"The Secret History," also known as "The Anecdota," is a history book that details events and historical occurrences in the Byzantine Empire. Written by Procopius, a prominent Byzantine imperial official who served as an official of the emperor at one point. The book portrays life at the shadowy center of the Byzantine empire under the reign of Emperor Justinian. It describes the crimes the emperor, his wicked courtiers, and his wife Theodora committed.