- Flavius Belisarius (c.500-565 CE), also known as the ‘Last of the Romans’, was the Magister Militum in the Byzantine Empire, who successfully reconquered parts of the western Roman Empire during which he conducted over 20 battles or sieges.
- He conquered the Vandal Kingdom in 534 CE during the Vandalic War, and reconquered Italy and Rome during the Gothic War (534-554 CE). He also conducted a war against the Persians but was defeated in 531 CE.
Belisarius and the Reconquest of North Africa (533-4 CE)
- In 533 CE, General Belisarius landed in Tunisia using a fleet of 92 Dromons, 500 transports with 15,000 soldiers.
- On 14 December 533 CE, the Vandals were crushed at the Battle of Ad Decimum and again on 15 December 533 CE at the Battle of Tricamarum.
- At the same time, Sardinia, Corsica, the Balearic Islands and Ceuta were captured.
- The Prefecture of Africa was established in 534 CE.
First War in Italy (535-540 CE)
- Taking advantage of internal dissent within the Ostrogoths, Belisarius invaded Sicily, then besieged and captured Rome on 9 December 536 CE. In 540 CE he captured Ravenna and claimed it for the Eastern Roman Empire.
- Although General Narses had arrived earlier in Italy, he had not succeeded in his campaign and was recalled.
Second War in Italy (541-554 CE)
- In 541 the Ostrogoths started to regain southern Italy, and in 544 CE Belisarius was sent back, but was unable to reoccupy the lost territories and recalled in 588 CE.
- In June 552 CE, General Narses was sent to Ravenna and he defeated and killed Totila at the Battle of Taginae in July 552 CE. After defeating an invasion in 554 CE, Italy was returned to the Roman Empire.
First War against the Sassanid Empire (527-532 CE)
- In 530 CE, the Sassanids were defeated at Dara and Satala, but in 531 CE Belisarius was defeated at the Battle of Callinicum.
- As a result, Justinian I made a Peace Treaty with Khosrau I on 532 CE, where he paid the Persians 11,000 pounds of gold.
Second War against the Sassanid Empire (540-562 CE)
- Khosrau I invaded Syria in 540 CE. Armies fought each other repeatedly until 562 CE.
- The Fifty Years Peace was signed in 562 CE whereby the Eastern Roman Empire paid the Persians Tribute of c.500 pounds of gold per annum.
Istanbul (Constantinople, Byzantium)