Echi di propaganda giustinianea in un contacio di Romano il Melodo (n° 54 Maas-Trypanis)

The 'kontakion' "On earthquakes and fires" (nr. 54 Maas-Trypanis) appears to be a unicum within the production of Romanos the Melodos (VIth century), as it does not concern religious themes, but contemporary events: earthquakes and fires that stroke the city of Constantinople, and expecially the uprising of the Constantinopolitan mob known as 'the Nika riot'. This paper analyzes the rhetorical strategies employed by Romanos to justify emperor Justinian's behaviour and deeds on occasion of the cruel repression of the 'Nika' riot, and to celebrate the imperial couple for the reconstruction of the city's buildings and for the restoration of the church of Hagia Sophia.