Belisarius, Justinian’s Virtuous General
Procopius
1
OVERVIEW
Belisarius (ca. 505–565) served Byzantine emperor Justinian I well, organizing victories
against the Vandals in Africa and the Ostrogoths in Italy. In addition, according to this
account by the historian Procopius, Belisarius was a truly virtuous man. However, in another
work called the Secret History, Procopius wrote a far less flattering account of the great
general and of Justinian's court.
GUIDED READING As you read, consider the following questions:
• Why were the attributes that Belisarius had, such as self-control and caution, so
important in a leader during this time?
• Are there any clues in this passage that indicate why Procopius might have
written a secret, less flattering account of the general?
S
o Belisarius reached Byzantium with all the treasure. Vittigis, other Gothic
nobles and the children of Ildibadus were with him, as well as Ildiger,
Balerian, Martin and Herodian. The Emperor Justinian was delighted to see
Vittigis and his wife, and the physical beauty and size of all the barbarians
filled him with wonder. He received the marvellous treasure of Theodoric in
the Palace, and put it on display for members of the Council to see privately,
overcome with jealousy at the size of the achievement. So he did not show it in
public nor did he allow Belisarius a triumph, as he had when the latter
returned from the conquest of Gelimer and the Vandals. But he won the
admiration of all the common citizens; he had won two victories of a nature
unparalleled in any one general in history, he had brought two kings as
prisoners to Byzantium, he had gained for the Romans the unexpected spoil of
the family and wealth of Gizeric and Theodoric, the most famous of all
barbarian kings, providing the enemy’s treasure for the state. In short, in a very
few years, in campaigns on land and sea, he saved for the Empire about one
half of its total area. The people of Byzantium were glad to see Belisarius
walking daily in the forum on his way to and from his home, and no one
could have too much of the sight. His passage seemed like a mighty
procession, since a crowd of Vandals, Goths and Moors always followed him.
Physically, too, he was outstandingly gifted, a large man and attractive, though
he made himself so affable and easy to approach by any chance acquaintance
that he seemed more like a really poor, humble fellow.
Neither his troops nor the country-folk could fight against the love which
they felt for his command. Towards his men, he was the most generous of
leaders. He relieved the wounds of those who had met with mishap in an
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Belisarius, Justinian’s Virtuous General
1
engagement with large sums of money, and he offered prizes of bracelets and
necklaces to those who had done well, while if any of his soldiers had lost
horse, bow or anything else in battle, he immediately got a replacement from
Belisarius. He won his good name from the rustics because he showed such
forbearance and forethought that under his command nothing was ever forced
from them, and all those on whom the mass of the army was billeted found
themselves unexpectedly enriched, for they received payment at their own
prices for everything. When the crops were ripe, he took special steps to
prevent the cavalry from harming anything as it rode by. Permission was
always refused to touch any of the ripe fruit on the trees. Self-control was his
particular claim. He never touched a woman except his wedded wife, and
though he captured from the Vandals and Goths a great number of women of
great beauty, the like of which no one had previously seen, he did not allow
any of them to come into his sight or to meet him in any other way. In
addition to everything else he was pre-eminently sharp of mind and capable of
forming excellent plans even for impossible situations. In the dangers of war,
he mixed courage and caution, boldness with reason, sharpness and care in
every encounter with the enemy as occasion demanded. Apart from that he
displayed a mind that was confident in trouble and rose above the chaos of the
events, and in success he was not puffed up or vain at his triumph. No one
ever saw Belisarius drunk.
For as long as he commanded the Roman armies in Libya and Italy, he
went on winning and gaining everything before him. On his recall to
Byzantium, his merit was recognized even more than it had been before. Every
virtue was his. He had the power that comes with great wealth and he excelled
all the generals of his day in the number of his bodyguard and spearmen, all of
which naturally inspired fear in officers and men alike. No one, I fancy, dared
to resist an order of his, and they never refused to carry out successfully any
command he gave, respecting his virtue and fearing his power.…
Belisarius, then, as mentioned, had a mighty reputation and outstanding
mental ability; his plans were formed to benefit the Emperor's affairs and
carried out with a mind of his own. Other generals, being more on a par with
each other and only thinking of their personal gain in their conduct of
operations, began to plunder the Romans and to subject the citizens to the will
of the soldiers, never considering their duty or keeping the troops obedient to
their commands. So they made many mistakes, and in a very short time the
whole Roman Empire fell down in ruins about them.
Copyright © by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Belisarius, Justinian’s Virtuous General
2