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Battle Of Faventia
In the spring of 542, at the Battle of Faventia (modern Faenza), an Ostrogothic army under king Totila scattered the larger Roman forces of generals Constantian and Alexander, beginning the resurgence of Gothic resistance to the Roman reconquest of Italy. Before the battle, Valaris, a gigantic Goth, challenged any Roman to do single combat with him. Valaris was slain by the Byzantine soldier Artabazes, who was also mortally wounded. Battle The key moment during the battle, was, according to Procopius Procopius of Caesarea (; ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; ; – 565) was a prominent Late antiquity, late antique Byzantine Greeks, Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in Justinian I, Empe ..., when the Roman rear was violently attacked by some 300 men of the Ostrogothic cavalry. References Sources * 542 540s conflicts Battles involving the Byzantine Empire Battles involving the Ostrogoths Gothic War (535� ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gothic War (535–554)
The Gothic War between the Byzantine Empire during the reign of Roman emperor, Emperor Justinian I and the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy took place from 535 to 554 in the Italian peninsula, Dalmatia (theme), Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily, and Corsica. It was one of the last of the many Gothic wars against the Roman Empire. The war had its roots in the ambition of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I to recover the provinces of the former Western Roman Empire, which the Romans had lost to invading barbarian tribes in the previous century, during the Migration Period. The war followed the Roman reconquest of the diocese of Africa from the Vandals. Historians commonly divide the war into two phases. The first phase lasts from 535 to the fall of the Ostrogothic capital Ravenna in 540, and the apparent reconquest of Italy by the Byzantines. The second phase from 540/541 to 553 featured a Goths, Gothic revival under Totila, which was suppressed only after a long struggle by the Roman genera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Faenza
Faenza (, ; ; or ; ) is an Italian city and comune of 59,063 inhabitants in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated southeast of Bologna. Faenza is home to a historical manufacture of majolica-ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the French name of the town as ''faience''. Geography Faenza, at the foot of the first sub-Apennine hills, is surrounded by an agricultural region including vineyards in the hills, and cultivated land with traces of the ancient Roman land-division system, and fertile market gardens in the plains. In the nearby green valleys of the rivers Samoggia and Lamone there are great number of 18th and 19th century stately homes, set in extensive grounds or preceded by long cypress-lined driveways. History According to mythology, the name of the first settlement, ''Faoentia'', had Etruscan and Celtic roots, meaning in Latin "Splendeo inter deos" or "I shine among the gods", in modern English. The very name, coming from the Romans who develo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land border, as well as List of islands of Italy, nearly 800 islands, notably Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares land borders with France to the west; Switzerland and Austria to the north; Slovenia to the east; and the two enclaves of Vatican City and San Marino. It is the List of European countries by area, tenth-largest country in Europe by area, covering , and the third-most populous member state of the European Union, with nearly 59 million inhabitants. Italy's capital and List of cities in Italy, largest city is Rome; other major cities include Milan, Naples, Turin, Palermo, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, and Venice. The history of Italy goes back to numerous List of ancient peoples of Italy, Italic peoples—notably including the ancient Romans, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ostrogothic Kingdom
The Ostrogothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of Italy (), was a barbarian kingdom established by the Germanic Ostrogoths that controlled Italian peninsula, Italy and neighbouring areas between 493 and 553. Led by Theodoric the Great, the Ostrogoths killed Odoacer, a Germanic soldier and erstwhile leader of the . Odoacer had previously become the ''de facto'' Kingdom of Odoacer, ruler of Italy following his deposition of Romulus Augustulus, the final emperor of the Western Roman Empire, in 476. Under Theodoric, the Ostrogothic kingdom reached its zenith, stretching from Southern France in the west to Geography of Serbia, Western Serbia in the southeast. Most of the Roman society, social institutions of the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, late Western Roman Empire were preserved during his rule. Theodoric called himself "King of the Goths and Succession of the Roman Empire, Romans" (), demonstrating his desire to be a leader for both peoples. Under Justinian I, the Byzantine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th centuryAD, it endured until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. The term 'Byzantine Empire' was coined only after its demise; its citizens used the term 'Roman Empire' and called themselves 'Romans'. During the early centuries of the Roman Empire, the western provinces were Romanization (cultural), Latinised, but the eastern parts kept their Hellenistic culture. Constantine the Great, Constantine I () legalised Christianity and moved the capital to Constantinople. Theodosius I, Theodosius I () made Christianity the state religion and Greek gradually replaced Latin for official use. The empire adopted a defensive strategy and, throughout its remaining history, expe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Totila
Totila, original name Baduila (died 1 July 552), was the penultimate King of the Ostrogoths, reigning from 541 to 552 AD. A skilled military and political leader, Totila reversed the tide of the Gothic War (535–554), Gothic War, recovering by 543 almost all the territories in Italy that the Eastern Roman Empire had captured from his Ostrogothic Kingdom, Kingdom in 540. A relative of Theudis, sword-bearer of Theodoric the Great and king of the Visigoths, Totila was elected king by Ostrogoths, Ostrogothic nobles in the autumn of 541 after King Witigis had been carried off prisoner to Constantinople. Totila proved himself both as a military and political leader, winning the support of the lower classes by liberating slaves and distributing land to the peasants. After a successful Siege of Verona (541), defence at Verona, Totila pursued and defeated a numerically superior army at the Battle of Faventia (542), Battle of Faventia in 542 AD. Totila followed these victories by Battle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexander (discussor)
