By AD 535 the weakness of the government in Italy was favorable to the growing power of the Vandals, who, during the lapse of more than half a century, encountered no foe by land or by water to whom they were not superior. But the accession of Justinian to the throne of the whole empire, of which the undivided authority had been conveyed to the city of Constantine, led to new efforts for the recovery of Africa, now so long severed from the imperial dominions. The sceptre of Genseric had already passed through his son Hunneric to his grandson Hilderic, who, being of a mild disposition and proving unfortunate in war, was dethroned by Gelimer, a chief possessing popular qualities and a high military reputation. The emperor, on this occasion, felt the influence of various motives, among which prevailed a feeling of respect for the degraded prince and resentment towards his oppressor; but it was not until after the most mature deliberation, that, yielding to the calls of honour and policy, he announced his determination to expel the usurper, and resume the protection of the province. To accomplish this object, so important to his own fame as well as to the stability of the empire, he made choice of the renowned Belisarius, who had gained many laurels in the Persian war, from which he was just returned. Nor were the preparations commanded by Justinian unworthy of the last contest between Rome and Carthage. Five hundred transports, navigated by 20,000 sailors, carried to the opposite shore of the Mediterranean an army still more formidable for its experience and discipline than for its numbers. Landing at the most convenient point, though at a considerable distance from the capital, the general impressed on the minds of his soldiers the necessity of cultivating the friendship of the natives, who, he assured them, were eager to throw off the yoke of the barbarians, and to submit to the milder dominion of the Roman emperor. The conduct of the people soon proved the justness of his anticipations. So far from concealing their persons or their goods, they made haste to supply with provisions the camp of the invaders; and one town after another opened its gates to the imperial commander, who accepted their allegiance in the name of his august sovereign. Belisarius, instructed by the misfortunes of those who, in the days of Genseric, had attempted the reduction of Africa, moved cautiously along the coast accompanied by his fleet, from which he could at all times receive assistance or supplies. The approach of the legions to Carthage filled the mind of the usurper with anxiety and fear; having sent part of his army for the reduction of Sardinia, while he had neglected to restore those fortifications by which the capital was at one time defended, and which, on the present occasion, would have enabled him to await with safety the concentration of his scattered forces. The conquest of Barbary was soon completed by the surrender of Gelimer, who had taken refuge in a fortress situated on one of the Atlas mountains. After enduring a siege accompanied with more than the usual privations, the usurper yielded his person, on the conditions of having his life spared and a provision secured; though he was afterwards compelled to grace the triumph of Belisarius, when this hero entered Constantinople after the manner of Roman conquerors. But in other respects, the Vandal king had no reason to accuse the generosity of the emperor; for he was allowed an ample estate in a pleasant district of Asia Minor, where he spent the remainder of his days in comparative affluence and undisturbed repose. But Africa, meanwhile, was rapidly sinking back into the state of barbarism from which it had been raised by the Phoenicians and Romans ; and every step of intestine discord was marked by the triumph of savage man over the institutions of civilized society. The Moors, who had succeeded to the quarrels of the Vandals not less surely than to their lands, showed themselves still more impatient of the restraint imposed by law, and the oppressions which seemed to attend the collection of the revenue. A state of inactivity, the effect of weakness and disunion, had continued nearly 100 years, when the mixed inhabitants of Northern Africa were roused in AD 647., as if from a slumber, by the Saracens under Abdallah, the lieutenant of the Caliph Othman. At the head of 40,000 armed men, he advanced from Egypt into the wilderness of Barca, - a stranger to all parts of the vast continent which stretched out before him, or only knowing that there were extensive lands to conquer and numerous tribes to subdue. A few years before the close of the seventh century, Hassan, the viceroy of Egypt, was ordered to attack Carthage, and subject the whole of the surrounding country to the religion and authority of the caliph. But he had hardly reduced the metropolis of Africa, when a large force arrived from Constantinople, which compelled him to retire to Kairwan, the town whose origin has just been described. The issue of a battle, however, again put the city of Dido into his hands; and a second engagement, which took place near Utica, proved so disastrous to the Greeks, that they fled to their ships, and finally relinquished the country in AD 698.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
