Belisarius may be the bearded figure on Emperor Justinian I's right in the mosaic in the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna that celebrates the reconquest of Italy, performed by the Byzantine army under the skillful leadership of Belisarius himself. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or The Church or Basilica of San Vitale — styled an " ecclesiastical basilica " in the Roman Catholic Church though it is not of architectural basilica Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces serving alongside the Byzantine navy.

Flavius Belisarius (Greek: Βελισάριος) (505(?) – 565) was one of the greatest generals of the Byzantine Empire and one of the most acclaimed generals in history. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly This article is about the year 505 For other uses of the phrase '505' see 505 (disambiguation. Events By Place Byzantine Empire November 14 — Justin II succeeds Justinian I as Emperor He was instrumental to Emperor Justinian I's ambitious project of reconquering much of the Western Roman Empire, which had been lost just under a century previously. This is a list of the Emperors of the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly known as the Byzantine Empire by modern historians Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285 the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Because of this, many consider him to be the greatest rock star of the Byzantine Empire.

Although comparatively less well-known than other famed military leaders such as Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great or Napoleon Bonaparte, his skills and accomplishments were matched by very few other military commanders in history. Hannibal (Pronounced in Phoenician: Hanniba'al means " Ba'al is my grace " or " Ba'al has given me grace " 247 BC &ndash Alexander the Great ( or, Mégas Aléxandros; July 20 356 BC June 10 or June 11 323 BC also known as Alexander III of Macedon (el Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. See also Military History Antiquity Albania Agron ( 250 BC - 230 BC) The first king to unite the Illyrian

One of the defining features of Belisarius' career was his operating under conditions of little or no support from his emperor Justinian and Byzantium, and nonetheless succeeding through military genius. He is among a select group of men considered to be the "Last of the Romans". The description Last of the Romans ( Ultimus Romanorum) has historically been given to any man thought to embody the values of Ancient Roman civilization - values which

Early life and career

Belisarius was probably born in Germane or Germania, a city that once stood on the site of present day Sapareva Banya in south-west Bulgaria. Sapareva Banya (Сапарева баня is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian He may have been of Greek or Thracian ancestry. The Greeks ( Greek: Έλληνες) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions "Thracians" also refers to modern inhabitants of Thrace, regardless of ethnicity ^[1] He became a Roman soldier as a young man, serving in the bodyguard of the Emperor Justin I. Flavius Iustinus (c 450&ndash August 1, 527) known in English as Justin I, was an Byzantine Emperor (518&ndash527 who rose through the ranks Following Justin's death in 527, the new Emperor, Justinian I, appointed Belisarius to command the Byzantine army in the east to deal with incursions from the Sassanid Empire. For the political lobbying groups see 527 groups Events By Place Byzantine Empire April 1 — Byzantine An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire He quickly proved himself an able and effective commander, defeating the larger Sassanid army through superior generalship. In June 530 during the Iberian War, he led the Byzantines to a stunning victory over the Sassanids in the Battle of Dara, followed by a close defeat at the Battle of Callinicum on the Euphrates in 531. For the California area code see Area code 530 Events By Place Byzantine Empire Battle of Daras: The Iberian War was fought from 526 to 532 between the Eastern Roman Empire and Sassanid Empire over the eastern Georgian kingdom The Battle of Dara was fought between the Sassanids and the Byzantine Empire in 530. The Battle of Callinicum took place between the armies of the Eastern Roman Empire under the command of General Belisarius and Sassanid Persians under The Euphrates ( ( Arabic: ar نهر الفرات; Turkish: tr Fırat Syriac: syr ܦܪܬ; Hebrew: he פרת Events By Place Byzantine Empire April 19 — Belisarius is defeated at the Battle of Callinicum; Mundus This led to the negotiation of an "Endless Peace" with the Persians and heavy tributes for years in exchange for a peace treaty. A tribute (from Latin tribulum, contribution is wealth one party gives to another as a sign of respect or as was often case in historical contexts of submission

