James Baquet If you were a famous general back in the days of the Greek-speaking Byzantine Empire, you couldn’t do much better for a name than “Belisarius” (though this is the Latin form). Its two parts mean “arrow” or “dart,” and “Ares,” the Greek god of war. So his name is something like “the War God’s Weapon” — and that he was. In the century prior to his career, the empire had lost many of its western territories (formerly “The Roman Empire”). Belisarius’ great achievement was to recover most of that territory from the “barbarians” (Germanic tribes) who had taken it. This is part of what is sometimes called “the Reconquest of North Africa.” So effective was he that some called him the “Last of the Romans.” On Dec. 15, 533, at Tricamarum, the armies of the Byzantine Empire under Belisarius faced the Vandal Kingdom, whose army was commanded by the brothers King Gelimer and Tzazo. Three months earlier, Belisarius had won the Battle of Ad Decimum, in which the Byzantines took the North African city of Carthage back from the Vandals. In the interim, Gelimer attempted to subvert the non-Byzantine troops fighting under Belisarius by offering the desert tribesmen a bounty for sending him the heads of Byzantine soldiers. He also tried to convince the Hun soldiers under Belisarius to betray him. At last Gelimer felt ready to confront Belisarius, and he and Tzazo marched on Carthage. Meanwhile, Belisarius had fortified that city. Knowing of Gelimer’s treachery, he placed the Hun soldiers where they could do the least damage during his counterassault on the Vandals. The armies met at Tricamarum, 50 kilometers west of Carthage. Belisarius launched three cavalry attacks on the Vandals, following with his infantry. Tzazo was killed during the third cavalry charge, and his brother witnessed it, causing Gelimer to lose heart for the battle. The Vandals were routed, and Gelimer tried to flee to Spain. Once he was caught, he was given rich estates in Galatia (part of modern Turkey), where he retired until his death. The Vandal Kingdom came to an end, and their previous territories came under the control of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. causing the desired result 2. go against, side with the enemy 3. caused to flee 4. corrupt 5. act of taking back 6. give up, become discouraged 7. life’s work 8. deceit, betrayal 9. reward 10. meantime, intervening period | 