Justinian II

Justinian II Rhinotmetos (669, Constantinople – December 11, 711, Sinope, Byzantine Empire), the Byzantine Emperor from 685–695 and 705–711. Relying upon the landowning aristocracy of the provinces, he attempted to consolidate imperial authority and fought against the separatist tendencies of the cities. Between 687 and 689, he campaigned in Thrace and Macedonia to subjugate the Slavic populations residing there, subsequently deporting a portion of these Slavs to Asia Minor. In 692, he suffered a military defeat against the Arabs.

After a conspiracy led by the military commander Leontios, Justinian II was deposed from the throne in 695. His nose was amputated (from which his epithet Rhinotmetos originates, signifying "slit-nosed" in Greek), and he was exiled to Chersonesos. Justinian II escaped from exile. Varaz-Bakuri, the Erismtavari [Prince] of Kartli from the House of the Bagrationi (alongside his brother), accompanying him. With their assistance, and that of the Bulgarian Khan Tervel, Justinian II reclaimed the imperial throne in 705. In recognition of this assistance, he appointed Varaz-Bakuri as the Strategos of the Opsikion Theme and bestowed upon him the high court title of Protopatrikios. After this, Varaz-Bakuri apparently returned to Georgia temporarily. An inscription put down by his command on the pedestal of the Abastumani Cross records: "Here, by the grace of Christ, under King Justinian, [I was]... magnified by God above all my kin..."

Literature: ასათიანი ვ., ბიზანტიური ცივილიზაცია, თბ., 2006; გოილაძე ვ., ბიზანტიის აღმოსავლური პოლიტიკის ასახვა ქართულ ეპიგრაფიკაში, თბ., 2008.

V. Goiladze