Author: Procopius of Caesarea:

Title: The Secret History of the Court of the Emperor Justinian. Written by Procopius of Cesarea; faithfully rendered into English.

Publication: London: printed for John Barkesdale bookbinder, over against the Five Bells in Newstreet, between Fe 1674.

Description: 8vo., pp.[ii], 162. Woodcut initials, typographical headpiece. Title-page very slightly toned, a few small spots and smudges. Rear board contemporary brown calf, spine and upper board sympathetically replaced. Raised bands, red gilt morocco label to spine, boards blind tooled, edges marbled. Rear board a little worn and rubbed, a few marks to endpapers, very good. Ownership inscription in an old hand to title-page. Also to title, a small embossed coat of arms seemingly of Thomas Augustus Wolstenholme Parker, 6th Earl of Macclesfield (1811-1896).

The first English translation of this important work by the Byzantine Greek scholar and historian Procopius (c.500-565). Also known as the Anecdota or Historia Arcana, the text was long thought lost until a copy was discovered in the Vatican Library. Issued in print for the first time in 1623 by Niccolo Alamanni of Lyon, the text itself is generally thought to date from 550, or possible 558. It spans roughly the same period as the first seven books of The History of the Wars, though it appears to have been written after they were published.

Bibliography: ESTC R21705.

Reference Number: [55060]

Price: £1500

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