Afterlife and Legend

Abstract Belisarius and Antonina have lived on in myth and legend in the roughly 1,500 years since their deaths. This legend began in the Middle Ages, with a Greek tradition first written down in the 10th century in short form and then in a longer, epic form as the Novel of Belisarius in the 15th century. In this legend, Belisarius was blinded by Justinian (r. 527–565) after his last disgrace in 562. The blinded general then had to beg for his bread. This legendary tradition is unlikely to be historical, but was very popular in fictional works, both literary and artistic, about Belisarius. Gradually, this legend lost favor, and in most modern works inspired by the story of Belisarius and Antonina, the Secret History of Procopius is the favored source material. Belisarius and Antonina continue to feature in popular media, from video games to heavy metal music, in the 21st century.