gold pounds had to be delivered at once. Emperor Justinian required the businessmen to pay the money to the state in a form of a forced loan. The Byzantine
274:. It is thought that this may have led directly to the assassination plot. On the other hand, Peter N. Bell connects the murder plot with the lack of popular support for Emperor Justinian in the final years of his reign. He points out that
322:, while all his attendants were dismissed from service. Six months later, he was pardoned by Emperor Justinian I. Belisarius and Emperor Justinian died within a few weeks of one another in November of 565.
241:
The motives of the conspirators are not addressed in primary sources. James Evans suggests they could be traced to the grievances of the business world with
Emperor Justinian. The
179:, or a banker. Another conspirator was Sergius, whose uncle Aetherius was curator of one of the imperial palaces, though better known for his part in a conspiracy against Emperor
416:
Three
Political Voices from the Age of Justinian: Agapetus – Advice to the Emperor; Dialogue on Political Science; Paul the Silentiary – Description of Hagia Sophia
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On hearing of
Ablabius's arrest, Marcellus committed suicide rather than be captured, while Sergius sought sanctuary within the
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132:("singing, chanting"). A comment of Theophanes implies that Ablabius was a member of an entire faction of such people.
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307:, so that Belisarius himself came under suspicion and was arrested. He was placed on trial by Procopius,
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had recently ended, and the peace terms required the
Byzantines to pay an annual sum of 30,000
148:); thus, an official of the imperial mint. This term derives from μελίζει (melizei, "to cut").
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303:. His confessions implicated two more silversmiths and a curator in the service of
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suggests that this was a circus faction, affiliated to the Blues and Greens of the
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The plot called for
Ablabius to approach Emperor Justinian within the imperial
183:(r. 565–578). Ablabius received fifty pounds of gold for his role in the plot.
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Sergius was eventually dragged away from his sanctuary and interrogated under
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Martindale, John Robert; Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin; Morris, J., eds. (1992).
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Ablabius was recruited by
Marcellus as part of a plot to assassinate Emperor
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167:. The conspirators were apparently "important men in the business world" of
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all paint "unflattering" and "gloomy" portrayals of the state of the
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The Age of Justinian: The Circumstances of Imperial Power
419:. Liverpool, United Kingdom: Liverpool University Press.
311:; it is uncertain whether this was the same person as
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140:. The second meaning is "monetarius" ("mint master",
111:(r. 527–565) in 562. The main sources about him are
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152:, who translated the chronicle of Theophanes to
107:, known for a failed attempt to kill Emperor
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291:consistent with those of the other authors.
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458:The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire
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18:For other people named Ablabius, see
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434:Evans, James Allan Stewart (1996).
350:Martindale, Jones & Morris 1992
175:("argyros" is Greek for "silver"),
38:Unknown, likely after November, 562
14:
266:(r. 565–578) rose to the throne.
262:and was still empty when Emperor
158:Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange
203:Church of St. Mary of Blachernae
309:urban prefect of Constantinople
221:, for the rededication of the
1:
492:6th-century Byzantine people
440:. New York City: Routledge.
413:Bell, Peter Neville (2009).
318:Belisarius was placed under
138:Hippodrome of Constantinople
284:Flavius Cresconius Corippus
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258:was reportedly crushed by
150:Anastasius Bibliothecarius
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20:Ablabius (disambiguation)
117:Theophanes the Confessor
315:, the noted historian.
487:6th-century criminals
313:Procopius of Caesarea
383:, pp. 256–257.
272:Theodora the Martyr
211:Paul the Silentiary
209:was completed, and
507:Medieval assassins
280:Menander Protector
468:978-0-521-20160-5
426:978-1-84631-209-0
398:, pp. 88–89.
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502:Failed regicides
497:Byzantine rebels
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213:composed a long
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207:Hagia Sophia
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134:Alan Cameron
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113:John Malalas
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192:dining room
173:silversmith
165:Justinian I
146:münzmeister
109:Justinian I
43:Nationality
481:Categories
381:Evans 1996
326:References
305:Belisarius
188:triclinium
63:Allegiance
51:Occupation
396:Bell 2009
295:Aftermath
264:Justin II
243:Lazic War
219:Ekphrasis
217:known as
215:epic poem
181:Justin II
177:goldsmith
123:Biography
103:would-be
101:Byzantine
66:Marcellus
46:Byzantine
276:Agathias
256:treasury
227:Theodora
223:basilica
105:assassin
99:) was a
95:Αβλάβιος
85:Ablabius
54:assassin
29:Ablabius
406:Sources
301:torture
142:moneyer
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282:, and
251:solidi
196:dagger
130:melody
71:Motive
260:debts
229:, as
154:Latin
89:Greek
74:money
463:ISBN
442:ISBN
421:ISBN
115:and
35:Died
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