Besides this, Justinian found other means of contriving to plunder his
subjects, not _en masse_ and at once, but by degrees and individually.
These methods I will now proceed to describe as well as I am able.
First of all he appointed a new magistrate, who had the right of
conferring upon all those who kept shops the privilege of selling
their wares at whatever price they pleased, on payment of a yearly
rent to the Emperor. The citizens were compelled to make their
purchases in the market, where they paid three times as much as
elsewhere; nor, although he suffered severe loss, was the purchaser
allowed to claim damages from anyone, for part of the profit went to
the Emperor, and part to increase the salary of these officials.
Purchasers were equally cheated by the magistrates' servants, who took
part in these disgraceful transactions, while the shopkeepers, who
were allowed to put themselves beyond reach of the law, inflicted
great hardships upon their customers--not merely by raising their
prices many times over, but by being guilty of unheard-of frauds in
regard to their wares. Afterwards, Justinian instituted several
"monopolies," as they were called, and sold the liberty of the subject
to any who were willing to undertake this disgraceful traffic, after
having settled with them the price that was to be paid. This done, he
allowed those with whom he had made the bargain to carry out the
management of the affair in whatever way they thought fit. He made
these disgraceful arrangements, without any attempt at concealment,
with all the other magistrates, who plundered their subjects with less
apprehension, either themselves or through their agents, since some
part of the profits of the plunder always fell to the share of the
Emperor. Under the pretence that the former magistrates were
insufficient to carry out these arrangements (although the city
prefect had previously been able to deal with all criminal charges) he
created two new ones. His object in this was, that he might have at
his disposal a larger number of informers, and that he might the more
easily inflict punishment and torture upon the innocent. One of these
was called Praetor of the People, whose nominal duty it was to deal
with thieves; the second was called the Commissioner, whose function
it was to punish all cases of paederasty, buggery, superstition and
heresy. If the Praetor found any articles of value amongst stolen
goods, he handed them over to the Emperor, declaring that no owner
could be found for them, and in this manner Justinian every day got
possession of something of very great value. The Commissioner, after
he had condemned offenders, confiscated what he pleased out of their
estates and bestowed it upon the Emperor, who thus, in defiance of the
law, enriched himself out of the fortunes of others; for the servants
of these magistrates did not even take the trouble at the commencement
of the trial to bring forward accusers or to produce any witnesses to
the offences, but, during the whole of this period, without
intermission, unexamined and unconvicted, the accused were secretly
punished by death and the confiscation of their property by the
Emperor.
Afterwards, this accursed wretch ordered both these magistrates and
the city prefect to deal with all criminal affairs indifferently,
bidding them enter into rivalry to see which of them could destroy the
greatest number of citizens in the shortest time. It is said that,
when one of them asked him which of them should have the decision if
anyone was accused before all three, he replied, "Whichever of you has
anticipated the others."
He debased the office of Quaestor, which almost all the preceding
Emperors had held in especial regard, so that it was only filled by
men of wisdom and experience, who above all were learned in the law
and free from all suspicion of corruptibility, for it was felt that it
would unavoidably be disastrous to the State if it were to be filled
by men without experience or who were the slaves of avarice. This
Emperor first bestowed it upon Tribonianus, whose character and
misdeeds I have sufficiently described elsewhere. After his death,
Justinian seized part of his estate, although he had left a son and
several relatives who survived him. He then appointed Junilus (a
Libyan by birth), a man who had not so much as a hearsay knowledge of
law, for he had not even studied it in the public schools. Although he
had a knowledge of Latin, he had never had any tuition in Greek, and
was unable to speak the language. Frequently, when he attempted to say
a few words in Greek, he was laughed at by his own servants. He was so
mad after filthy lucre, that he had not the least scruple in publicly
selling letters of office signed by the Emperor, and was never ashamed
to stretch out his hand to those who had to do with him for a stater
of gold. For no less than seven years the State dured the shame and
ridicule brought upon it by this officer.
On the death of Junilus, Justinian elevated to this office
Constantine, who was not unacquainted with law, but was very young and
had never yet taken part in a trial; besides which, he was the most
abandoned thief and braggart in the world. Justinian entertained the
highest regard for him and showed him very great favour, condescending
to make him the chief instrument of his extortion and sole arbiter in
legal decisions. By this means Constantine in a short time amassed
great wealth, but his insolence was outrageous, and his pride led him
to treat everyone with contempt. Even those who were desirous of
making him considerable presents were obliged to intrust them to those
who seemed to be most in his confidence, for no one was permitted to
approach or converse with him, except when he was hurrying to or
returning from the Emperor. Even then he did not slacken his pace,
but walked on hastily, for fear that those who approached him might
waste his time without paying for it. Such was the manner in which
Justinian dealt with the Quaestorship.