Justinian I

person · earth · Constantinople; reconquests in Africa, Italy, Spain

Eastern Roman emperor 527-565 CE, whose jurists compiled the Corpus Iuris Civilis and whose armies reconquered Africa, Italy and part of Spain. He belongs in this journey for one reason above all: he ruled fifty years after 476 and did not consider the Roman Empire to have fallen. He legislated as Roman emperor, reconquered the western capital, and codified Roman law - which is the single most powerful argument that 476 is a periodisation choice made much later.