Justinian I

Justinian I (lived 482—565, reigned 527—565) was an Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, emperor. Justinian set out on a campaign to restore the Roman empire and, through his generals, subdued territories in North Africa, Dalmatia, Sicily, Italy, Rome, and the Iberian Peninsula. Justinian re-wrote Roman law and his new laws became the basis of civil law even for many modern governments. Justinian is probably most famous for rebuilding the Church of Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) after the original church was destroyed during riots. The Hagia Sophia was an architectural wonder which can still be visited today, although it has recently been converted into a mosque.