Michael Whitby — The Wars of Justinian

Book New New 1st Edition Pen & Sword Military Barnsley 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall Justinian I was the last great Roman conqueror. Though he never led an army in person, his leadership dramatically increased the size of his realm. His long reign, from 527 to 565, was devoted to the renovatio imperii, or renovation of Empire. His will and vision drove the reconquest of Italy from the Ostrogoths, North Africa from the Vandals, and parts of Spain from the Visigoths. These grand schemes were largely accomplished through the services of two talented generals, Belisarius and Narses. They were successful in spite of concurrent wars against the Persians and the devastation caused by bubonic plague. In this comprehensive study, Michael Whitby draws on the full range of sources to examine all of Justinian's campaigns. Besides narrating the course and outcome of these wars, Whitby analyses the Roman army of the period, considering its equipment, organisation, leadership, strategy and tactics, and considers the longer-term impact of Justinian's military ventures on the stability of the empire Covers not just the wars and the battles that were part of them but also provides a very good overview of the Roman army of the period. Such areas as imperial finances and army funding, recruitment and deployments are covered as well as many features of Roman life in the 6th. Century AD. Recommended. Justinian's reign was marked by the recovery of large stretches of land around the Western Mediterranean basin that had slipped out of imperial control in the 5th century. His Military activities included War with the Sassanid Empire, 527-532-Conquest of North Africa, 533-534-War in Italy- in addition to these other conquests, the Empire established a presence in Visigothic Hispania, The Byzantines took Cartagena and other cities on the south-eastern coast and founded the new province of Spania In 559 a particularly dangerous invasion of Sklavinoi and Kutrigurs under their khan Zabergan threatened Constantinople, but they were repulsed by the aged general Belisarius. H