Justin I was an Eastern Roman emperor who reigned from 518 to 527. Born into a peasant family in Bederiana, he rose through the military ranks to become the commander of the imperial guard. Following the death of Emperor Anastasius I, he secured the throne and established the Justinian dynasty, which included his nephew, the future Justinian I. His rule was characterized by a strong commitment to Chalcedonian Christianity, which helped mend the religious schism between the churches in Rome and Constantinople.