The first of emperor Justinian's campaigns to restore
the Roman Empire to its previous borders
was a resounding success. His best general,
Belisarius quickly destroyed the
Vandalic Kingdom in Northern Africa and brought it under imperial rule.
Though this was just the beginning, and the emperor
was eager to reclaim the big prize,
the symbol of the old Empire, Rome.
The province of Africa was now back under Imperial control
and Belisarius was back in Constantinople
celebrating his Triumph.
Meanwhile, his captain Solomon was fighting a rebellion
started by the local berber tribes.
In early 535, Solomon achieved a victory
at Mount Bourgaon, but the rebellion
would continue for the next two decades.
The Ostrogothic Kingdom that controlled Italy
was in a state of civil war.
The conflict between an ally of Justinian,
the queen regent Amalsuntha and her cousin
Theodahad ended with a victory for the latter.
Amalsuntha's assassination in 535
gaved the Romans a reason to declare war.
This time around, Justinian send two armies.
General Mundus was going to attack
from the Balkans in order to tie up the Ostrogothic forces,
while Belisarius and his 7000
troops were to advance from southern Italy.
Belisarius managed to take control of Sicily by the end
of 535.
His was going to move to mainland Italy,
but the soldiers in Africa mutiny due to late pay
and that forced him to return to Carthage.
Belisarius had only araound 2000
against 8000 rebels, but
he quickly took the initiative and decisevly defeated
the mutineers.
In late spring 536,
the Romans finally crossed into Italy and took Regium.
Belisarius met no resistance until he reached Naples,
where there was a sizeable gothic garrison.
The siege was set, but one of the roman
soldiers found a hole in the city's Aqueduc
which was supsequently widened and 600 soldiers
stormed the city, leading to an end to the siege,
after 20 days.
Theodahad's perceived in action to relieve Naples
led to his assassination and replacement by the new
gothic king Vitiges. Soon after,
Vitiges began collecting a large
in the vicinity of his captial, Ravenna.
Belisarius moved on Rome.
The people of Rome seemed to support Belisarius,
and the 4000 strong gothic garrison feeling
unsure for their safety in a hostile city, departed
Rome through the Ferminian Gate, as Belisarius
entered through the Assanarian Gate on the
9th of December.
Rome belonged to the Empire once again.
As he had to garrison other cities, Belisarius
had roughly 5000 men, most of them bellonging
to his Household guard.
He began preparing for a protracted siege.
Fortifications were renewed, a new moat was dug
and grain was stockpiled.
On the 2nd of March 537 AD,
the gothic force moved to the Sallarian Bridge from the North.
The garrison of 150 men fled from
their posts. At this time, Belisarius
was scouting with a thousand horsemen nearby.
Unexpectedly, they encountered the gothing vanguard.
Belisarius was at the center of the melee, but
managed to retreat. The guards of the
Sallarian Gate refused their entry fearing that this may
compromise the city.
Meanwhile, the Goths were drawing closer, but had
lost their cohesion in the chase. Belisarius
reformed and charged into the enemy, breaking
their lines. They chased the Goths breefly but eventually
returned to the city.
The Goths, who had between 20 and 25 thousand
troops, set up six camps on the eastern
edge of the Tiber and one on the western side to cover
and secure the far side of the Novian Bridge.
On March 21st, Vitiges launched
his first assault. Large siege towers
with rams and been built, and now they were dragged
forward by oxen.
Other men were trying to quickly fill the Moat to allow
the towers to reach the Aurelian Wall around
the Cellerian Gate.
Belisarius ordered his men to kill the oxen
and this stalled the attack.
Roman ballista did damage to the attackers and
the Goths were forced to retreat.
Vitiges ordered an attack on Hadrian's tomb
and he himself moved closer to the Prenestine Gate
to attack a weaker section of the wall, surrounding the Vivarium.
Hadrian's tomb was almost overrun due to its standing
proud of the wall
where it could be surrounded.
The artillery couldn't point low enough to strike
the men bringing ladders to bear, and the Roman defenders
were forced to break apart statues to drop them on the
attackers. This did repel the Goths,
allowing the use of artillery, and soon reinforcements
arrived.
Simultaneousely, at the Vivarium, the Goths
breached the outer wall, but were ambushed
by the Romans inside the inclosure, who drove them back.
Belisarius ordered a sally from the Prenestine
Gate to further rout that section.
A sally at the Sallarian Gate drove the Goths back too
and the Romans burnt all of the siege engines that had been brought
forward.
Several other minor and inconsequential attacks
were also driven off with ease that day.
On the next day, Belisarius successfully
evacuated the women and children from the city,
by boat, or by the Apian Way.
The gothic siege wasn't particularly thight yet.
The remaining citizens were drafted and
given a small wage.