Justin II (c. 520โ578 AD) was Eastern Roman Emperor from 565 to 578. The nephew of Justinian I, he inherited a bankrupt treasury and an overstretched empire.
Determined to restore fiscal stability and imperial dignity, he abruptly stopped paying tributes to foreign enemies, including the Avars and the Persians. While financially prudent, this policy backfired diplomatically, triggering a devastating war with the Sasanian Empire in 572.
In 573, the Byzantines lost Dara to the Persians. Dara was their largest strategic fortress on the Mesopotamian border, critical for guarding the core supply route of the eastern legions and checking nearby Nisibis. Around this time, Justin II developed a severe mental illness, rendering him incapable of ruling. Recognizing his condition, he abdicated power to his general Tiberius II Constantine, who stepped in as regent.
Modern historians and medical experts believe that Justin II's madness was not a simple reaction to the shock of losing Dara or stress, but likely a clinical mental or neurological illness. His bizarre behaviorsโsuch as experiencing hallucinations, aggressive outbursts like trying to bite his attendants, and needing to be pulled around the palace in a wheeled throne while listening to organ music to calm downโsuggest several possibilities. These include acute psychosis (such as schizophrenia), vascular dementia or stroke, neurosyphilis, or a genetic predisposition combined with the overwhelming pressure of ruling the empire.