Delphi Complete Works of Procopius

by Procopius of Caesarea

  XV

  At that time Pitzas, a Goth, coming from Samnium, also put himself and all the Goths who were living there with him into the hands of Belisarius, as well as the half of that part of Samnium which lies on the sea, as far as the river which flows through the middle of that district. For the Goths who were settled on the other side of the river were neither willing to follow Pitzas nor to be subjects of the emperor. And Belisarius gave him a small number of soldiers to help him guard that territory. And before this the Calabrians and Apulians, since no Goths were present in their land, had willingly submitted themselves to Belisarius, both those on the coast and those who held the interior.

  Among the interior towns is Beneventus, which in ancient times the Romans had named “Maleventus,” but now they call it Beneventus, avoiding the evil omen of the former name, “ventus” having the meaning “wind” in the Latin tongue. For in Dalmatia, which lies across from this city on the opposite mainland, a wind of great violence and exceedingly wild is wont to fall upon the country, and when this begins to blow, it is impossible to find a man there who continues to travel on the road, but all shut themselves up at home and wait. Such, indeed, is the force of the wind that it seizes a man on horseback together with his horse and carries him through the air, and then, after whirling him about in the air to a great distance, it throws him down wherever he may chance to be and kills him. And it so happens that Beneventus, being opposite to Dalmatia, as I have said, and situated on rather high ground, gets some of the disadvantage of this same wind. This city was built of old by Diomedes, the son of Tydeus, when after the capture of Troy he was repulsed from Argos. And he left to the city as a token the tusks of the Calydonian boar, which his uncle Meleager had received as a prize of the hunt, and they are there even up to my time, a noteworthy sight and well worth seeing, measuring not less than three spans around and having the form of a crescent. There, too, they say that Diomedes met Aeneas, the son of Anchises, when he was coming from Ilium, and in obedience to the oracle gave him the statue of Athena which he had seized as plunder in company with Odysseus, when the two went into Troy as spies before the city was captured by the Greeks. For they tell the story that when he fell sick at a later time, and made enquiry concerning the disease, the oracle responded that he would never be freed from his malady unless he should give this statue to a man of Troy. And as to where in the world the statue itself is, the Romans say they do not know, but even up to my time they shew a copy of it chiselled on a certain stone in the temple of Fortune, where it lies before the bronze statue of Athena, which is set up under the open sky in the eastern part of the temple. And this copy on the stone represents a female figure in the pose of a warrior and extending her spear as if for combat; but in spite of this she has a chiton reaching to the feet. But the face does not resemble the Greek statues of Athena, but is altogether like the work of the ancient Aegyptians. The Byzantines, however, say that the Emperor Constantine dug up this statue in the forum which bears his name and set it there. So much, then, for this.

  In this way Belisarius won over the whole of that part of Italy which is south of the Ionian Gulf, as far as Rome and Samnium, and the territory north of the gulf, as far as Liburnia, had been gained by Constantianus, as has been said. But I shall now explain how Italy is divided among the inhabitants of the land. The Adriatic Sea sends out a kind of outlet far into the continent and thus forms the Ionian Gulf, but it does not, as in other places where the sea enters the mainland, form an isthmus at its end. For example, the so-called Crisaean Gulf, ending at Lechaeum, where the city of Corinth is, forms the isthmus of that city, about forty stades in breadth; and the gulf off the Hellespont, which they call the Black Gulf, makes the isthmus at the Chersonese no broader than the Corinthian, but of about the same size. But from the city of Ravenna, where the Ionian Gulf ends, to the Tuscan Sea is not less than eight days’ journey for an unencumbered traveller. And the reason is that the arm of the sea, as it advances, always inclines very far to the right. And below this gulf the first town is Dryus, which is now called Hydrus. And on the right of this are the Calabrians, Apulians, and Samnites, and next to them dwell the Piceni, whose territory extends as far as the city of Ravenna. And on the other side are the remainder of the Calabrians, the Bruttii, and the Lucani, beyond whom dwell the Campani as far as the city of Taracina, and their territory is adjoined by that of Rome. These peoples hold the shores of the two seas, and all the interior of that part of Italy. And this is the country called Magna Graecia in former times. For among the Bruttii are the Epizephyrian Locrians and the inhabitants of Croton and Thurii. But north of the gulf the first inhabitants are Greeks, called Epirotes, as far as the city of Epidamnus, which is situated on the sea. And adjoining this is the land of Precalis, beyond which is the territory called Dalmatia, all of which is counted as part of the western empire. And beyond that point is Liburnia, and Istria, and the land of the Veneti extending to the city of Ravenna. These countries are situated on the sea in that region. But above them are the Siscii and Suevi (not those who are subjects of the Franks, but another group), who inhabit the interior. And beyond these are settled the Carnii and Norici. On the right of these dwell the Dacians and Pannonians, who hold a number of towns, including Singidunum and Sirmium, and extend as far as the Ister River. Now these peoples north of the Ionian Gulf were ruled by the Goths at the beginning of this war, but beyond the city of Ravenna on the left of the river Po the country was inhabited by the Ligurians. And to the north of them live the Albani in an exceedingly good land called Langovilla, and beyond these are the nations subject to the Franks, while the country to the west is held by the Gauls and after them the Spaniards. On the right of the Po are Aemilia and the Tuscan peoples, which extend as far as the boundaries of Rome. So much, then, for this.

