Gothic War

Gothic War

First Campaign
The cause of the war was the assassination of Amalasuintha, Theodoric’s heiress. Justinian used the war as a pretext to invade Italy. He named Belisarius general for the war.
Belisarius faced the gothic siege (537-38). In 540 the frank intervened sacking Milan. He attacked Ravenna, the Ostrogoth capital, where Witiges was captured. Then, the Goths offered him to be the western emperor, but he refused.

Second Campaign
In 541 the ostrogoths named Totila as their new leader. He started a successful campaign against the east Romans, invading northern Italy (547-49). Belisarius returned to Italy (544) and tried to recover Rome, but he failed because Justinian denied help.
In 548 Justinian withdrew Belisarius and named Narses, who achieved a successful campaign.

Third Campaign
In this period Rome was invaded by Totila, who had offer peace to Justinian, who rejected it.
Germanus Justinus, Justinian’s nephew organizated a new campaign. He died in 551, and Narses took on Totila and killed him. In October 553 Narses defeated the last remnants of the gothic army.

Overall Outcome
The Pyrrhic victory destroyed Italy. The economy was going through a critical situation. The great cities were abandoned. Then Italy was invaded by the Lombards.