The people of Italy heard the pounding of Roman boots for the first time in over a hundred years. The Byzantine ships had landed in southern Italy after a swift journey from northern Africa and Sicily. General Belisarius had been given orders by Emperor Justinian in Constantinople to reconquer Italy and restore it to the Roman Empire. The Goths had toppled the last Roman emperor near the end of the 5th century A. D.
Belisarius faced a land that no longer knew the benefits of Roman civilization. The Goths at first couldn't imagine a world without Rome but then they conquered Italy and removed the crown from the head of the last Roman emperor. The last emperor was a child caught in the midst of a dying civilization. The people of Italy were weary of paying taxes to a Roman government that couldn't protect them. The Goths provided some measure of security at least.
Now it was up to the last great Roman general to take his small army of 10,000 men and defeat the much larger Gothic forces. Not only defeat them but convince the populace that their saviors had arrived. Not an easy task when faced with a wily enemy and insubordinate officers. He had the advantage of better trained troops.
The eastern Roman Empire had learned from the conquerors of the west. Instead of relying so heavily on heavy infantry, most of their troops were mounted archers. Mobility, speed and the ability to hit an enemy from a distance had made the Byzantine army a match for any of the Germanic or Asian hordes. Belisarius had used a small force to reconquer all of northern Africa.
There were many reasons for using a force of ten to fifteen thousand men as opposed to fifty thousand. One reason was Emperor Justinian. He was reluctant to give any general too many men. The more men the higher the cost and the greaater the risk of the army general turning against him. Fewer men meant were less of a logistical nightmare. An army has to be fed and so do all the horses. Fewer mouths were easier and cheaper to feed. A smaller force has greater speed and mobility. Communication was less of a problem with fewer men. It was easier for the chief general to keep track of what was going on with his army when using a smaller force.
Belisarius knew he could count on his men. It was his officers that sometimes presented a problem. John of Cappodocia, in particular, felt that he was more qualified to lead this invasion and his connections to the Emperor made him a thorny problem.
Still, he felt optomistic as his horse pounded it hoofs into the fine Italian soil. The birthplace of the Roman Empire belonged to the Romans not the Germans. Of this he and all his men and officers were certain.
