Editing Justin I (section)

=== Foreign affairs ===
[[File:Justinien 527-565.svg|thumb|The extent of the Byzantine Empire under Justin I is shown in brown. (The light orange shows the conquests of his successor, Justinian.)]]
Justin endeavoured to cultivate client states on the borders of the Empire, and avoided any significant warfare until late in his reign.<ref name=Dumb>{{Cite web|url=https://www.doaks.org/resources/online-exhibits/gods-regents-on-earth-a-thousand-years-of-byzantine-imperial-seals/rulers-of-byzantium/anonymous-justin-i-519-or-522-201327|title=Justin I (518–527) – Dumbarton Oaks|last=noahm|website=www.doaks.org|language=en|access-date=21 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821160532/https://www.doaks.org/resources/online-exhibits/gods-regents-on-earth-a-thousand-years-of-byzantine-imperial-seals/rulers-of-byzantium/anonymous-justin-i-519-or-522-201327|archive-date=21 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 497 Anastasius had agreed with [[Theoderic the Great|Theoderic]], the [[Ostrogoths|Ostrogothic]] king of Italy, that he would rule Italy as Anastasius' deputy. This preserved Italy as nominally a part of the Empire, and neutralised a potentially dangerous neighbour. The arrangement suited Theodoric, as the Ostrogoths were a small aristocratic minority in Italy and the blessing of Constantinople helped reconcile the majority of the population to their rule. The feelings of the majority of Italians towards the Empire were mixed, as Anastasius was a Miaphysite, while they were Chalcedonian. The Ostrogoths were Arians, and there was a tendency to consider both them and Miaphysites as different breeds of heretics. With a strongly Chalcedonian emperor on the throne and the Italian-based papacy formally healing the rift the situation became less stable. Initially relations were friendly. Theodoric's son-in-law [[Eutharic]] was appointed consul in Constantinople in 519 and confirmed as Theodoric's heir. Eutharic died in 522, by which time Justin's policies, possibly influenced by Justinian, had become more anti-Arian. In 526 Theodoric died, leaving Eutharic's ten-year-old son [[Athalaric]] as heir to the throne.{{sfn|Vasiliev|1950|pp=321–28}}<ref name=Rom />

[[File:37-manasses-chronicle.jpg|thumb|left|Justin I (left) persecuting Miaphysites, miniature from the 12th century [[Manasses Chronicle]]]]

A number of initiatives in respect of neighbouring states were founded on religious motives, and were usually developed by Justinian as he assumed more power towards the end of Justin's reign. [[Kaleb of Axum|Kaleb I]] of [[Kingdom of Aksum|Aksum]] was probably encouraged to aggressively enlarge his empire by Justin. Contemporary chronicler John Malalas reported that Byzantine merchants were robbed and killed by the Jewish king of the south Arabian kingdom of [[Himyar]], causing Kaleb to claim, "You have acted badly because you have killed merchants of the Christian Romans, which is a loss both to myself and my kingdom."<ref name="Haas" /> Himyar was a client state of the Sassanian Persians, perennial enemies of the Byzantines. After Kaleb invaded Himyar around 523, Justin saw what is now Yemen pass from Sassanian control to the rule of an allied Christian state.<ref name="Haas">{{Cite web|url=http://users.clas.ufl.edu/sterk/junsem/haas.pdf|title=Mountain Constantines: The Christianization of Aksum and Iberi|last=Haas|first=Christopher|date=Spring 2008|pages=121–22|website=Project Muse|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329065343/http://users.clas.ufl.edu/sterk/junsem/haas.pdf|archive-date=29 March 2018|url-status=live|access-date=20 August 2018}}</ref>

A number of small states on the borders of the Byzantine Empire and of Sassanian Persia were constant areas of contention between the two powers. The Georgian [[Sasanian Iberia|Principality of Iberia]] was in the Sassanian sphere of influence, but was Christian. Iberian bishops were sent to [[Antioch]] in the Byzantine Empire to be [[consecrate]]d. [[Vakhtang I of Iberia]] was encouraged into war with the Sassanians. A "fervent Christian", his religious policies were "part and parcel of his larger strategic aims".<ref name="Haas" /> After a lengthy struggle he was defeated and Iberia subjugated as a Sassanian province in 522.<ref name="Haas" />

[[Lazica]] was another border state; it was Christian, but in the Sassanid sphere. Its king, [[Tzath I of Lazica|Tzath]], wished to weaken Sassanid influence. In 521 or 522, he went to Constantinople to receive the insignia and royal robes of kingship from Justin's hand and to make his submission. He was also [[baptized]] as a [[Christians|Christian]] and married a Byzantine noblewoman, Valeriana. After having been confirmed in his kingdom by the Byzantine emperor, he returned to Lazica. Shortly after Justin's death, the Sassanids attempted to forcibly regain control, but were beaten off with assistance from Justin's successor.{{sfn|Martindale|Jones|Morris|1980|p=1207}}{{sfn|Greatrex|Lieu|2002|pp=79–80}}

In 524, the Sassanid emperor [[Kavadh I]] approached Justin asking that he formally adopt his youngest son, [[Khosrow I|Khosrow]], in order to secure his succession over his elder, but less favoured, brothers. Justin was agreeable, but, aware that, being childless himself, an adopted Persian son would have a claim on the Byzantine throne, offered adoption according to barbarian custom. The Persians were insulted and broke off all negotiations.{{sfn|Greatrex|Lieu|2002|pp=181–82}} In 526, the Byzantines raided Persian Armenia at Justinian's initiative. Justinian was increasingly taking control of policy from his aging uncle. The raiding parties were led by two of Justinian's up-and-coming military protégees, [[Sittas]] and [[Belisarius]]. The raids achieved little, other than to make a statement of intent.<ref name=Rom />