# XIV: Justice for Sale explained — The Secret History

> Chapter companion for The Secret History by Procopius.

## What happens

Procopius describes how Justinian debased the imperial office by personally issuing decrees, selling justice, and allowing bribery to corrupt the legal system. The Senate became a powerless formality, and the emperor, influenced by the corrupt Leo of Cilicia, openly traded verdicts for gold, undermining all law and contract.

## Themes in this chapter

### Corruption and Tyranny

Justinian's personal sale of justice and disregard for legal procedure exemplify systemic corruption and autocratic rule.

### Injustice and Lawlessness

Contracts, oaths, and laws become meaningless as the emperor accepts bribes from both sides and overturns rulings for money.

### Hypocrisy and Deception

The Senate is maintained as a hollow formality while the emperor and his consort make all decisions, and officials deceive litigants.

## Character check-ins

### Justinian

Depicted as a barbarous, greedy tyrant who personally sells justice and issues decrees without proper procedure.

### Theodora

Mentioned as sharing decision-making power with Justinian, overriding the Senate.

### Emperor Leo

Introduced as the Cilician flatterer who first taught Justinian to sell judicial decisions for money.

### Tribonian

Implied as part of the corrupted legal apparatus, though not directly named in excerpts.

## Key lines

> In accepting bribes the Emperor felt no shame, since hunger for wealth had devoured his decency.

Justinian was utterly shameless about taking bribes because his greed had consumed any sense of honor.

_Highlights the theme of corruption and moral decay._

> Publicly in the Forum, and under the management of palace officials, the selling of court decisions and legislative actions was carried on.

Court rulings and laws were openly auctioned off in the Forum by imperial officials.

_Illustrates the institutionalization of bribery._

> This man was the first to show Justinian how to exchange justice for money.

Leo of Cilicia was the one who taught Justinian to sell judicial verdicts.

_Identifies the originator of this corrupt practice._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters/xiv-justice-for-sale
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_secret_history_se/chapters