In 532, he was the highest ranking military officer in the Imperial capital of Constantinople when the Nika riots (among factions of chariot racing fans) broke out in the city and nearly resulted in the overthrow of Justinian. Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 11 — Nika riots in Constantinople: The cathedral is destroyed Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS The Nika riots (Στάση του Νίκα or Nika revolt, took place over the course of a week in Constantinople in 532. Chariot racing (ἁρματοδρομία/armatodromia was one of the most popular ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Sports Chariot Belisarius, with the help of the magister militum of Illyria, Mundus, along with the generals Narses and John the Armenian suppressed the rebellion with a bloodbath in the Hippodrome, the gathering place of the rebels, that is said to have claimed the lives of 30,000 people. Magister militum ( Latin for "Master of the Soldiers" was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Illyria ( Albanian Iliria ( Ancient Greek; Latin Illyria; see also Illyricum) was in Classical antiquity a region in the Mundus ( Μούνδος, died 536 was an East Roman General during the reign of Justinian I. For other historical figures with similar names see Narses (disambiguation.

Military campaigns

The enlargment of the Byzantine Empire possessions between the rise to power of Justinian (red, 527) and his death (orange, 565). Belisarius contributed greatly to the expansion of the empire.

Against the Vandals

Main article: Vandalic War

For his efforts, Belisarius was rewarded by Justinian with the command of a great land and sea expedition against the Vandal Kingdom, mounted in 533-534. The Vandalic War was a war fought in North Africa in the areas of modern Tunisia and eastern Algeria, in 533 - 534, between the forces of Events By Place Byzantine Empire June 21 - Belisarius sails from Constantinople. Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 1 — Decimus Theodorius Paulinus is appointed Consul (the last to hold this The Byzantines had political, religious, and strategic reasons for mounting such a campaign. The pro-Byzantine Vandal king Hilderic had been deposed and murdered by the usurper Gelimer, giving Justinian a legal pretext for mounting an expedition. Hilderic, King of the Vandals and Alans (c 460s - 533 reigned 523-530 was the pentultimate ruler of the North African Kingdom of the Gelimer (original form possibly Geilamir, 480-553 King of the Vandals and Alans from 530 to 534 was the last ruler of the North African Kingdom Furthermore, the Arian Vandals had periodically persecuted the Nicene Christians within their kingdom, many of whom made their way to Constantinople seeking redress. Arianism is the theological teaching of Arius (c AD 250-336 who was ruled a heretic by the Christian church at the Council of Nicea. The Nicene Creed (ˈnaɪsiːn is an ecumenical Christian statement of faith accepted in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Assyrian Church of The Vandals had launched many pirate raids on many Byzantine trade ships, hurting trade in the western areas. Justinian wanted control of the Vandals' territory in North Africa, which was vital for guaranteeing Byzantine access to the western Mediterranean. North Africa or Northern Africa is the Northernmost Region of the African Continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan In the late summer of 533, Belisarius sailed to Africa and landed near the city of Leptis Magna. Events By Place Byzantine Empire June 21 - Belisarius sails from Constantinople. Leptis Magna,(لبدة also known as Lectis Magna (or Lepcis Magna as it is sometimes spelled also called Lpqy or Neapolis, was a prominent city He ordered his fleet to never lose sight of the army from which he marched along the coastal highway toward the Vandal capital of Carthage. Carthage (Καρχηδών Karkhēdōn, Carthago from the Phoenician קרת חדשת phn-Latn Qart-ḥadašt meaning new town) refers He did this to prevent the cut off of supplies and didn't want another great defeat to happen like the first attempt to retake Northern Africa 35 years before.

