SCRIPT

Cast of Characters:

Emperor Justin (dead uncle): Terren

Empress Theodora: Mckenna

Emperor Justinian I: Luc

Narrator: Terren

General Belisarius: Griffin

Soldier 1: Israel

Soldier 2: Nolan

Rebel 1: Mitchell

Rebel 2: Ethan I

Pope: Griffin

The Legacy of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora

Scene: 1 introduction scene/ Death

 The view of the camera is black, nothing is in sight

Justin: I believe you all know that I havent been doing well recently, you may have all

heard that it is just a common disease nothing to worry about out.

Emperor Justin pauses, he suddenly looks very serious

Justin: That is a lie.

The audience gasps

Justin: My healers have looked into this sickness and have found out that in a few

months, (Justin pauses) I will have passed away.

Cries of outrage goes through the crowd

Justin: I have tried to be the best emperor I can be, and I am disappointed in myself that

I couldnt do more. (Pauses)

I have come to the conclusion that I need to pick my successor, and I would like to

announce that my nephew Justinian is to be the new ruler of the Byzantine empire

(pauses, shorter than last time), after my death.

 Setting switches to a grassy field, Justin is in the center holding a cross to his (Her)

chest, he is surrounded by at least five people, (6 if counting Justinian, who is also at

the scene). The sky is gray.

Pope: (holy muttering, has hands clasped together)

Narrator:(camera is viewing the people at Justins funeral as she speaks) (Wait at least

5 seconds before talking) Emperor Justin died August first, 527 C.E. he was 77 years

old. With Justin dead, Justinian would become emperor.

Scene switches to church altar, (Luc, see if we can get a background of

Constantinoples church altar, without any tourists in the image, [No people at all

would be great]) the only people on the scene should be the Priest, who is holding the

crown and Justinian, who is kneeling, we should film this scene from different angle

Narrator: Emperor Justinian was proclaimed emperor 528 C.E. although many citizens

of the Byzantine empire dismissed him as just a new average ruler, he was not.

(pauses)
Even though he was considered one of the best Byzantine emperors today, during his

time he was considered a tyrant

Pope: (Closes book in hand and holds out palm at justinian, angle for this scene) I now

pronounce you Emperor Justinian the first (scene ends)

Scene 2: Theodora: do you know what is bugging me?

Theodora: Do you know what is bugging me?

Justinian: what, my empress?

Theodora: Every one is still mad at you for marrying me.

Justinian: I know. Maybe you can do something to change their mind about us being

together.

Theodora: LIke what? If I tell them something they will not listen.

Justinian: well make them listen. They have to listen to us or it is tresen.

Theodora: Your right. I will just tell them something they will not be able to not listen.

Justinian: You go do that.

Theodora: I will tell them that starting soon Women will have more rights!

Justinian: Wait what.

Theodora: You hear me! I will make my mark and stand up for women
Justinian: That is a good idea!

Theodora: So you think that i should do that?

Justinian: yes of course

Background change to a village

Theodora: Good day people I have announcement to make. ( there are some whisper) I

am going to change the law so women have more rights. ( the whispering stops) That is

right! I will stand up for my fellow women.

Narrator: The women of the Byzantine empire really liked that idea however the some of

the men in the Byzantine empire werent so happy about that

Scene 3: Conquering former Western Roman lands to return the glory of the fallen

Scene starts in Justinians throne room Justinian is at the throne, Theodora is besides

him and General Belisarius is there kneeling in front of them

Narrator: General Belisarius, was Justinians most trusted military leader of all, while

Justinian was a strong leader when it came to policies and decisions, Belisarius knew

how to control the battlefield. (Pauses) Justinian was ambitious, he wanted to prove that
he was a powerful leader, One of his main amibitions was to reclaim the western roman

empire, Belisarius was perfect for the job.

Scene switches to map of the Byzantine empire conquers between Justinians

beginning and the end of his conquering

Narrator: Belisarius conquered almost all of Italy then he went to the outreaches of

North Africa and even went as far as Spain (pauses) Belisarius is possibly the most

famous for facing King Vitiges of the Goths

Scene switches to a snowy area Belisarius is standing with two soldier running towards

him looking panicked

Soldier 1: Sir the Goths are coming

Belisarius: Let them come, it will be at their own risk

Soldier 2: But their army sir, its nearly three times the size of our own

Belisarius: (looks at him for a moment) We have a plan, Vitiges may be a powerful king

but he abuses his power and that is his flaw, now will you always fight for your

emperor?
Soldier 2: Of course sir but

Belisarius:(Interrupting) and you (now looks at soldier 1)

Soldier 1: Always General

Scene darkens Belisarius is no longer in the picture, soldier 1 and soldier 2 clash

weapons with the same actor as rebel 2 playing a gothic soldier, will have same

clothing, Scene ends

Scene switches back to map

Narrator: Belisarius defeated King Vitiges who had a much more powerful force than his

own, and when the conquerings were finished he returned to Constantinople. (Pauses)

Unfortunately Theodora was right, the citizens were angry, and now they were more

ready for revolution than ever

Scene 4: convincing justinian to stay during the nika riots

Scene starts with rebels standing in a dark alleyway

Rebel 1: Ive had enough of this

Rebel 2: I know, Im so angry!

Rebel 1: Justinian thinks he can do whatever he wants, well I say its time for revolution!

Rebel 2: I completely agree

Setting switches to audience view Justinian is on stage viewing something

 Scene shows a chariot race (see if we can get a video on that Luc, Be sure to include

the source in the credits)

Narrator: The Nika riots started off with a chariot race, the blues and greens chariot

teams were always a favorite of the people in the audience, however as the game went

on the audience began to notice something (pauses) many of the fans of the greens

and blues, began yelling, not cheering for the chariot teams but rather throwing insults

at Justinian, and soon insults became violence when the rebels began to strike.

Rebels 1 and 2 arrive on stage and head for Justinian with swords drawn Theodora and

Justinian run off stage

Justinian: Have the riots stopped yet

Theodora: No Im afraid, theyre still going on, the rebels are getting more violent, some

of our men are injured and some may or may not be dead

Justinian: (stands up) Thats it then we need to evacuate, we cant stay here

Constantinople is lost

Justinian begins to evacuate but Theodora stops him

Theodora: Were not leaving, Im no coward, you are going to face those rebels and Im

going to help.

Justinian: But we are prisoners here we have to leave

Theodora: (pauses for quite awhile) This is not what your uncle wouldve wanted

(leaves scene)

Screen goes black

Narrator: Theodora eventually did convince Justinian to stay during the Nika riots, he

managed to put down the rebels but afterwards Constantinople was in ruins, From that

day forward Justinian made an important decision

Scene 5 : justinian 1 ordering the creation of a code of law code of justinian from 529 to

535

In the palace of justinian and theodora

Justinian: This empire need something to help the law because the law is a mess.

General Belisarius: Like what did you have in mind?

Justinian: I dont know, Maybe something like a code to right done the law.

General Belisarius: So it is like Justinian Is code.

Justinian: yes, it will have four books Codex Constitutionum, Digesta, or Pandectae,

Institutions, and Novellae Constitutiones Post Codicem.

General Belisarius: that is awesome! You should so do that.

Justinian: ok then I will

General Belisarius: Lets get writing

Narrator: After a long time of writing down all the rules the code was finally finished.

When he shared the new way of the law the people finally liked something he did, many

of the laws in his code are still used today

The end