Justinian was one of the most influential rulers of Byzantium. When he came to power in 527 AD, he inherited a civilization in disarray. Justinian had a positive impact on the Byzantine Empire. Most notably, he introduced a set of improved laws and conquered many surrounding nations, nearly restoring the former glory of the Roman Empire. In addition to these contributions, Justinian also made progress with the Christian Church and Byzantine architecture. Justinian was born on May 11, 483 AD in northern Illyria (Hillard 1). His parents, who were farmers, gave him the name Flavius ​​Peterus Sabbatus, but he changed his name when he was older to be more like his uncle, Justin, who adopted Justinian as his own son (Trafton 1). Justin took responsibility for Justinian's education and took him to study in Constantinople when he was a teenager. Justinian began working with his uncle, who was the Count of Excubitors and a well-known politician (Treadgold 58). The Excubitors were the emperor's guards, and Justin's job as earl included leading these soldiers. After Anastasius, the emperor at the time, died without announcing a successor, Justin was chosen by Anastasius's courtiers to be the next ruler. Justin was nearly 70 years old and uneducated, so he enlisted his nephew, then 36 years old, to help him in his rule (Treadgold 58). When his uncle became emperor in 518 AD, Justinian became one of Justin's advisors. As Justin grew older, he began to give Justinian's opinions more weight in his own decisions. In 522 AD, Justinian met an ancient actress. Her name was Schuyler, and she had abandoned her original career after becoming a Christian, to begin earning a living spinning wool. Middle of paper ....... Hillard, Richard L. "Justinian I." History of Salem. Salem, nd Web. May 3, 2014. .5. Howe, Helen and Robert T. Howe. Ancient and medieval worlds. Np: Longman, 1992. Print.6. Hussey, Joan Mervyn. “Justinian I.” Britannica High School. Britannica Digital Learning, nd Web. May 3, 2014. .7. “Law of the Twelve Tables.” Britannica High School. Britannica Digital Learning, nd Web. May 3, 2014. .8. Snell, Melissa. “The Theodosian Code”. About.com. About.com, and Web. April 30, 2014. .9. Trafton, Jennifer et al., eds. “Justinian I and Theodora I.” Christianity today. Christian History, nd Web. April 30, 2014. .10. Treadgold, Warren. A Concise History of Byzantium. Np: Palgrave, 2001. Print.