[Footnote*:SchlosserGeschichtederbildersturmendenKaiser，p。90supposedthattheyoungprincesweremutilatedafterthefirstinsurrection；thatafterthistheactswerestillinscribedwiththeirnames，theprincesbeingcloselysecludedinthepalace。TheimprobabilityofthiscircumstancemaybeweighedagainstGibbon\'swantofauthorityforhisstatement。—M。]
Afterthedeceaseofhisfather，theinheritanceoftheRomanworlddevolvedtoJustinianII。；andthenameofatriumphantlawgiverwasdishonoredbythevicesofaboy，whoimitatedhisnamesakeonlyintheexpensiveluxuryofbuilding。
Hispassionswerestrong；hisunderstandingwasfeeble；andhewasintoxicatedwithafoolishpride，thathisbirthhadgivenhimthecommandofmillions，ofwhomthesmallestcommunitywouldnothavechosenhimfortheirlocalmagistrate。Hisfavoriteministersweretwobeingstheleastsusceptibleofhumansympathy，aeunuchandamonk:totheoneheabandonedthepalace，totheotherthefinances；theformercorrectedtheemperor\'smotherwithascourge，thelattersuspendedtheinsolventtributaries，withtheirheadsdownwards，overaslowandsmokyfire。SincethedaysofCommodusandCaracalla，thecrueltyoftheRomanprinceshadmostcommonlybeentheeffectoftheirfear；butJustinian，whopossessedsomevigorofcharacter，enjoyedthesufferings，andbravedtherevenge，ofhissubjects，abouttenyears，tillthemeasurewasfull，ofhiscrimesandoftheirpatience。Inadarkdungeon，Leontius，ageneralofreputation，hadgroanedabovethreeyears，withsomeofthenoblestandmostdeservingofthepatricians:hewassuddenlydrawnforthtoassumethegovernmentofGreece；andthispromotionofaninjuredmanwasamarkofthecontemptratherthanoftheconfidenceofhisprince。Ashewasfollowedtotheportbythekindofficesofhisfriends，Leontiusobserved，withasigh，thathewasavictimadornedforsacrifice，andthatinevitabledeathwouldpursuehisfootsteps。Theyventuredtoreply，thatgloryandempiremightbetherecompenseofagenerousresolution；thateveryorderofmenabhorredthereignofamonster；andthatthehandsoftwohundredthousandpatriotsexpectedonlythevoiceofaleader。Thenightwaschosenfortheirdeliverance；andinthefirsteffortoftheconspirators，thepraefectwasslain，andtheprisonswereforcedopen:theemissariesofLeontiusproclaimedineverystreet，\"Christians，toSt。Sophia!\"andtheseasonabletextofthepatriarch，\"ThisisthedayoftheLord!\"wasthepreludeofaninflammatorysermon。Fromthechurchthepeopleadjournedtothehippodrome:
Justinian，inwhosecausenotaswordhadbeendrawn，wasdraggedbeforethesetumultuaryjudges，andtheirclamorsdemandedtheinstantdeathofthetyrant。ButLeontius，whowasalreadyclothedwiththepurple，castaneyeofpityontheprostratesonofhisownbenefactorandofsomanyemperors。ThelifeofJustinianwasspared；theamputationofhisnose，perhapsofhistongue，wasimperfectlyperformed:thehappyflexibilityoftheGreeklanguagecouldimposethenameofRhinotmetus；andthemutilatedtyrantwasbanishedtoChersonaeinCrim—Tartary，alonelysettlement，wherecorn，wine，andoil，wereimportedasforeignluxuries。
OntheedgeoftheScythianwilderness，Justinianstillcherishedtheprideofhisbirth，andthehopeofhisrestoration。Afterthreeyears\'exile，hereceivedthepleasingintelligencethathisinjurywasavengedbyasecondrevolution，andthatLeontiusinhisturnhadbeendethronedandmutilatedbytherebelApsimar，whoassumedthemorerespectablenameofTiberius。Buttheclaimoflinealsuccessionwasstillformidabletoaplebeianusurper；andhisjealousywasstimulatedbythecomplaintsandchargesoftheChersonites，whobeheldthevicesofthetyrantinthespiritoftheexile。Withabandoffollowers，attachedtohispersonbycommonhopeorcommondespair，JustinianfledfromtheinhospitableshoretothehordeoftheChozars，whopitchedtheirtentsbetweentheTanaisandBorysthenes。Thekhanentertainedwithpityandrespecttheroyalsuppliant:Phanagoria，onceanopulentcity，ontheAsiaticsideofthelakeMoeotis，wasassignedforhisresidence；andeveryRomanprejudicewasstifledinhismarriagewiththesisteroftheBarbarian，whoseems，however，fromthenameofTheodora，tohavereceivedthesacramentofbaptism。ButthefaithlessChozarwassoontemptedbythegoldofConstantinople:andhadnotthedesignbeenrevealedbytheconjugalloveofTheodora，herhusbandmusthavebeenassassinatedorbetrayedintothepowerofhisenemies。Afterstrangling，withhisownhands，thetwoemissariesofthekhan，Justiniansentbackhiswifetoherbrother，andembarkedontheEuxineinsearchofnewandmorefaithfulallies。Hisvesselwasassaultedbyaviolenttempest；