Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 1).djvu/335

 Justinian in his military capacity departed on a tour for the inspection of garrisons and fortresses throughout the East. During this period he made the palace of Hormisdas his official residence.

The reign of Justin was uneventful politically, the age of the Autocrator and his incapacity for state affairs precluding the initiation of any reforms of importance; whilst, although the foreign relations of the Empire were often in a state of tension, no considerable hostilities were undertaken. At home official activity was chiefly engrossed with the planning of police precautions for the repression of sedition. During three or four years all the chief cities were agitated by the turbulence of the Blue faction, which sought to suppress their rivals of the Green by stoning, assassination, and wrecking of their dwellings. At length, in 523, the rioters were subdued by the appointment of special Praefects, whose severity of character did not shrink from making the culprits pay the extreme penalty of the law. With its neighbours of the East and West the Empire might have existed at this