Vandalic War
Belisarius’ expedition destroyed the Vandal kingdom in North Africa in a single campaign and returned the former Roman provinces with Carthage to the empire — the first success of Justinian’s reconquest.
- Date
- June 533 – March 534month known · duration: ≈ 9 months
- Place
- Carthagetoday: Carthage, Tunis, Tunisia · Africa
- Participants
- Byzantine Empire, Justinian I, Belisarius, Vandals
- Threads
- Early medieval Europe (500–1000)
- Also known as
- Вандальская война Юстиниана; Battle of Ad Decimum; Битва при Ад Децимум
The pretext was the overthrow in 530 of the pro-Roman Vandal king Hilderic by his cousin Gelimer. After securing peace with Persia, Justinian sent Belisarius with a fleet from Constantinople in June 533. The army landed in Africa in early September, defeated Gelimer at Ad Decimum on 13 September and entered Carthage; in December the Vandals were routed again at Tricamarum. Gelimer, blockaded in a mountain stronghold, surrendered in the spring of 534.
Belisarius celebrated a triumph in Constantinople with the captive king and the Vandal treasure, which included spoils taken from Rome in 455. Africa became a praetorian prefecture, although wars with the Moorish tribes continued for years. The quick victory encouraged Justinian to attack the Ostrogoths in Italy.
Connections
Consequences
- Gothic War (535–554)535–554 · Western and Central EuropeThe easy conquest of Africa encouraged Justinian to attack Ostrogothic Italy
Related events
- Vandal conquest of Roman AfricaMay 429 – 442 · AfricaJustinian destroyed the kingdom that the Vandals had founded a century earlier
- Vandal sack of Rome2–16 June 455 · Western and Central EuropeThe Vandal treasure taken to Constantinople included spoils from the sack of Rome in 455
Same participants
- Corpus Juris Civilis7 April 529 – 16 November 534 · Balkans and Anatoliavia Byzantine Empire
- Construction of Hagia Sophia23 February 532 – 27 December 537 · Balkans and Anatoliavia Byzantine Empire
Meanwhile in the world
Other regions, within 5 years of this event
Western and Central Europe
- Benedict of Nursia founds Monte Cassinobetween 529 and 530
- Gothic War (535–554)535–554
Eastern Europe
- Early Slavic cultures: Prague-Korchak, Penkovka and Kolochinc. 450 – c. 700
- Kyi, Shchek and Khoryv: the legendary founding of Kyivbetween 500 and 700
Balkans and Anatolia
- Construction of Hagia Sophia23 February 532 – 27 December 537
- Corpus Juris Civilis7 April 529 – 16 November 534
The same period
Sources
- Wikipedia (English): Vandalic War
- Wikipedia (Russian): Вандальская война
- Bury J. B. History of the Later Roman Empire from the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian. Vol. 2. — London: Macmillan, 1923.
- Wikidata: Q1136575