Gothic War (535–554)

The Gothic War was a big fight that happened between the Eastern Roman Empire, also called the Byzantine Empire, and the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy. It lasted from 535 to 554 and took place in places like the Italian peninsula, Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Corsica. This war was part of many fights known as the Gothic wars.

Emperor Justinian I wanted to bring back the old Western Roman Empire lands that had been taken over by other groups during a time called the Migration Period. The war started after the Byzantines took back the diocese of Africa from the Vandals.

The war had two main parts. The first part began in 535 when a general named Belisarius led the Byzantine army to take Italy, ending when the Ostrogothic capital, Ravenna, fell in 540. The second part lasted from 540 to 553 and saw the Gothics, led by a leader named Totila, fight back before being stopped by another Byzantine general, Narses. In 554, the Byzantines had to stop an attack by the Franks and Alamanni.

By the end of the war, Italy was damaged and had fewer people. Even though the Byzantines won, it was a tough victory because they could not stop the Lombards from invading in 568, which meant they lost control of much of Italy forever.

Background

Italy under the Goths

Further information: Ostrogothic Kingdom

In 476, Odoacer removed the last emperor of the Western Roman Empire and made himself the ruler of Italy. Though he recognized the Byzantine emperor as his higher authority, his growing power worried the leaders in Constantinople. To help control the area, the Byzantine emperor invited the Ostrogoths, led by Theodoric the Great, to Italy. Theodoric defeated Odoacer, and the Ostrogoths took control of Italy. Theodoric agreed to rule Italy as a representative of the Byzantine emperor.

Theodoric was careful to keep things peaceful. He let Roman leaders handle most of the government's work, while the Gothic army stayed separate. Though the Romans and Goths had different religious beliefs, Theodoric allowed everyone to practice their own faith. This system worked well while Theodoric was in charge, but it began to fall apart after he died.

Belisarius

Main article: Vandalic War

In 533, Emperor Justinian sent his best general, Belisarius, to take back North Africa from the Vandals. The war went well for the Byzantines, and Justinian wanted to recover more land. When Theodoric's grandson died, his mother Amalasuntha, who was helping to rule, was arrested and killed by her cousin Theodahad. This gave Justinian a reason to start a war against the Ostrogoths. He appointed Belisarius to lead the attack on Italy with a small group of soldiers.

First Byzantine campaign, 535–540

Conquest of Sicily and Dalmatia

Belisarius landed in Sicily, which was quickly captured. He then prepared to move into Italy. Meanwhile, another Byzantine general named Mundus captured the city of Salona in Dalmatia, but was later killed in battle. The Byzantine army took control of most of Dalmatia.

First siege of Rome

Belisarius moved into Italy, capturing the city of Naples after a short siege. He then continued to Rome, which opened its gates without a fight. The Gothic king, Vitiges, led his forces to attack Rome, beginning a long siege. Belisarius defended the city with the help of reinforcements. Eventually, the Byzantines cut off supplies to the Goths, forcing them to withdraw.

Siege of Ariminum

Vitiges moved towards the city of Ariminum, which was held by a small Byzantine force. Belisarius sent help, and the Goths, facing a larger enemy force, withdrew back to Ravenna.

Mediolanum

Belisarius sent a small force to the city of Mediolanum (now Milan), which was captured. The Goths, with help from the Franks, laid siege to the city. After a long siege, the city fell, and many people were killed.

Frankish invasion

A large Frankish army attacked both the Goths and the Byzantines, but a sickness spread among the Franks, forcing them to leave. Belisarius continued to besiege other cities, which eventually surrendered.

Capture of Ravenna

Belisarius moved against the Gothic capital, Ravenna. After a long siege, the Goths surrendered. Belisarius entered the city peacefully, and the Goths were allowed to keep their property. Several Gothic towns surrendered after this, but a few remained under Gothic control.

Gothic revival, 541–551

Belisarius left Italy, leaving much of it under Byzantine control. However, the cities of Pavia and Verona stayed under Gothic rule. The Goths chose a new king named Ildibad, who took back control of areas like Venetia and Liguria. Ildibad was later killed, and another leader named Eraric took over briefly before also being killed. Finally, a leader named Totila became king.

Totila faced many challenges. A big sickness called the Plague of Justinian weakened the Byzantine Empire, and wars elsewhere forced the empire to send most of its soldiers away from Italy. Totila used these chances to win battles. He captured cities like Florence and Naples by outsmarting his enemies. He treated people kindly, hoping they would join him instead of fighting. Totila even tried to make peace with the Byzantine leader Justinian, but his offers were refused.

When Totila took Rome in 546, he tore down parts of the city walls but did not destroy the whole city. He later left Rome to follow Byzantine soldiers into Apulia. The Byzantine general Belisarius returned to Italy but struggled to get enough supplies and support. He managed to retake Rome for a short time, but Totila came back and took the city again. During one attack, Totila’s soldiers entered Rome through a gate opened by some soldiers who agreed to help him.

Byzantine reconquest, 551–554

The Byzantines gathered a large army of about 20,000 to 25,000 soldiers at a place called Salona. Narses, an important leader, commanded this group. In the spring of 552, he led the army along the coast to a city named Ancona and then moved towards Rome.

Near a village called Taginae, Narses met the army of the Ostrogoths, led by a commander named Totila. Totila tried to trick Narses, but Narses was ready. In a big battle called the Battle of Taginae, the Ostrogoths were defeated, and Totila was killed. Later, in another battle called the Battle of Mons Lactarius, Narses defeated the last Ostrogothic forces in Italy.

After these battles, other groups like the Franks and Alemanni tried to take over parts of Italy. Narses fought them too, winning a major battle at the river Volturnus. Over time, the Byzantines took back more land, and by the year 562, they had control of important cities like Verona and Brixia.

Aftermath

Further information: Byzantine Papacy

The Gothic War was a long and difficult fight that used up many resources of the Byzantine Empire. This made it harder for the empire to defend itself against other threats. In the years after the war, new challenges arose, such as raids by neighboring groups and a big sickness known as the Plague of Justinian, which affected many people.

In Italy, the war caused big changes. Many cities were left empty, and the country went through a long period of decline. Soon after the leader Justinian died, much of Italy was taken over by another group called the Lombards. Only small parts near the coast stayed under Byzantine control for a while longer. Over time, the people of Italy began to feel less connected to the empire and more tied to their local areas and families. This marked the end of a united Italy under one rule, a situation that lasted until Italy was finally united again many centuries later.