Vitiges

For the racehorse, see Vitiges (horse).

This article is about the Ostrogoth king in Italy. For the Visigoth king in Spain, see Wittiza.

Vitiges (c. 480–542) was king of Ostrogothic Italy from 536 to 540 during the Gothic War between the Ostrogoths (Goths) and the Byzantine Empire under Emperor Justinian I.

Vitiges
King of the Ostrogoths
Vitiges in the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493
Reign	November 536  – May 540
Predecessor	Theodahad
Successor	Ildibad
Born	c. 480
Died	542
Spouse	Mataswintha

Vitiges came from humble roots and had a respected military career under Theodoric the Great, later becoming one of the king's bodyguards and adviser to King Athalaric. Under King Theodahad, he became leader of the king's bodyguards and the Gothic forces in Rome. He rose to power after the overthrow of Theodahad, whose failure to counter the Byzantines at the onset of the Gothic War had angered the Gothic nobility. To strengthen his legitimacy, Vitiges married by force Mataswintha, the granddaughter of Theodoric and daughter of Amalasuntha. His reign began during a period of crisis, as the Byzantine general Belisarius had already conquered Sicily, much of southern Italy and Rome in December 536. Vitiges attempted to halt the Byzantine advance by besieging Rome in 537 with superior numbers but the defenders under Belisarius resisted the assault. After a year-long siege, he withdrew from Rome and concentrated on defending northern Italy and the Gothic capital at Ravenna, while seeking allies against the Byzantines. In 540, Vitiges found himself trapped in the capital as Byzantine forces increased their control of the surrounding region. He agreed with the Gothic nobility to offer to Belisarius the crown of the Western Roman Empire. Belisarius pretended to accept, but once inside the city, took Vitiges captive and brought him to Constantinople. Vitiges died there in 542 without heirs, marking the end of his reign.

Biography

Early life

Little information is known about the early life of Vitiges. He came from an undistinguished family, presumably born c. 480. He was a career soldier, similar to his uncle and nephew. He gained prominence during the reign of Theodoric the Great in the siege of Sirmium of 504–505 but did not receive any titles. He became part of the king's bodyguards (spatharius, swordbearer) and adviser to the King Athalaric and he fought again at Sirmium in the late 520s. Later, he served under King Theodahad, who appointed him to armiger position, commander of the king's bodyguard and leader of the Gothic forces in Rome.

Gothic War and the rise to power

Quarter Siliqua of Witigis

The Gothic War started in 535, when the Byzantine general Belisarius had secured Sicily, and in the following year, rapidly advanced through the south of Italy and caprured Naples after the siege of 536. King Theodahad's failure to reinforce Naples angered the Gothic nobility. In late 536, the Gothic nobles and military officers gathered near Regata in the Pontine Marshes and proclaimed Vitiges as their new king. Theodahad attempted to flee toward the Gothic capital, Ravenna but Vitiges dispatched an agent to intercept him and overtook and killed him. Once in Rome, Vitiges imprisoned Theodahad's son.

Vitiges had two immediate challenges; he did not wish to face the Byzantines in Rome as the war preparations were incomplete and most of the Gothic forces were divided, facing the Franks in the west, Byzantines under General Constantinianus in the east (Dalmatia region) and Belisarius in the south. Before departing for Ravenna, Vitiges left a garrison of 4,000 men in Rome and took several senators of Rome hostage to ensure the city's loyalty. Second, a crisis of legitimacy due to the lack of royal blood forced Vitiges to strengthen his claim. He traveled to Ravenna and, after divorcing his wife, forced a marriage to Matasuintha, the only surviving child of Queen Amalasuintha and the granddaughter of Theodoric. This union was celebrated with a panegyric delivered by the Roman senator Cassiodorus. This speech aimed to frame Vitiges not as a usurper but as the protector of Theodoric's legacy.

Vitiges then proceeded to negotiate with the Franks, who were in alliance with the Byzantines. Theodahad had proposed handing over the Gothic territory in Gaul, along with 2,000 pounds of gold, in return for their agreement to assist him in the war. Theodahad died before the transaction was concluded and Witigis sought to complete this arrangement. The Frankish kings agreed but they were unwilling openly to break their alliance with the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. Instead, they secretly promised to send warriors drawn from their tributary peoples to maintain the fiction of alliance.

Siege of Rome

Vitiges besieging Rome near the Mausoleum of Hadrian in 537 by Lodovico Pogliaghi.