Ten miles from Carthage, the forces of Gelimer (who had just executed Hilderic) and Belisarius finally met at the Battle of Ad Decimum (September 13, 533). Gelimer (original form possibly Geilamir, 480-553 King of the Vandals and Alans from 530 to 534 was the last ruler of the North African Kingdom Hilderic, King of the Vandals and Alans (c 460s - 533 reigned 523-530 was the pentultimate ruler of the North African Kingdom of the The Battle of Ad Decimum took place on September 13, 533 between the armies of the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, and the Eastern Events 509 BC - The Temple of Jupiter on Rome 's Capitoline Hill is dedicated on the ides of September Events By Place Byzantine Empire June 21 - Belisarius sails from Constantinople. It nearly turned into a defeat for the Byzantines. Gelimer had chosen his position well and had some success against the opposing forces along the main road. The Byzantines, however, seemed dominant on both the right and left sides of the main road to Carthage. However, at the height of the battle, Gelimer became distraught upon learning of the death of his brother in battle. This gave Belisarius a chance to regroup, and he went on to win the battle and capture Carthage. A second victory at the Battle of Tricamarum later in the year (December 15) resulted in Gelimer's surrender early in 534 at Mount Papua, permitting the lost Roman provinces of north Africa to be restored to the empire. The Battle of Tricamarum took place on December 15, 533 between the armies of the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, and his brother Events 533 - Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, at the Battle of Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 1 — Decimus Theodorius Paulinus is appointed Consul (the last to hold this For this achievement Belisarius was granted a Roman triumph (the last ever given) when he returned to Constantinople. A Roman triumph ( la [[wikttriumphus triumphus]], Old Latin la triumpus, attested as the exclamation la TRIVMPE in the Carmen Arvale; via According to Procopius, if he is to be believed, in the procession were paraded the spoils of the Temple of Jerusalem which had been recovered from the Vandal capital along with Gelimer himself before he was cast into peaceful exile. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name Medals were stamped in his honor with the inscription "Gloria Romanorum", though none seem to have come down to us. Belisarius was also made sole consul in 534, being one of the last individuals ever to hold this office which was, by this time, merely a ceremonial relic of the ancient Roman Republic. Consul (abbrev cos; Latin plural consules) was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the

Against the Ostrogoths

Main article: Gothic War (535–554)

Justinian now resolved to restore as much of the Western Roman Empire as he could. See Gothic War (376-382 for the war on the Danube The Gothic War was a war fought in Italy and the adjoining regions of Dalmatia, Sardinia The Western Roman Empire refers to the western half of the Roman Empire, from its division by Diocletian in 285 the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern In 535, he commissioned Belisarius to attack the Ostrogoths. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Justinian I orders Belisarius to start the reconquest of Italy; Mundus The Ostrogothic Kingdom established by the Ostrogoths in Italy and neighbouring areas lasted from 493 to 553. Again, he chose well, as Belisarius quickly captured Sicily and then crossed into Italy proper, where he captured Naples and Rome in 536. Sicily ( Italian and Sicilian: Sicilia) is an autonomous region of Italy. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Naples ( Napoli, Neapolitan: Nàpule) is a historic City in southern Italy, the Capital of the Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Events By Place Byzantine Empire April — Belisarius, a general in the service of Justinian I, lands in Italy

The following year, he successfully defended Rome against the Goths and moved north to take Mediolanum (Milan) and the Ostrogoth capital of Ravenna in 540, where the Goth king Witiges was captured. Milan (Milano Milan (listen) is one of the largest cities in Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. Ravenna is a City and Comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Events By place Byzantine Empire General Belisarius conquers Milan and the Ostrogothic capital Ravenna Witiges or Vitiges (died 540 was King of the Ostrogoths in Italy from 536 to 540 Shortly prior to the taking of Ravenna, the Ostrogoths offered to make Belisarius the western emperor. Belisarius feigned acceptance and entered Ravenna via its sole point of entry, a causeway through the marshes, accompanied by his comitatus (veterans). Once inside the city, Belisarius quickly seized Witiges and then capitalized on the resulting lack of leadership to secure the city. Thereupon, he proclaimed the capture of Ravenna in the name of the Emperor Justinian.

The Goths' offer perhaps raised suspicions in Justinian's mind and Belisarius was recalled to the East to deal with a Persian conquest of Syria, a crucial province of the empire. Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية Belisarius took the field and waged a brief, inconclusive campaign against them in 541-542. Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 1 — Anicius Faustus Albinus Basilius is appointed as Consul in Events By Place Byzantine Empire An outbreak of the plague kills at least 230000 in Constantinople (before they stopped He eventually managed to negotiate a truce (aided with the payment of a large sum of money, 5,000 pounds of gold), in which the Persians agreed not to attack Byzantine territory for the next five years.

