Pragmatic Sanction

Roman history [554]

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July 13, 2026

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The Pragmatic Sanction of 554 was an imperial decree issued by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 554. It aimed to restore the social and economic well-being of Italy after the devastating Gothic Wars. The decree addressed issues such as land ownership, taxation, and the administration of justice, attempting to re-establish Roman law and order. However, the war-torn state of Italy made a full return to normal life impossible during Justinian's lifetime, and much of the country was lost to Lombard invaders shortly after his death.1

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Italy
The end of the Roman world
…in 554 Justinian issued the Pragmatic Sanction setting forth its terms: Italy was made a province of the Byzantine Empire, with its capital still at Ravenna (Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, however, were to remain administratively separate), and the Ostrogothic political system was to be dissolved. Indeed, the Ostrogoths virtually vanished…
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…in 554 Justinian issued the Pragmatic Sanction setting forth its terms: Italy was made a province of the Byzantine Empire, with its capital still at Ravenna (Sicily, Sardinia, and Corsica, however, were to remain administratively separate), and the Ostrogothic political system was to be dissolved. Indeed, the Ostrogoths virtually vanished…
Read More