Belisarius Retaking Rome (536)
Tancredi Scarpelli · Domaine public
This illustration depicts the Byzantine general Belisarius recapturing Rome in 536 during the Gothic War. Sent by Emperor Justinian, he led a campaign to restore the authority of the Eastern Roman Empire over Italy. The capture of Rome marked a key moment in this imperial restoration effort. This episode illustrates the struggle between Byzantines and Ostrogoths for control of the former imperial capital, during the transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages.