AGATHIAS

born c. 536, , Myrina, Aeolis, Asia Minor died c. 582 Byzantine poet and author of a history, covering part of Justinian I's reign. After studying law at Alexandria, he completed his training at Constantinople and practiced in the courts as an advocate. He wrote a number of short love poems in epic metre, called Daphniaca, and compiled an anthology of epigrams by earlier and contemporary poets, including his own. About 100 epigrams by Agathias have been preserved in the Greek Anthology. After the death of Justinian I (565), he began a history of his own times. This unfinished work in five books stands as the chief authority for the period 552558.