Arsaces

Arsaces was a Byzantine conspirator against Emperor Justinian I . He was the instigator of Artabanes's conspiracy. The main source about him is Procopius.

Biography Arsaces was an Armenian and a descendant of the Arsacid dynasty of Armenia. He was also a kinsman of the general Artabanes, though the exact relation is not recorded.

At some point, Arsaces established correspondence with Khosrau I , ruler of the Sassanid Empire. He was caught by imperial authorities and accused of treason. He was convicted, but Emperor Justinian I reserved for him a relatively mild punishment. Arsaces was sentenced to a public flagellation, while paraded through the streets of Constantinople on the back of a camel. The punishment was aimed to leave him physically unharmed but humiliated. Arsaces was not grateful to Emperor Justinian, holding a grudge.

Arsaces reportedly planned to take advantage of the personal habits of Emperor Justinian. The Byzantine emperor spent his nights "till late hours" in study of the Bible. He was surrounded by elderly priests instead of guards. The conspirators could take advantage of this lax security. However, the conspirators first needed to gain more support. They attempted to recruit members of Emperor Justinian's own family: Germanus and his sons Justin and Justinian. Although Marcellus hesitated to inform Emperor Justinian without further proof, eventually he revealed the conspiracy to the Byzantine emperor. Justinian ordered the conspirators imprisoned and questioned, but they were otherwise treated remarkably leniently. Artabanes was stripped of his offices and confined to the palace under guard, but was soon pardoned. The further fate of Arsaces is not recorded.