History of Warfare Summary 17 - Justinian's Expansionist Wars 9 Justinian's Greatest Territory

By the time Justinian died in 565 AD, the Eastern Roman Empire's territory had significantly expanded westward compared to when he ascended the throne. The empire controlled not only the Balkans, Anatolia, Syria, and Egypt, but also most of North Africa, Italy, and parts of the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. The Mediterranean Sea once again became the core area of activity for the Eastern Roman Empire, and cities like Carthage, Ravenna, Rome, and Constantinople were connected by the empire's rule. This was a result quite close to Justinian's dream of restoring the Roman Empire's territory. However, maintaining the conquered regions required enormous military and administrative expenses. Italy, in particular, suffered severe damage from the wars, and threats from Persia in the east and various forces in the Balkans persisted. Therefore, subsequent emperors found it difficult to preserve all the territories expanded by Justinian. His territory was later reduced again, but the memory lingered. It left a historical significance as the last large-scale attempt to revive the ancient Mediterranean world of Rome.