Alexander () was a senior financial official of the Byzantine Empire, active in the reign of Justinian I (r. 527–565). His title is reported as "discussor" in Latin and logothetēs in Greek. He was reportedly nicknamed "Scissors" or "Snips" (), for trimming down the size of gold coins. The main source about him is Procopius.Martindale, Jones & Morris (1992), p. 43-44 Biography His title is reported as "discussor" in Latin and logothetēs in Greek. While clearly a financial official, normally based at Constantinople, Alexander was reportedly sent on special missions and even assumed military duties. He may have held the additional titles of "scriniarius" (notary) or "numerarius" (accountant). His post being one specifically dealing with the military. Army payment Procopius reports that Alexander became notorious for his practice of accusing the Byzantine army of defrauding the state. His office allowed him to save large sums of money for the state and also enrich himself, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ostrogothic
The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populations who had settled in the Balkans in the 4th century. While the Visigoths had formed under the leadership of Alaric I, the new Ostrogothic political entity which came to rule Italy was formed in the Balkans under Theodoric the Great. Theoderic's family, the Amal dynasty, accumulated royal power in Roman Pannonia after the death of Attila, and collapse of his Hunnic empire. Byzantine Empire, Byzantine Zeno (emperor), Emperor Zeno played these Pannonian Goths off against the Thracian Goths to their south. However, instead the two groups united after the death of the Thracian leader Theoderic Strabo and his son Recitach. Zeno then backed Theodoric to invade Italy and replace Odoacer there, whom he had previously supported as its king. In 493, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Valaris
Valaris (, died 542) was a Gothic soldier who fought for the Ostrogoths against the Eastern Roman Empire in the Gothic War. Valaris was part of Totila's army engaged at the Battle of Faventia. Before the battle, Valaris approached the Romans on his horse and challenged any of them to do single combat with him. Procopius (''Gothic War'', III.4.21–29) describes Valaris as a man of great physical size and martial skill. His martial appearance terrified the Roman soldiers, and only a Persarmenian officer named Artabazes stood forth to accept the challenge. The duel was conducted on horseback, and Artabazes was able to hit Valaris on his right side with his spear, mortally wounding him. Valaris did not fall, however, being buttressed by his spear that was braced against a rock. While Artabazes was pushing his spear into his enemy trying to finish him off, Valaris' spear, standing almost upright, cut Artabazes' neck. Although the wound was not immediately fatal, it caused a great ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Single Combat
Single combat is a duel between two single combatants which takes place in the context of a battle between two army, armies. Instances of single combat are known from Classical Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The champions were often combatants who represented larger, spectator groups. Such representative contests and stories thereof are known worldwide. Typically, it takes place in the no-man's-land between the opposing armies, with other warriors watching and themselves refraining from fighting until one of the two single combatants has won. Often, it is champion warfare, with the two considered the champions of their respective sides. Single combat could also take place within a larger battle. Neither ancient warfare, ancient nor medieval warfare always relied on the Line (formation), line or phalanx formation. The ''Iliad'' notably describes the battles of the Trojan war as a series of single encounters on the field, and the medieval code of chivalry, partly inspired by this, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Artabazes (military Officer)
Artavasdes is the Hellenized form of the Iranian name . Variant renderings in Greek include (), (), and (); in Armenian (); and in Latin or . Artavasdes' name is the Latin attestation of an Old Iranian name *Ṛtavazdah-, identical to the Avestan Ašavazdah, presumably meaning "powerful/persevering through truth" People with this name include: Persian satraps * Artabazos I of Phrygia (flourished 5th century BC) * Artabazos II of Phrygia (flourished 4th century BC) Kings and emperors Media Atropatene * Artabazanes (flourished 3rd century BC), King of Media Atropatene * Artavasdes I of Media Atropatene (flourished 1st century BC), King of Media Atropatene and Sophene * Artavasdes I, King of Media Atropatene and Armenia from AD 4 to 6, also known as Artavasdes III of Armenia Armenia * Artavasdes I (died 115 BC), King of Armenia * Artavasdes II (died 31 BC), King of Armenia 53 BC to 34 BC * Artavasdes III, King of Armenia and Media Atropatene from AD 4 to 6, also kn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Procopius
Procopius of Caesarea (; ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; ; – 565) was a prominent Late antiquity, late antique Byzantine Greeks, Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in Justinian I, Emperor Justinian's wars, Procopius became the principal Roman historian of the 6th century, writing the ''History of the Wars'', the ''Buildings'', and the ''Secret History''. Early life Apart from his own writings, the main source for Procopius's life is an entry in the ''Suda'',Suda pi.2479. See under 'Procopius' oSuda On Line a Byzantine Greek encyclopaedia written sometime after 975 which discusses his early life. He was a native of Caesarea Maritima, Caesarea in the Roman province, province of ''Palaestina Prima''. He would have received a conventional upper-class education in the Greek literature, Greek classics and rhetoric, perhaps at the famous Rhetorical School of Gaza, school at Gaza. He may have attended law school, possibly at La ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
