high treasurer who dealt with the emperor's finances and payments from the imperial treasury. He rose through the ranks, became the commander of the emperor's eunuch bodyguard, and eventually became Grand Chamberlain (praepositus sacri cubiculi) and Master of Soldiers (magister militum). Although Theodosius II had, in 422, barred eunuchs from serving as patricians (which meant that the Grand Chamberlain "was not a magistrate, but a 'minister'"), Justinian overturned this law, and so Narses became a patrician, too. Nika riots Narses had a part in quashing the Nika riots in 532; he was instructed by Justinian or Theodora to take sufficient funds to bribe the Blue Faction's leaders. Narses appealed to their factionalism, reminding them that Hypatius, the man they were about to declare emperor, was a Green, and that Justinian supported the Blues. Either the money or his words persuaded the Blue faction to support Justinian and turn against Hypatius. Narses himself may have been with the men that dragged Hypatius from the throne on the Imperial Stand. Military career Narses' involvement and help in suppressing the Nika Riots suddenly found him in charge of a moderately-sized army that would go to Italy to help Belisarius. The army arrived in June of 538 probably in Ancona and consisted of roughly 7,000 soldiers. (Every army that Narses commanded was made up of very diverse peoples, drawing from many of the surrounding tribes.) Procopius referred to Narses as the eunuch and keeper of the royal treasuries, and described him as "keen and more energetic than would be expected of a eunuch". Narses met with Belisarius at Firmum where a council of war was held. The council discussed what should happen at Rimini and with the commander of troops, John. Narses commented that he had already been punished for his "insolence" and that if the Goths took Rimini then it could turn the tide of the war. Belisarius and Narses led a column of troops through inland mountainous routes to descend upon Rimini from the northwest. John owed his thanks to Narses for convincing Belisarius, and according to Procopius, commented on the relationship between the two men. "And from that time both these men [Belisarius and Narses] began to regard each other with great suspicion." During the autumn and winter months of 538–39, the Army in Italy was divided into two parties, between Belisarius and Narses. Justinian himself dispatched a letter to Belisarius,