Overview
This lecture covers the life and campaigns of Flavius Belisarius, Justinian's renowned general, his military reforms, major battles against Persians, Vandals, and Ostrogoths, the challenges to the Eastern Roman Empire, and the impact of plague and internal politics.
Justinian and the Eastern Roman Empire
- Justinian I became emperor in 527 AD, with ambitions to reunite the Roman Empire.
- His goals included church unity between Chalcedonian and Miaphysite Christians and legal reform.
- The empire faced threats from Persians, internal strife, and lingering barbarian kingdoms in the West.
Belisarius and Military Reforms
- Belisarius, from a modest background, became Justinian’s key general.
- The Roman army was reorganized, with elite cavalry (clibanarii, cataphracti), mercenary units, and smaller infantry formations (numerus).
- Recruitment of ‘barbarians’ as foederati and mercenaries was common practice.
Major Campaigns and Battles
Against Persia
- Battle of Dara (530): Belisarius defeated a larger Persian force with tactical innovations.
- Failure at Callinicum led to his brief dismissal.
The Nika Riots
- 532 AD: Justinian’s rule threatened by riots; Theodora’s resolve and Belisarius’s troops restore order with brutal force.
Vandalic War
- 533–534: Belisarius led a small force to victory over the Vandals in North Africa, retaking Carthage.
- Success attributed to discipline and gaining local support.
Gothic War in Italy
- Siege of Rome (537–538): Belisarius, outnumbered, held the city against the Goths.
- Political rivalry with Narses led to divided command and the tragic fall of Milan.
- Eventually, Belisarius captured Ravenna and ended Ostrogothic power; later campaigns saw fluctuating fortunes.
Plague and Later Years
- The Justinianic Plague (541–542) devastated the empire, killing up to half of Constantinople’s population.
- Belisarius was temporarily disgraced, then recalled for further campaigns, but with limited support.
- His last campaigns in Italy failed due to lack of resources.
- Later repelled a Kutrigur invasion near Constantinople in 559 with a small force.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Belisarius — Eastern Roman general, acclaimed for loyalty and military genius.
- Bucellarii — Elite, personally loyal cavalry units.
- Nika Riots — Major uprising in Constantinople, nearly toppling Justinian.
- Vandalic War — Roman campaign to reclaim North Africa.
- Gothic War — Struggle to retake Italy from the Ostrogoths.
- Justinianic Plague — First recorded bubonic plague pandemic in history.
- Procopius — Historian and eye-witness; authored "History of the Wars" and "Secret History."
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Procopius’s "History of the Wars" for primary accounts.
- Summarize Belisarius's three major campaigns (Persia, Vandals, Goths).
- Prepare notes on the effects of the Justinianic Plague for class discussion.