Editing Justinian I (section)

==Cultural depictions==
[[File:Gold solidus of Justinian I (obverse).jpg|thumb|Justinian was one of the first Roman Emperors to be depicted holding the [[Globus cruciger|cross-surmounted orb]] on the obverse of a coin.]]
[[File:Portnoy Normal DT 190913A-21205 - Copy.jpg|thumb|''Emperor Justinian in Council'' (1886), by [[Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant]], prior to restoration in 2020]]
[[File:Knachfuss Pandekten Kassel.tif|thumb|''Presentation of the [[pandects]] to Emperor Justinian'' (design for a mural in the Court building in [[Kassel]], 1891) by [[Hermann Knackfuss]]]]

In the ''[[Paradiso (Dante)|Paradiso]]'' section of the ''[[Divine Comedy]]'', Canto (chapter) VI, by [[Dante Alighieri]], Justinian I is prominently featured as a spirit residing on the sphere of [[Mercury (mythology)|Mercury]]. The latter holds in [[Heaven]] the souls of those whose acts were righteous, yet meant to achieve fame and honor. Justinian's legacy is elaborated on, and he is portrayed as a defender of the Christian faith and the restorer of Rome to the Empire. Justinian confesses that he was partially motivated by fame rather than duty to God, which tainted the justice of his rule in spite of his proud accomplishments. In his introduction, "Cesare fui e son Iustinïano" ("Caesar I was, and am Justinian"<ref>''Paradiso'', Canto VI verse 10</ref>), his mortal title is contrasted with his immortal soul, to emphasize that "glory in life is ephemeral, while contributing to God's glory is eternal", according to [[Dorothy L. Sayers]].<ref>Dorothy L. Sayers, Paradiso, notes on Canto VI.</ref> Dante also uses Justinian to criticize the factious politics of his 14th-century Italy, divided between Ghibellines and Guelphs, in contrast to the unified Italy of the Roman Empire.

Justinian is a major character in the 1938 novel ''[[Count Belisarius]]'', by Robert Graves. He is depicted as a jealous and conniving Emperor obsessed with creating and maintaining his own historical legacy.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cournos |first=John |date=20 November 1938 |orig-date=20 November 1938 |title=A Rich Novel by Robert Graves: In "Count Belisarius" He Offers Another Vivid Picture of Ancient Times, Here the Period of Justinian |language=en |work=The New York Times |page=92|quote=..."petty, envious masters. For such was the Emperor Justinian, in the full-length portrait of him in this book; his reputation for greatness is perhaps due to his wife..." }}</ref>

Justinian appears as a character in the 1939 time-travel novel ''[[Lest Darkness Fall]]'', by [[L. Sprague de Camp]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dean |first=Charlotte |date=23 February 1941 |title=Fiction in Lighter Vein: LEST DARKNESS FALL. By L. Sprague de Camp |language=en |page=21 |work=The New York Times Book Review |url=http://timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp//arch-timesmachine-fe-prd-40741-2-575473780.us-east-1.elb.amazonaws.com/timesmachine/1941/02/23/85451774.html?pageNumber=72 |access-date=2 July 2023 }}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

''The Glittering Horn: Secret Memoirs of the Court of Justinian'' was a novel written by [[Pierson Dixon]] in 1958 about the court of Justinian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BIBLIO {{!}} The Glittering Horn: Secret Memoirs of the Court of Justinian. by Dixon, Pierson {{!}} {{!}} 1958 {{!}} Jonathan Cape {{!}} |url=https://www.biblio.com/book/glittering-horn-secret-memoirs-court-justinian/d/1371294388?srsltid=AfmBOoq5gx5rbX0EWQWh1ByPY9Ftcnl7N0I-qKEKzmhzIH9JRE-MhVD_ |access-date=20 October 2024 |website=www.biblio.com}}</ref>

In the 1968 West German-Italian historical drama film ''[[Kampf um Rom]]'' (English language title: The Last Roman) Justinian is played by [[Orson Welles]].

In the 1985 Soviet film ''[[Primary Russia]]'' Justinian is played by [[Innokenty Smoktunovsky]].<ref>{{cite AV media |people= Vasilyev,Gennady (director). |date=1985 |title=Русь изначальная |trans-title=Primary Russia |type=motion picture |language=ru |time=00:02:47 |location=Soviet Union |publisher=[[Gorky Film Studio]] |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote=Юстиниан- Иннокентий СМОКТУНОВСКИЙ}}</ref>

Justinian is a chief protagonist of Belisarius in "Empire in Apocalypse" by Robert Bruton (Legend Books 2023). The emperor's jealousy and envy of Belisarius eventually prompt him to undermine his best general.

Justinian occasionally appears in the comic strip ''[[Prince Valiant]]'', usually as a nemesis of the title character.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

Justinian's Crown is a historical artifact claimed by the [[Byzantine Empire]] in the popular 2020 computer strategy game ''[[Crusader Kings 3]]'', by [[Paradox Development Studio]].<ref>Paradox Wiki's,  Historical Artifacts https://ck3.paradoxwikis.com/Artifacts {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730153805/https://ck3.paradoxwikis.com/Artifacts |date=30 July 2023 }}.</ref>