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How did Belisarius conquer the Vandal kingdom for Justinian I?
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Justinian I
Justinian I, detail of a mosaic in the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy.
In June 533, Justinian I dispatched an expeditionary force commanded by the general Belisarius to North Africa to address the deposition of the pro-Roman Vandal king, Hilderich, by the usurper Gelimer.12
The campaign was swift and decisive:
- Arrival: A fleet of approximately 500 vessels, including 92 warships, carried the Byzantine forces to Africa, where they made an unopposed landing in August 533.2
- Military Success: The Byzantines defeated Gelimerās army at Decimum, near Carthage, and subsequently occupied the city. Following further tactical blunders by Gelimer, the Vandal forces were decisively defeated in mid-December 533.1
- Conclusion: Gelimer fled to Numidia but was forced to surrender in March 534.1
By the spring of 534, Belisarius had mastered the Vandal kingdom, effectively destroying it in a single campaigning season and restoring Roman rule to the region. Following the victory, the territory was reorganized as part of the Byzantine Empire, and Gelimer was sent to Constantinople.3412