The Rise and Fall of Justinian

Vitalian was killed in July of 520, on his way to dinner at the palace. He had styled himself as the defender of orthodox belief and never stated officially his desire to replace anastasius. The brave or the pious now became martyrs for their Monophysite beliefs. One monastic community at a meter were driven from their home, but were still campaigning to be reinstated a decade later. We will deal with Justinian's rapid political rise in the next episode.