Belisarius – A History

We examine six questions which remain about Belisarius and his life. The Byzantine Empire at the death of Justinian (and Belisarius) in 565.  [By Thomas Lessman CC BY-SA 3.0] “Belisarius” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882) I am poor and old and blind; The sun burns me, and the wind Blows through the city gate And covers me with […]

Belisarius is no longer at war.  What happened next? A summary of the Gothic Wars Depictions of Belisarius as a blind begger by Jacques-Louis David (1781), Jean-Francois Pierre Peyron (1779) and Francois-Andre Vincent (1776) The Pincian Gate in Rome, where Belisarius is supposed to have begged. Places Edessa (Sanliurfa) – the city protected by Jesus Dara […]

Can an under-resourced Belisarius do anything to stop the Goths retaking Italy? The Flaminian Way Places: Spolitum (Spolito) and Asise (Assisi) – Totila’s targets on the way to Rome Perusia (Perugia) – another stop on Totila’s march to Rome Placentia (Piacenza) – Totila tried to take this city while besieging Rome Epidamnus (Durres) – where […]

Wars are everywhere, and Belisarius is once again falling in and out of favour. Places (more well-known cities not listed) Sergiopolis  – home of Candidus Heirapolis – where Buzes is fond of hiding Callinicum (now Rakka) – sacked by Khusrow in 542 Pelusium  – where the plague first arrived in Byzantine lands Tarbesium (Treviso) – […]

Belisarius returns to try to deal with the Persians.  Meanwhile, Antonia is causing trouble closer to home. Places: Seleucia (where Khusrow went to bathe in the Mediterranean) Apamea (which Khusrow ‘visited’ after Antioch) Edessa (now Sanliurfa, the untakeable city) Carrhae (now Harran, from which Khusrow refused a bribe and left alone) Constantina (now Viransehir, which […]

The war in Italy is over for Belisarius, but trouble is brewing in the East. Places Circesium (Border fortress and first city encountered by Khusrow) Zenobia (Second city encountered by Khusrow) Sura (Taken by Khusrow by deception – location unknown) Sergiopolis (Where Khusrow ransomed the captives from Sura) Hierapolis (Where Buzes set up his HQ) Beroia […]

Belisarius slowly rolls up the Gothic resistance, but there’s an unexpected turn in the story… First stage of the Gothic War, by CPlakidas Direct Link: 8 – To Ravenna

Belisarius is getting the upper hand in the siege of Rome.  The Goths are weakening.  But there are clouds on the horizon. Direct Link: 7 – The Roads Also Lead from Rome

Belisarius has a job to do – to conquer Rome for the Roman Empire The Flaminian Way – The Road from the Gothic capital of Ravenna to Rome. The Castel Sant’Angelo – Originally built as Hadrian’s Tomb Direct Link: 6 – No Place Like Rome

Meet Belisarius’s ‘loving’ wife, and watch as he conquers Southern Italy. Direct Link: 5 – Romance and Italy

Belisarius sets about his conquest of the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa. By Cplakidas Direct Link: 4 – All is Vanity

Belisarius is assigned to the invasion of the North Africa, but first there’s a little bit of trouble to deal with in Constantinople. Direct Link: 3 – Riots and Vandals