History of Warfare Summary 17 - Justinian's Wars of Expansion 10: The Revival and Limits of Rome

Emperor Justinian's territorial expansion was the most ambitious endeavor of the 6th-century Eastern Roman Empire to reclaim the past glory of the Roman Empire. Thanks to the efforts of Belisarius and Narses, the Vandal Kingdom and the Ostrogothic Kingdom were overthrown, and North Africa and Italy were brought back under control, with some territories also secured in the southeastern Iberian Peninsula. As a result, the empire could connect various ports and islands in the Mediterranean, exerting strong influence in the West. However, the conquest process involved prolonged warfare, consuming vast amounts of human lives and financial resources. Italy, in particular, suffered greatly from the Gothic Wars, and even after its conquest, continuous costs were required for defense and administration. Simultaneously, wars with Persia and invasions in the Balkans strained the empire's military forces, dispersing them across multiple regions. The territorial recovery achieved during his reign demonstrated the Eastern Roman emperors' will to carry on the Roman tradition. His expansion also laid a crucial historical foundation for the Eastern Roman Empire's self-understanding as the successor to the Roman Empire.