estore the empire to match the size thatit was at the time of the Roman Empire. These immense military efforts did all but exhaust theempire’s treasury. He even had to pay Persia for peace just so that he could have a free hand in the west.However, even after Justinian’s immense efforts, after his death, most of Italy, SouthernSpain, and Africa were once again recaptured, leaving only Justinian’s dream of restoring theempire to the glory it once knew. His dream had failed (The Empire at the time of Justinian). Thewesterners didn’t want to return to some of the old Roman ways such as Roman taxation, Romanjustice, and the imperial influences in their lives. The Easterners didn’t want to waste moneydefending western conquests and were impoverished by the cost of these wars. During this time ofwar Justinian had to raise the taxes in order to pay for the war, and rebuild the burnt city as firewas set to the city in the Nika Revolt. There were great losses due to the wars. Italy laid in ruinsand residents lived in poverty for centuries after this tragedy. Along with this, much of Rome’sgreat buildings could have survived if Justinian had left the Ostrogoths in Italy. Even thoughJustinian’s reconquests in the west were not permanent, his destruction or weakening of civilized Germanictribes was. The only tribe untouched by Justinian was the Burgundians who had too few people toexercise any real power. Easterners didn’t stop the new invaders in the west when Justinian died.The Persians recognized the weakness, and after Justinian’s death, they attacked theByzantine Empire. After all this, the Eastern and Westerners wanted to restore the empire. Finally,in 632 AD, the Byzantine’s were victorious over the Persia...