Belisarius returned to Italy in 544, where he found that the situation had changed greatly. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Belisarius is sent back to Italy to once more fight the Ostrogoths who have In 541 the Ostrogoths had elected Totila as their new leader and had mounted a vigorous campaign against the Byzantines, recapturing all of northern Italy and even driving the Byzantines out of Rome. Events By Place Byzantine Empire January 1 — Anicius Faustus Albinus Basilius is appointed as Consul in Totila (died Jul 1 552) was king of the Ostrogoths from 541 until his death Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Belisarius managed to recover Rome briefly but his Italian campaign proved unsuccessful, thanks in no small part to his being starved of supplies and reinforcements by a jealous Justinian. In 548, Justinian relieved him in favor of the eunuch Narses, who, thanks both to military competence and cooperation from the Emperor was able to bring the campaign to a successful conclusion. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Belisarius is relieved of command over the Byzantine forces in Italy and replaced by For other historical figures with similar names see Narses (disambiguation. For his part, Belisarius went into retirement.

In 537, in an incident that troubled him for the rest of his life, Belisarius, an Orthodox Christian, was commanded by the monophysite Empress Theodora to depose the reigning Pope, who had been installed by the Goths. Monophysitism (from the Greek monos meaning 'one alone' and physis meaning 'nature' or Monophysiticism is the Christological position that Theodora ( Greek: Θεοδώρα (c 500 - June 28 548) was empress of the Byzantine Empire and the wife of Emperor Justinian This Pope was the former subdeacon Silverius, the son of Pope Saint Hormisdas, against whom charges of treason were trumped up and pressed by Antonina, Belisarius' wife and Theodora's best friend. Pope Pope Belisarius was to replace him with the Deacon Vigilius, Apocrisarius of Pope John II in Constantinople. Pope Vigilius (d June 7, 555) reigned as Pope from 537-555 He belonged to a distinguished Roman family his father Johannes is identified as a Vigilius had been chosen in 531 by Pope Boniface II to be his successor, but this choice was overwhelmingly rejected by the Roman clergy and faithful. Silverius was deposed and exiled to Patara in Lycia in Asia Minor but recalled at the command of the Emperor Justinian, following the complaints of the bishop of Patara. However, Vigilius had already been installed in his place and he and Antonina seem to have encompassed his death by starvation on the island of Palmaria (Ponza), whose patron saint he remains today. At the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople (553), Belisarius was one of the Emperor's envoys to Pope Vigilius in their tug of war over "The Three Chapters". The Fifth Ecumenical Council (the Second Council of Constantinople was a Christian Ecumenical Council that was held at Constantinople (5 May-2 June The Three-Chapter Controversy was a phase in the Monophysite controversy was an attempt to reconcile the Christians of Syria and Egypt with The Patriarch Eutychius, who presided over this council in the place of Pope Vigilius, was the son of one of Belisarius' generals. Belisarius, for his part, built a small oratory on the site of the present church of Santa Maria in Trivio in Rome as a sign of his repentance. He also built two hospices for pilgrims and a monastery which have since disappeared. Santa Maria in Trivio is around the corner from the Trevi fountain; a 12th century inscription is the only surviving monument of the great general.

Later life and campaigns

The retirement of Belisarius came to an end in 559, when an army of Slavs and Bulgars under Zabergan crossed the Danube River to invade Byzantine territory for the first time and threatened Constantinople itself. For the North American area code see Area code 559. Events By Place Byzantine Empire The Bulgars and Huns The Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) were a seminomadic people probably of Turkic descent originally from Central Asia, Zabergan was ruler of the Kutrigur Bulgars between 550 and 582. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj Justinian recalled Belisarius to command the Byzantine army against the Bulgar invasion. In his last campaign, Belisarius defeated the Bulgars and drove them back across the river with a grossly outnumbered defending force at his command.

