"...As peasants studied the swaying wheat in the fields, kings eyed their neighbors lands, weighing whether they were ripe for the plucking. Many greedy eyes were cast upon Italy, as the Ostrogoth kingdom struggled to defend its borders. The Vandals to the south, Visigoths to the north, and the Byzantines to the west all fought for Italian land. The Byzantines advanced on other fronts, as well, in Africa and eastwards into Sassanid Persia. Far to the north, the Slavs marched to the Euxine Sea, and the Lombard kingdom awoke from its slumber, its horsemen stirred to seize lands ripening in the Autumn sun..."
"Fatal Year for Mighty Men"
The Year of Our Lord 530 had already seen the death of many mighty leaders -- Byzantine Belisarius, Chosroes of Persia and Deodoric the Visigoth. Another proven warleader fell to the grim reaper's scythe when Totila led a lightly-armed force into the hills to seize Liguria from its Visigothic occupiers. Figuring archers would be of more use on the slopes than cavalry, he sent a large force of skirmishers to fall upon the flanks of the Visigoth Vigdonic's men. However, Vigdonic pushed forward aggressively and broke the Ostrogothic battleline before the full weight of the stratagem could take effect. Totila fell, trying to stave off the rout, and his army scattered to the south.
"Victory at Last"
Though his beard was gray, many said Theodoric was the greatest general of the Ostrogoths. However, bitter defeat was all his lips had tasted in the last several years, and his place of honor at the king's banquet table had been taken by Totila. When the Vandals finally began their march on Rome, Totila was dying in foothills of the Alps -- and only Theodoric and his veterans stood in the way. Perhaps his rival's death snapped the old warleader out of his lethargy, because he met the charge of the Vandals with a defiant countercharge. The battle raged, and it was only as the sun set that the Vandal strength finally ebbed, and they retired from the field. Rome was saved, and Theodoric feasted victory at last.
"Byzantine Treachery"
The Ostrogothic king had known the Vandals would eventually resume their attacks, and that war with the Visigoths would continue. However, he was shocked when messengers came with tales of a Byzantine army marching into Dalmatia. He'd thought as long as they both fought the Vandals, peace between them would remain. Only a small force under a questionable commander guarded Dalmatia. His doubts about the warleader Goar proved justified, as the Byzantine army routed him and seized the province. Rumor had it, the ex-wife of Belisarius, the odious Theodora, dictated the marching orders of these invaders. It was obvious she didn't command in the field, but then again, neither did it seem did Goar!
"Eunuch Emasculated"
Although some questioned Justinian's wisdom in sending a 70-year-old eunuch to command an army, Narses had proven himself time and again. With Belisarius' death, he was doubtless the best of the emperor's generals. Now was his crowning moment -- to seize Carthage where rival Belisarius could not. His opponent was the best of the Vandal generals, Huneric. Defeated by Narses once before, Huneric had studied the man, and believed he knew his opponent's tricks. When battle was joined, every Byzantine thrust was turned back, every probe smashed. Then the Vandal counterattacks came, at the worst moment and the worst places for the Byzantines. Their defeat was total. Narses had been outwitted, and his army outfought. Together they fled, howling, from the field.
"Hills Are Alive"
When news of Narses' defeat was shouted throughout the province of Tingintania, the Berbers knew their moment had arrived. They had stored arms and patiently prepared for the day of revolt. After overwhelming several isolated garrisons, the rebel leader Jugurtha laid in wait in the hills for the Byzantine response. The Exarch Theodosius advanced cautiously upon the lightly-armed Berbers, spearmen guarding each flank and cavalry to the front. Suddenly, Jugurtha sprung the trap. The hills seemed to come alive as his entire force rushed in upon the Byzantine cavalry, encircling them. The Byzantine infantry support was too far away, and the troopers were cut to pieces by the lighter, darting Berber horse. For the first time since their earlier conquest by the Vandals, the Berber tribesmen issue forth from the hills, free at last!
"Desert a Harsh Mistress"
With Tingintania free, it was the turn of the Berbers of the Libyan desert to rise next. However, the desert is a harsh mistress. To survive in the land, tribesmen must disperse. Distance breeds distrust, and the Berber chieftains could not agree on a concerted plan. No Jugurtha arose to lead them. The Byzantine general Leo had no such disadvantage, and quickly pinned down the tribal army. Solid walls of spear blocked any encirclements, and the armored Byzantine horsemen simply overpowered the Berbers on their desert ponies. The revolt was crushed, and Byzantine morale in Africa rescued.
"Namesake Meets Same Fate"
Byzantine officers in Constantinople are schooled in their history, and the example of the Republican Roman general Crassus is taught. Surrounded and slain in the open by the Parthians, Crassus was one NOT to emulate. His present-day namesake, Crassus, Exarch of Galatia, was sent to retake the mountainous interior of Cappodokia. Although he was not surrounded, Crassus found the Persians driving his men back on both flanks. When one band of cavalry saw him sitting his horse, directing the battle from in front of the camp, the Persian noblemen charged. Crassus' bodyguard panicked, and the general was caught up in the rout and slain while trying to force his way into the camp gate. Behind him, his army broke up, convinced the name Crassus was a curse when it was to Persia they rode to war.
"A Byzantine Lake"
Worried about Persian growth along the Euxine Sea, Justinian built a fleet to control it. Once seaworthy, it was dispatched to take General Maximus and his army to Utigur, and from there, seize the province from the Persians. Fishing craft brought Maximus word of a massive Slavic invasion behind them, in Kutrigur. If he was defeated, his army would likely be captured or die to a man. When Maximus met the Persian general Anasozades in battle, he was cautious and exact in his deployments. When they drove off the Persian elephants, Maximus felt the battle was his. His hunch proved true. Anasozades was slain in the fighting, and the leaderless province quickly conquered. The Euxine Sea was well on its way to becoming a Byzantine lake.
"Fierce Even in Defeat"
General Diogenes had learned not to underestimate the Slavs. Many had done so, ending up dead or enslaved. His men, too, were drilled to respect their enemy's speed and ferocity. Diogenes stole a night march on the Slavic force that had invaded Kutrigur, and caught them in the open with his cavalry. What should have been a rout was still a deadly, close battle. Eventually, the tribesmen were driven off, Diogenes' cavalry harrying them until they recrossed the great river that was their border.
"Fear Not Thy Foe"
The Slavic chieftain Piastes felt his greatest foe was not the enemy Gepids, but his tribesmen's fear of them. For months, he recounted to all his army's repulse of the Gepid's invasion of Baltica. He honored heroes from the battle, setting them at the banquet table to tell their tale. Slowly, it worked. The Gepids were not spoken of in hushed tones, but laughed about and denigrated. When the army was at fever pitch, he rushed them south into the forests of Dneister and drove the Gepid horsemen from beneath the trees. Tribal land had been reclaimed, and tribal fears expunged.
"Lombards Awake from Slumber"
For the last several years, the Lombards had been content. Their plains of Valeria and Pannonia were rich, their horse herds growing. However, the rise of their ancient enemy, the Gepid Kingdom, afflicted them with worry. After much debate, the council rendered its decision -- they would not wait for the attack which would surely come. The Lombard horsemen rode to war, led by the famous captain, Ildigisal. The Gepids were caught by surprise, but the struggle was bitter -- as was the war-fraught history between the two. Eventually, Ildigisal's men triumphed. Notice was served to all the neighboring kings -- the Lombards slumbered no more!