History of Warfare Summary 17 - Justinian's Expansionist Wars Part 3: Conquest of the Vandal Kingdom

The Vandal Kingdom in North Africa was a state founded by the Vandals in the early 5th century, which controlled the maritime power of the Western Mediterranean centered around Carthage. Justinian pursued its conquest by exploiting the internal divisions and succession issues within the Vandal Kingdom. In 533, when the Eastern Roman army led by Belisarius landed in North Africa, the Vandal King Gelimer gathered his forces to resist. However, after winning the Battle of Ad Decimum, the Eastern Roman army captured Carthage and subsequently defeated the Vandal forces in the Battle of Tricamarum. Gelimer fled but eventually surrendered, and the Vandal Kingdom was officially dissolved in 534. North Africa came back under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire, and Carthage became an important administrative and military center. This victory was the first successful large-scale conquest in the West initiated by Justinian. Furthermore, by securing the granary and ports of North Africa, the Eastern Roman Empire gained a foundation for conducting military operations in the Western Mediterranean. The next target was Italy, the heartland of the Western Roman Empire.