In 562, Belisarius stood trial in Constantinople on a charge of corruption. Events By Place Byzantine Empire Belisarius stands trial for corruption in Constantinople, possibly with The charge was likely trumped-up, and modern research suggests that his former secretary Procopius of Caesarea, may have judged his case. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c Belisarius was found guilty and imprisoned. However, not long after the conviction, Justinian pardoned him, ordered his release, and restored him to favour at the imperial court.

In the first five chapters of his Secret History, Procopius characterises Belisarius as a cuckold husband, who is emotionally dependent on his debauched wife, Antonina. A secret history (or shadow history) is a revisionist interpretation of either fictional or real (or known History which is claimed to have been deliberately According to the historian Antonina cheated on Belisarius with their godson, the young Theodosius. Procopius claims that the love affair was well known in the imperial court and the general was regarded as weak and ridiculous, this view is often considered as biased as Procopius nursed a longstanding hatred of both Belisarius and Antonina. Empress Theodora reportedly helped and saved Antonina when Belisarius tried to charge his wife at last.

Fittingly, Belisarius and Justinian, whose sometimes strained partnership increased the size of the empire by 45%, died within a few weeks of one another in November of 565. Events By Place Byzantine Empire November 14 — Justin II succeeds Justinian I as Emperor Belisarius owned the estate of Rufinianae on the Asiatic side of the Constantinople suburbs. He may very well have died there and been buried near one of the two churches in the area, probably Saints Peter and Paul.

Legend of Belisarius as a blind beggar

Bélisaire, by François André Vincent, 1776. François-André Vincent (1746&ndash1816 was a French neoclassical painter Belisarius, blinded, a beggar, is recognised by one of his former soldiers

Belisar as a beggar, as depicted in popular legend, in the painting by Jacques-Louis David (1781). Jacques-Louis David (August 30 1748 &ndash December 29 1825 was a highly influential French painter in the Neoclassical style considered to be Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The outcast Belisarius receiving hospitality from a Peasant by Jean-François Pierre Peyron. Jean-François Pierre Peyron, full name of Pierre Peyron ( Aix-en-Provence, 1744 - Paris, 1814 was a French Neoclassical painter

According to a story that gained popularity during the Middle Ages, Justinian is said to have ordered Belisarius' eyes to be put out, and reduced him to the status of homeless beggar near the Pincian Gate of Rome, condemned to asking passers-by to "give an obolus to Belisarius" (date obolum Belisario), before pardoning him. Homelessness is the condition and social category of people who lack housing because they cannot afford or are otherwise unable to maintain regular safe and adequate shelter "Beggar" redirects here Distinguish from Begga and Bega. Porta Pinciana is a Gate of the Aurelian Walls in Rome. The name derives from the Gens Pincia who owned the epponymous hill The obolus (or obol) is a Greek silver Coin worth a sixth of a Drachma. Most modern scholars believe the story to be apocryphal, though Philip Stanhope, a 19th century British philologist who wrote Life of Belisarius — the only exhaustive biography of the great general — believed the story to be true. Philip Henry Stanhope 5th Earl Stanhope ( January 30 1805 &ndash December 24 1875) was an English Historian, better known See Comparative linguistics for the narrower field of "comparative philology" Based on a thorough parsing of the available primary sources, Stanhope created a noteworthy, if not wholly convincing argument for the legend's authenticity.

