1000 Classical Characters Briefly Described

Who was Iphigenia? What did Cincinnatus do? A thousand gods, heroes and tyrants of the classical world, each explained in the time it takes to read a text message.

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Procopius

Born of a noble family in Cilicia, and related to the emperor Julian. He signalized himself under Julian, and afterward retired to the Thracian Chersonesus, whence he made his appearance at Constantinople, and proclaimed himself master of the Eastern Empire. He was defeated in Phrygia, and beheaded A. D. 366. There was a famous Greek historian of the same name, who wrote the history of the reign of Justinian, and who was secretary to Belisarius.

Procrustes (The Stretcher). A surname of the famous robber Polypemon or Damastes.

He used to tie all travelers who fell into his hands upon a bed; if they were shorter than the bed, he stretched their limbs till they were of the same length; if they were longer than the bed, he made them of the same size by cutting off some of their limbs. He was slain by Theseus.

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