Editing Justin I (section)

== Early career ==
Justin was a peasant and possibly a [[swineherd]] by occupation,{{sfn|Cameron|2000|p=63}} from the region of Dardania, part of the [[Prefecture of Illyricum]].{{sfn|Binns|1996|p=}}  He was born in the [[hamlet (place)|hamlet]] Bederiana near [[Naissus]] (modern [[Niš]], [[Serbia]]).{{sfn|Cameron|2000|p=63}} He was of [[Thraco-Roman]]{{sfn|Browning|2003|p=23}}{{sfn|Mócsy|2014|p=350}}{{efn|His companions and relatives—Zimarchus, Dityvistus, and Boraides—bore a Thracian name.{{sfn|Evans|1996|p=96}}{{Failed verification|reason= Evans never mentions the word Thrace let alone claiming that Justin is a supposedly "Thracian" name on p. 96. |date=August 2023}}}} or [[Illyro-Roman]] descent,{{sfn|Russu|1976|p=73}}{{sfn|Procopius|1927|p=73}}{{sfn|Croke|2001|p=75}} spoke Latin and only rudimentary Greek. His sister Vigilantia (born {{circa|455}}) married Sabbatius and had two children: the future emperor [[Justinian I|Petrus Sabbatius Justinianus]] (born 483) and [[Vigilantia]] (born {{circa}} 490). The younger Vigilantia married Dulcissimus (or Dulcidio) and had at least three children: the future emperor [[Justin II]] (born {{circa}} 520); the future general [[Marcellus (brother of Justin II)|Marcellus]]; and [[Praejecta]] (born {{circa}} 520), who married the senator Areobindus.{{sfn|Martindale|Jones|Morris|1980|pp=645–49, 1165}}

As a young man, he and two companions left Dardania in order to escape the poverty of the region.<ref>Procopius, Secret History, Chapter 6, trans. Kaldellis, pp. 28-30</ref> Taking refuge in [[Constantinople]], the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, they possessed nothing more than the ragged clothes on their backs and a sack of bread among them.{{sfn|Chapman|1971|p=210}} Illiterate at the time of his arrival there,{{sfn|Chapman|1971|p=210}} Justin joined the newly formed palace guard, the ''[[excubitors]]''. He served in various positions, campaigning against the Isaurians and the [[Sasanian Empire|Sassanian Persians]] and was noticed for his bravery. Because of his ability he was successively appointed a [[tribune]], a ''[[comes]]'', a [[Byzantine Senate|senator]] and, under the Emperor [[Anastasius I Dicorus]], the influential position of ''[[comes excubitorum]]'', commander of the palace guard.{{sfn|Smith|Anthon|1895|p=[https://books.google.com/books?id=dicBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA677 677]}}{{sfn|Jones|1986|p=658}} During this period he married [[Lupicina]]; no surviving children are recorded from this marriage. According to contemporary historian [[Procopius]], Lupicina was a [[barbarian]] [[Slavery in ancient Rome|slave]] who had been Justin's [[concubinage|concubine]] before their marriage.<ref name=Greatrex>{{cite web|url=http://www.roman-emperors.org/euphem.htm#N_1_|title=Roman Emperors – DIR Euphemia|website=www.roman-emperors.org|access-date=20 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821031654/http://www.roman-emperors.org/euphem.htm#N_1_|archive-date=21 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>