The citizens of Rome, fearing a siege and encouraged by Pope Silverius, expelled the Goths and opened the gates to Belisarius on 9 December 536. Determined to retake Rome, Vitiges returned in early 537 with a large army to besiege Rome; the contemporary historian Procopius reports a 150,000-strong army. Soon after the siege started, Vitiges gave orders for the senatorial hostages held in Ravenna to be executed. Vitiges ordered several assaults on the Aurelian Walls but he was countered by Belisarius's defensive preparations, use of artillery and sorties of Byzantine mounted archers employing hit-and-run tactics, which caused significant Gothic casualties.

The siege lasted for a year, with both sides suffering from shortages and disease. The Byzantine control of sea supply routes gradually weakened the besieging Goths, who faced greater challenges in supplying their large army by land. In March 538, Belisarius sent John the Sanguinary to raid the Picenum region. John acted beyond his orders and captured Ariminum, which was close to the Gothic capital. Vitiges lifted the siege of Rome on 12 March 538 and his army marched to recapture Ariminum. In his march north, Vitiges reinforced nearby towns under his rule to protect his rear. He sent 2,000 troops under Moras to defend the fortified town of Urbinus and 1,000 men under Albilas to Urviventus. In Tuscany, he sent Gibimer to Clusium with 1,000 men. The stronghold of Auximus was reinforced with 4,000 men under Visandus. Other cities included, Tudera with 400 men, Petra with 400 men, Caesana and Monteferetra were garrisoned with 500 men each.

Siege of Ariminum

First phase of the Gothic War campaigns

Upon arrival, presumably in late spring 538, Vitiges besieged Ariminum and used a man-powered siege tower. The Byzantine garrison, led by John, covertly dug a trench overnight to block its advance. When Vitiges ordered the trench filled with faggots to push the machine through, the tower's weight caused it to sink and become immobilized. Vitiges executed the night guards of the tower for this oversight. Then, he decided to starve the defenders. Needing fewer troops, he sent a detachment to capture Ancon. In late summer 538, Belisarius with reinforcements (still outnumbered by the Gothic army) devised a plan to break the siege of Ariminum by using psychological warfare and deceptive tactics to inflate the Byzantine army size. The Goths thought that a large army was approaching and they panicked. Vitiges abandoned the siege and retreated to Ravenna.

Seeking allies and fall of Mediolanum and Auximus

In April 538, the Byzantines with a small army captured Mediolanum (modern-day Milan) and the nearby towns of Bergamum, Comum, and Novaria, which were necessary to secure the Liguria region. The loss of Liguria alarmed the Goths, who had deposited significant parts of their wealth there. Acting on the news, Vitiges sent Uraias, his nephew, with an army to recover Mediolanum, assisted by Burgundians sent by the Franks. During the siege, the city endured severe famine as relief efforts by the Byzantines were delayed due to disputes among their leadership. Eventually, Mediolanum capitulated in March 539. The Goths killed the male inhabitants as punishment for the city's earlier revolt and the women were sold to the Burgundians as a reward for their assistance in the siege. After the city was razed, the Goths recovered much of the Liguria region.

In early 539, Vitiges was considering asking for help. Initially, he asked Wacho, the king of Langobardians. Wacho refused him because he was allied with Justinian and did not want to spoil his reputation by breaking the alliance. Then the Goths considered asking Khosrow I, the Persian leader (shah), on the grounds that the Byzantines would not be able to continue campaigning in Italy while maintaining an open front in the east. They paid two Ligurian priests to deliver a letter to Khosrow by passing through the Byzantine territories without detection. Khosrow received the letter with interest, since he viewed Belisarius's conquests in Italy with concern. Justinian learned about the communication between the Goths and Persians and recognized the perils of fighting on two fronts. The Byzantines tried to make peace with the Goths. For Justinian, the Persians were the greater threat and peace in Italy would free Belisarius to take command on the eastern front.

Vitiges remained in Ravenna, unable to send an expeditionary army to assist Gothic garrisons besieged by the Byzantines due to a lack of supplies. During the siege of Auximus, the Gothic garrison twice requested assistance from their king, and each time Vitiges promised to send a relief force but remained inactive. He ordered Uraias to assist Auximus but he was unable to do so because Byzantine troops blocked the way and later a large Frankish army invaded, attacking the Goths and the Byzantines. The Frankish army retreated due to disease and poor supplies. Auximus and Fiesole, key strongholds for the defense of Ravenna, capitulated due to famine in late 539.