Though the legend remains of dubious provenance, after the publication of Jean-François Marmontel's novel Bélisaire (1767), this account became a popular subject for progressive painters and their patrons in the later 18th century, who saw parallels between the actions of Justinian and the repression imposed by contemporary rulers. Jean-François Marmontel ( July 11, 1723 &ndash December 31, 1799) was a French Historian and Writer, a member See also 1766 in literature, other events of 1767, 1768 in literature, List of years in literature. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system For such subtexts Marmontel's novel received a public censure by Louis Legrand of the Sorbonne, which contemporary divines regarded as model expositions of theological knowledge and clear thinking (Catholic Encyclopedia: "Louis Legrand"). Louis Auguste Mathieu Legrand (1863&ndash1951 was a talented French artist Marmontel and the painters and sculptors (a bust of Belisarius by the French sculptor Jean-Baptiste Stouf is at the J. Paul Getty Museum) depicted Belisarius as a kind of secular saint, sharing the suffering of the downtrodden poor. Jean-Baptiste Stouf ( Paris 1742&ndashCharenton-le-Pont 1826 a pupil of Guillaume II Coustou son of the great French baroque sculptor Guillaume Coustou, was a French The Getty Center in Brentwood Los Angeles California, USA, is the current home of part of the J A secular saint is someone venerated and respected for contributions to a noble cause but not recognized as a canonical saint by a religion The most famous of these paintings, by Jacques-Louis David, combines the themes of charity (the alms giver), injustice (Belisarius), and the radical reversal of power (the soldier who recognises his old commander). Jacques-Louis David (August 30 1748 &ndash December 29 1825 was a highly influential French painter in the Neoclassical style considered to be In Christian Theology charity, or love ( Agapē) means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others Alms or almsgiving exists in a number of religions In general it involves giving materially to another as an act of religious virtue Others portray him being helped by the poor after his rejection by the powerful.

Belisarius in fiction

Belisarius was featured in several works of art before the 20th century. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The oldest of them is the historical treatise by his very own secretary, Procopius. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c The Anecdota, commonly referred to as the Arcana Historia or Secret History, is an extended attack on Belisarius and Antonina, and on Justinian and Theodora, indicting Belisarius as a love-blind fool and his wife as unfaithful and duplicitous. Later works include:

• Belisarius, 19th century poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow;
• Beliar, 18th century poem by Friedrich de la Motte Fouque;
• The life and history of Belisarius, who conquer'd Africa and Italy, with an account of his disgrace, the ingratitude of the Romans, and a parallel between him and a modern hero, drama by John Oldmixon;
• Belasarius, 1607 play by Jakob Bidermann;
• Belasarius, 1724 drama by William Philips;
• Belisarius, 1742 novel by John Downman;
• Bélisaire, 1767 novel by Jean-François Marmontel;
• Belisario, 19th century opera, by Gaetano Donizetti. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27 1807 &ndash March 24 1882 was an American educator and Poet whose works include " Paul Revere's Ride " The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte Baron Fouqué ( February 12, 1777 &ndash January 23, 1843) was a German Writer John Oldmixon (1673 &ndash July 9, 1742) was an English Historian. Jacob Bidermann (1578-1627 was born in the village of Ehingen, about 30 miles southwest of Ulm. Year 1724 ( MDCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a There have been a number of people named William Phillips William Phillips (British Army officer, artilleryman and general officer in the British Army who served Year 1742 ( MDCCXLII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a John Downman (1750 - 1824 English portrait painter was the son of Francis Downman attorney of St Neots, by Charlotte Goodsend eldest daughter of the private Year 1767 ( MDCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Jean-François Marmontel ( July 11, 1723 &ndash December 31, 1799) was a French Historian and Writer, a member Belisario ( Belisarius) is a Tragedia lirica, or Opera, in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 &ndash 8 April 1848 was an Italian composer from Bergamo, Lombardy.
• Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last 2006 novel by Paolo Belzoni[1]

The life of Belisarius was the subject of the historical novel Count Belisarius (1938) by Robert Graves. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Count Belisarius is a Historical novel by Robert Graves, first published in 1938 recounting the life of the Byzantine general Belisarius The year 1938 in literature involved some significant events and new books Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. Ostensibly written from the viewpoint of the eunuch Eugenius, servant to Belisarius' wife (but actually based on Procopius's history), the book portrays Belisarius as a solitary honorable man in a corrupt world, and paints a vivid picture of not only his startling military feats but also the colorful characters and events of his day, such as the savage Hippodrome politics of the Constantinople chariot races, which regularly escalated to open street battles between fans of opposing factions, and the intrigue between the emperor Justinian and the empress Theodora. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c The Hippodrome of Constantinople (Sultanahmet Meydanı At Meydanı was a horse-racing track that was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople, capital of

