landed
property were obliged to furnish provisions for the soldiers in
proportion to the amount imposed upon each, and these dues were fixed,
not in consideration of the necessities of the moment, but according
to an authorised imperial assessment; and, if at any time they had not
a sufficient supply upon their lands for the needs of the horses and
soldiers, these unhappy persons were forced to purchase them even at a
price far above their proper value, and to convey them in many cases
from a considerable distance to the place where the troops were
encamped, and to distribute them to the adjutants in what quantity and
at what rate the latter pleased, not at a fair and reasonable price.
This import was called "the import of victualling," which, as it were,
cut the sinews of all the landed proprietors; for they had to pay an
annual tribute ten times greater than before, and were obliged not
only to furnish supplies the soldiers, but on several occasions to
convey corn to Byzantium. Barsyames was not the only man who had the
audacity to introduce this cursed exaction, John of Cappadocia had set
the example, and the successors of Barsyames in his office followed
it. Such was the nature of the Syn[=o]n[=e], as it was called.

The "Epibol[=e]" was a kind of unforeseen ruin, which suddenly
attacked the landed proprietors and utterly deprived them of the hope
of subsistence; for, in the case of estates that were deserted and
unproductive, the owners or tenants of which had either died or
abandoned their country and hidden themselves after the misfortunes
they had undergone, Justinian did not hesitate to impose a tax. Such
were these "impositions," which were of frequent occurrence during
that time.

A few words will suffice for the impost called "Diagraph[=e]." At this
time especially, the cities were afflicted with heavy losses, the
causes and extent of which I will say nothing about, for it would be
an endless tale. These losses had to be repaired by the landed
proprietors in proportion to the rate at which they were assessed.
Their misery, however, did not stop there, but, although pestilence
had attacked the whole world, and, especially, the Roman Empire;
although most of the farmers had fallen victims, and their properties
had become deserted, Justinian did not show the least clemency towards
the owners. He continued to exact the yearly tribute from them, not
only their own proportion, but that of their neighbours who ha