AGATHIAS (c. A.D. 536—582)  , of Myrina in Aeolis, Greek poet and historian . He studied law at Alexandria, completed his training at Constantinople and practised as an advocate (scholasticus) in the courts . Literature, however, was his favourite pursuit . He wrote a number of short love-poems in epic metre, called Daphniaca . He next put together a kind of anthology, containing epigrams by earlier and contemporary poets and him-self, under the title of a Cycle of New Epigrams . About a hundred epigrams by Agathias have been preserved in the Greek Anthology and show considerable taste and elegance . After the death of Justinian (565), some of Agathias's friends persuaded him to write the history of his own times . This work, in five books, begins where Procopius ends,. and is the chief authority for the period 552—558 . It deals chiefly with the struggles of the Byzantine army, under the command of the eunuch Narses, against the Goths, Vandals; Franks and Persians . The author prides himself on his honesty and impartiality, but he is lacking in judgment and knowledge of facts; the work, however, is valuable from the importance of the events of which it treats .