A praetor was also sent to the other strait, who received his salary regularly from the Emperor, and whose duties were the same--to take care that no one transported to the barbarians on the Euxine any wares, the export of which to hostile countries was forbidden; but he was not allowed to exact any duties from these navigators.

But, from the day that Justinian succeeded to the government of affairs, he established a custom-house on both straits, and sent thither two officials to collect the dues at a fixed salary, who were ordered to get in as much money as they could.

These officials, who desired nothing better than to show their devotion to him, extorted duty upon all kinds of merchandise.

In regard to the port of Byzantium, he made the following arrangement:--He put it in charge of one of his confidants, a Syrian by birth, named Addeus, whom he ordered to exact duty from all vessels which put in there.

This Addeus would not allow those ships which had been any length of time in the harbour to leave it, until the masters had paid a sum of money to free them, or else he compelled them to take on board a freight for Libya or Italy.