Siege of Ravenna

By 540, the Byzantines encircled Ravenna, trapping Vitiges. Justinian was under threat of a Persian invasion, which required bringing Belisarius from Italy to the eastern front. Justinian offered a modified plan, which Vitiges had proposed in late 537. Justinian's plan called for a partition of Italy, in which the Goths would keep the territories north of the river Po and the royal treasury in Ravenna would be equally divided. The plan was generous and the Goths fully embraced it. Belisarius, as one of the generals in the field that had to ratify the peace treaty, refused to do so. Around the same time, the Gothic nobility, fearful that they might be transferred to the east and never allowed to return, secretly offered to Belisarius the western imperial throne. The Goths knew that Vitiges's days as king were numbered, yet they admired the Byzantine general as a man and as a soldier. When Vitiges found out, he provided his support and even sent a message urging him to accept the offer. Belisarius feigned agreement to gain entry. In May 540, the Goths opened the gates and the Byzantine army entered the city. Once inside the gates, he seized the royal treasury and took Vitiges and Matasuintha captive, ending Vitiges's reign. The king was transported to Constantinople to be presented to Justinian in mid-summer 540.

Later life and death

In Constantinople, Vitiges was treated honorably, with Justinian granting him the title of Patrikios and remaining the ruler of trans-Padane Italy, bound to Byzantium by treaty. Vitiges lived for two years before dying in 542 without any heirs.

Legacy

Scholars assess Vitiges's leadership as lacking foresight and tactical adaptability. While he maintained military discipline and cohesion among his troops under heavy fire, he failed to counter the Byzantines' mounted archers with their hit-and-run tactics and his attempts to emulate those tactics backfired because his own troops lacked long-distance missile capabilities. He was unable to maintain pressure on the defenses, allowing the Byzantines free movement toward the end of the siege of Rome.

In Germanic heroic legends, the historical Vitiges is represented by the mythical figure of Witege, whose political surrender of Ravenna is portrayed as a betrayal. Entrusted with the city by King Dietrich von Bern (re-imagining Theodoric the Great), Witege breaks his bond of loyalty by handing the keys to Dietrich's enemy, semi-legendary Gothic king Ermenrich, leading to a brutal slaughter of its citizens. The ultimate betrayal occurs later during the Battle of Ravenna when Witege kills Dietrich's young brother and the sons of King Etzel. The enraged and vengeful Dietrich pursues Witege to the seashore, where he is saved when his ancestral sea-spirit, Wachilde, pulls him into the waves to live in exile.

Vitiges is portrayed by Florin Piersic in the 1968 film The Last Roman.

See also

• Byzantine Empire portal

References

Primary sources

• Procopius (1919) [545–553 AD]. Procopius: History of the Wars, Books V and VI. Translated by Dewing, Henry Bronson. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. OCLC 1454934700.
• Procopius (1924) [545–553 AD]. Procopius: History of the Wars, Books VI and VII. Translated by Dewing, Henry Bronson. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. OCLC 50817920.

Secondary sources

• Amory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489–554. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-57151-0.
• Burns, Thomas S. (1984). A History of the Ostrogoths. Bloomington; Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-32831-4.
• Bury, John Bagnell (1958). History of the Later Roman Empire: From the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian. Vol. 2. Mineola, New York: Dover Publications, Inc. OCLC 1240424678.
• Durant, William (1950). The Story of Civilization: The Age of Faith: The Story of Civilization. Vol. IV. New York: Simon and Schuster. OCLC 731309107.
• Dupuy, Richard Ernest; Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt (2007) [1970]. The Collins Encyclopedia of Military History, From 3500 BC to the Present (4th ed.). Glasgow: Book Club Associates in association with HarperCollins Publishers. OCLC 28765642.
• Gillespie, George T. (1973). A Catalogue of Persons Named in German Heroic Literature (700–1600). Oxford: Clarendon Press. OCLC 726054.
• Heather, Peter J. (2018). Rome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-936274-5.
• Hughes, Ian (2009). Belisarius: The Last Roman General. Yardley, PA: Westholme Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59-416085-1. OCLC 294885267.
• Jacobsen, Torsten C. (2009). The Gothic War, Rome's Final Conflict with the West. Yardley, PA: Westholme. ISBN 978-1-59416-084-4. OCLC 294885264.
• Kovács, Tamás (2019). "Procopius's Sibyl – The Fall of Vitigis and the Ostrogoths" (PDF). Graeco-Latina Brunensia. 24 (2): 113–124. doi:10.5817/GLB2019-2-8.
• Martindale, John R. (1992). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume II, AD 395–527. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-20159-4.
• Petersen, Leif Inge Ree (2013). Siege Warfare and Military Organization in the Successor States (400–800 AD): Byzantium, the West and Islam. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-25446-6.
• Sandbach, Francis Edward (1906). The Heroic Saga-cycle of Dietrich of Bern. London: David Nutt. OCLC 2772953.
• Syvänne, Ilkka (2021). Military History of Late Rome 518–565. Barnsley, PA: Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-4738-9530-0.
• Wolfram, Herwig (1988). History of the Goths. Berkeley, Los Angeles and London: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-06983-8.

Web sources

• "Battle for Rome. Part 2: The Betrayal". Filmportal.de.