BELISARIUS c. 505 - 565 Byzantine General Belisarius, born in Illyria, was a brilliant commander of the Byzantine army and one of the greatest generals of history. He enabled the emperor Justinian to regain the western part of the Roman empire. He first distinguished himself in action against the Sassanids of Persia in 530, when he defeated an army vastly outnumbering his own. The next year he crushed the Vandal kingdom in North Africa. In 532 Belisarius quelled an insurrection in Constantinople.
He later fought successfully against the Ostrogoths, the Persians,
and the Bulgarians. He also campaigned in Italy and in 559 he repelled the Huns
menacing Constantinople.
|