What is Count Belisarius by Robert Graves?

Count Belisarius is a 1938 historical novel by Robert Graves that recounts the life of the sixth-century Roman general Belisarius. The story is framed as a biography written by Eugenius, a eunuch servant to the general's wife, Antonina. It blends military campaigns in North Africa and Italy with court intrigue involving Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora.

What we know

• Count Belisarius is a historical novel by Robert Graves first published in 1938, detailing the life of the Roman general Belisarius who lived from AD 500 to 565. [1, 2]
• The novel is narrated from the perspective of Eugenius, a eunuch who serves Belisarius's wife, Antonina, and incorporates stories about her connections to the court of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora. [2]
• Graves based his novel largely on ancient sources such as Procopius's History of Justinian's Wars and Secret History, though his treatment has been criticized by historian Anthony Kaldellis. [2]
• The historical general Belisarius served Emperor Justinian I, whose reign lasted from 527 to 565 and included the partial recovery of Western Roman territories such as the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa. [2, 5]

Still open

• The exact historical accuracy of Robert Graves's portrayal in Count Belisarius has been debated by modern historians like Anthony Kaldellis.

Where to go next

• how we knowWho was the real general Belisarius?
• compared withHow did Robert Graves write I, Claudius?
• whoWhat role did Antonina play in the Byzantine court?
• the bigger pictureWhat was Justinian's restoration of the Roman Empire?
• how it workedWhat did Procopius write about Justinian's wars?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a 1938 Roman novel connect to modern television?The historical name Belisarius shares a phonetic and historical link with modern American television producer Donald P. Bellisario, creator of shows like NCIS.

Sources

• [1]Count Belisarius (Wikidata Q1137044) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Count Belisarius · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Donald P. Bellisario · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Antonina (wife of Belisarius) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Justinian I · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

1. Who was John Harrison?
2. /What is Count Belisarius by Robert Graves?