Belisarius also appears in the 1876 historical novel Ein Kampf um Rom by Felix Dahn. Felix Ludwig Julius Dahn ( February 9, 1834 - January 3, 1912) was a German Lawyer, author and Historian

Belisarius appears in the alternate history novel Lest Darkness Fall (1939) by L. Sprague de Camp. Lest Darkness Fall is an alternate history Science fiction novel written in 1939 by author L The year 1939 in literature involved some significant events and new books Lyon Sprague de Camp, ( November 27 1907 – November 6 2000) was an American science fiction and fantasy author There he was first the Byzantine opponent of the time traveler Martin Padway who tried to spread modern science and inventions in Gothic Italy. This article details time travel itself For other uses see Time Traveler. Lest Darkness Fall is an alternate history Science fiction novel written in 1939 by author L Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Eventually Belisarius became general in Padway's army and secured Italy for him.

Belisarius is also the main character of the Belisarius series in a series of six science fiction novels by Eric Flint and David Drake, an alternate history exploring what might have happened if Belisarius (and a rival) were granted knowledge of future events and technologies. The Belisarius Series is an Eric Flint (born 1947 is an American Alternate history and Fantasy author, editor, and e-publisher. David Drake (born September 24, 1945) is an author of Science fiction and Fantasy literature Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction The first four books of this series are available as free ebooks from the Baen Free Library. The Baen Free Library is a Digital library of the Science fiction and Fantasy Publishing house Baen Books where (as of February 2007

In the General series of military science fiction novels by S.M. Stirling and David Drake, the plot draws much from the life and campaigns of Belisarius; the main character, Raj Whitehall, sets out to reunite the planet of Bellevue after the fall of galactic civilization. The General (also known as the Raj Whitehall series after the lead character is a set of Military science fiction books written by S Military science fiction is a Subgenre of Science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking Stephen Michael Stirling is a French -born Canadian - American Science fiction and Fantasy author David Drake (born September 24, 1945) is an author of Science fiction and Fantasy literature The General (also known as the Raj Whitehall series after the lead character is a set of Military science fiction books written by S

Isaac Asimov, who was very familiar with Roman history, seems to have loosely based the character and name of General Bel Riose on Belisarius. Isaac Asimov (c January 2 1920 &ndash April 6 1992 ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as, was a Russian The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial In Isaac Asimov 's Foundation series, the Bel Riose is "The Last Great General" of the first Galactic Empire in the Foundation Series, a saga loosely based on the fall of the (Western) Roman Empire. In Isaac Asimov 's Robot / Empire / Foundation series of novels the Galactic Empire is an empire consisting of planets settled by humans across the The Foundation Series is an epic Science fiction series written over a span of forty-four years by Isaac Asimov.

Herman Melville playfully assigns the moniker "my Belisarius" to the Samoan Islander first encountered aboard the abandoned vessel "Parki," in his 1849 novel Mardi. Herman Melville (August 1 1819 &ndash September 28 1891 was an American novelist Short story writer Essayist and poet Mardi and a Voyage Thither is the third book by American author Herman Melville, first published in 1849

Belisarius is a hero in Age of Empires II: Age of Kings

Jorge Luis Borges also mentioned the legend of Belisario as a blind beggar in some of his poetic works, for example,"A quien ya no es joven," the first verse of which reads: "Ya puedes ver el tragico escenario y cada cosa en lugar debido; la espada y la ceniza para Dido y la moneda para Belisario. Age of Empires II The Age of Kings (often shortened to The Age of Kings or AoK) is a Real-time strategy (RTS Video game developed ".

Belisarius briefly appears in the three-part Destiny comic book miniseries Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold, authored by Alisa Kwitney with art by Kent Williams, Michael Zulli, Scott Hampton, and Rebecca Guay, a spin-off of the popular Neil Gaiman Sandman series. Alisa Kwitney is an American author. Kwitney was born in New York City. Kent Williams (b 1962 is an American painter and Graphic novel artist Michael Zulli is an American Comic book artist best known for his work on The Sandman with writer Neil Gaiman Scott Hampton is an American Comic book Artist well known for his painted artwork Rebecca Guay is an artist specializing in Watercolor painting and Illustration. Neil Richard Gaiman (ˈgeɪmən (born November 10, 1960) is an English author of Science fiction and Fantasy short stories and The Sandman is a Comic book series written by Neil Gaiman and published in the United States by the DC Comics imprint Vertigo In the story he appears as a jealous husband, imprisoning his wife in their quarters due to rumors of her affairs instead of fighting in Italy.

LucasArts Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb: During his quest to find the tomb of the first emperor of China, Indiana Jones learns that the Nazis have discovered Belisarius' "sunken temple" beneath a mosque in Constantinople. LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC is an American Video game developer and publisher. Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is an action Video game developed by The Collective and published by LucasArts in 2003 China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Dr (also Col Henry Walton Jones Jr, better known as Indiana Jones or Indy after his pet dog is a fictional Adventurer, Soldier Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Constantinople (Κωνσταντινούπολις Konstantinoúpolis, or gr ἡ Πόλις hē Polis, Latin: la CONSTANTINOPOLIS

Bethesda Softworks Oblivion: Belisarius can be found in the Cloud Ruler Temple in this game as an NPC. Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media Company is a developer and publisher of Video games. The Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion is a Single player Fantasy -themed action-oriented Computer role-playing game developed by Bethesda Game Studios Although not central to the game, his presence is clearly a nod to the General, especially since he appears to be wearing a stylised version of stereotypical 'Roman' armor.

Belisarius is an Neo-terran front warship attacking a convoy of refugees in the PC game Freespace 2. FreeSpace 2 is a 1999 space combat simulation computer game developed by Volition Inc It is destroyed in a one sided batte with the GTVA Psamtek after refusing to surrender to an obviously superior force.

Notes

References

• R. Boss, R. Chapman, P. Garriock, Justinian's War: Belisarius, Narses and the Reconquest of the West, Montvert Publications, 1993, ISBN 1-874101-01-9.
• Teddy Brunius, The letter of Belisarius, Ekdosis Ellēnikēs Etaireias Aisthētikēs, 1971.
• Glanville Downey, Belisarius,: Young general of Byzantium, Dutton, 1960.
• Percy Stickney Grant, The search of Belisarius;: A Byzantine legend, Brentano's, 1907. Percy Stickney Grant (1860-1927 was an American Protestant Episcopalian Clergyman He was born in Boston and was educated at
• Edward Gibbon has much to say on Belisarius in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Chapter 41 online. Edward Gibbon ( April 27, 1737 January 16, 1794) was an English historian and Member of Parliament. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (known popularly as The History) was written by English Historian
• Lord Mahon Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, The Life of Belisarius, 1848. Philip Henry Stanhope 5th Earl Stanhope ( January 30 1805 &ndash December 24 1875) was an English Historian, better known Reprinted 2006 (unabridged with editorial comments) Evolution Publishing, ISBN 1-889758-67-1. [2]
• Lord Mahon Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, The Life of Belisarius, J. Philip Henry Stanhope 5th Earl Stanhope ( January 30 1805 &ndash December 24 1875) was an English Historian, better known Murray, 1829. (1848 Second Edition, published without changes from the original edition. ) With a new critical introduction and further reading by Jon Coulston. 2005 Westholme Publishing, ISBN 1-59416-019-8 [3]
• Procopius, Belisarius and Narses, Academic Fellowship, 1964. Procopius of Caesarea ( Προκόπιος ο Καισαρεύς, c
• Procopius, The Secret History of the Court of Justinian, online at Gutenberg Project.

Fiction(Joseph Lessard) "The hero of Byzantium: Based on the life of General Belisarius" , 2005.

• Paolo Belzoni, Belisarius: The First Shall be Last, 2006. Arx Publishing, ISBN 1-889758-78-7. [4]
• Robert von Ranke Graves, Count Belisarius: AND "Lawrence of the Arabs", Carcanet Press 2004, ISBN 1-85754-645-8. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist.

External links

• Military History magazine article