  Βελισάριος δὲ τὰ Ῥώμης ὅρια κύκλῳ ἅπαντα μέχρι ἐς ποταμὸν Τίβεριν καταλαβὼν ἐκρατύνατο. καὶ ἐπειδή οἱ ἅπαντα ὡς ἄριστα εἶχε, πολλοὺς τῶν αὑτοῦ ὑπασπιστῶν ξὺν δορυφόροις ἄλλοις τε καὶ Ζαρτῆρι καὶ Χορσομάνῳ καὶ Αἰσχμάνῳ τοῖς Μασσαγέταις καὶ στρατιὰν ἄλλην Κωνσταντίνῳ ἔδωκεν, ἔς τε Τουσκίαν ἐκέλευεν ἰέναι, ἐφ̓ ᾧ παραστήσεται τὰ ἐκείνῃ χωρία. [2] καὶ Βέσσαν ἐπήγγελλε καταλαβεῖν Ναρνίαν, πόλιν ἐχυρὰν μάλιστα ἐν Τούσκοις οὖσαν. ὁ δὲ Βέσσας οὗτος Γότθος μὲν ἦν γένος τῶν ἐκ παλαιοῦ ἐν Θρᾴκῃ ᾠκημένων, Θευδερίχῳ τε οὐκ ἐπισπομένων, ἡνίκα ἐνθένδε ἐς Ἰταλίαν ἐπῆγε τὸν Γότθων λεών, δραστήριος δὲ καὶ ἀγαθὸς τὰ πολέμια. [3] στρατηγός τε γὰρ ἦν ἄριστος καὶ αὐτουργὸς δεξιός. καὶ Βέσσας μὲν οὔτι ἀκουσίων τῶν οἰκητόρων Ναρνίαν ἔσχε, Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ Σπολίτιόν τε καὶ Περυσίαν καὶ ἄλλα ἄττα πολίσματα παρεστήσατο οὐδενὶ πόνῳ. [4] ἐθελούσιοι γὰρ αὐτὸν ταῖς πόλεσι Τοῦσκοι ἐδέχοντο. φρουρὰν οὖν ἐν Σπολιτίῳ καταστησάμενος αὐτὸς ξὺν τῷ ἄλλῳ στρατῷ ἐν Περυσίᾳ τῇ Τούσκων πρώτῃ ἡσύχαζεν. [5] Οὐίττιγις δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούσας στρατιάν τε καὶ ἄρχοντας Οὐνίλαν τε καὶ Πίσσαν ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ἔπεμπεν. [6] οἷς Κωνσταντῖνος ὑπαντιάσας ἐν τῷ Περυσίας προαστείῳ ἐς χεῖρας ἦλθε. πλήθει δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων ὑπεραιρόντων ἀγχώμαλος μὲν τὰ πρῶτα ἐγεγόνει ἡ μάχη, μετὰ δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τῇ σφῶν ἀρετῇ καθυπέρτερο�
� γεγενημένοι τοὺς πολεμίους ἐτρέψαντο, φεύγοντάς τε οὐδενὶ κόσμῳ σχεδόν τι ἅπαντας ἔκτεινον: [7] καὶ ζῶντας ἑλόντες τοὺς τῶν πολεμίων ἄρχοντας παρὰ Βελισάριον ἔπεμψαν. ἐπεὶ δὲ ταῦτα Οὐίττιγις ἤκουσεν, ἡσυχάζειν ἐπὶ Ῥαβέννης οὐκέτι ἤθελεν, οὗ δὴ αὐτῷ Μαρκίας τε καὶ οἱ ξὺν αὐτῷ οὔπω ἐκ Γαλλιῶν ἥκοντες ἐμπόδιοι ἦσαν. [8] ἐς μὲν οὖν Δαλματίαν στρατιάν τε πολλὴν καὶ ἄρχοντας Ἀσινάριόν τε καὶ Οὐλιγίσαλον ἔπεμψεν, ἐφ̓ ᾧ Δαλματίαν τῇ Γότθων ἀρχῇ ἀνασώσονται. [9] καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐπέστελλεν ἐκ τῶν ἀμφὶ Σουαβίαν χωρίων στράτευμα ἑταιρισαμένοις τῶν ταύτῃ βαρβάρων οὕτω δὴ εὐθὺ Δαλματίας τε καὶ Σαλώνων ἰέναι. [10] ξὺν αὐτοῖς δὲ καὶ μακρὰ πλοῖα πολλὰ ἔπεμψεν, ὅπως Σάλωνας κατὰ γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν πολιορκεῖν οἷοί τε ὦσιν. [11] αὐτὸς δὲ τῷ παντὶ στρατῷ ἐπὶ Βελισάριόν τε καὶ Ῥώμην ἰέναι ἠπείγετο, ἱππέας τε καὶ πεζοὺς οὐχ ἧσσον ἢ μυριάδας πεντεκαίδεκα ἐπαγόμενος, καὶ αὐτῶν τεθωρακισμένοι ξὺν τοῖς ἵπποις οἱ πλεῖστοι ἦσαν. [12] Ἀσινάριος μὲν οὖν ἀμφὶ τὴν Σουαβίαν γενόμενος τὸ τῶν βαρβάρων στράτευμα ἤγειρε, μόνος δὲ Οὐλιγίσαλος Γότθοις ἐς Λιβουρνίαν ἡγήσατο. [13] καὶ σφίσι Ῥωμαίων ἐν χωρίῳ Σκάρδωνι ἐς χεῖρας ἐλθόντων ἡσσηθέντες τῇ μάχῃ ἀνεχώρησαν ἐς Βοῦρνον πόλιν: ἐνταῦθά τε τὸν συνάρχοντα ἀνέμεινεν Οὐλιγίσαλος. [14] Κωνσταντιανὸς δέ, ἐπεὶ τὴν Ἀσιναρίου παρασκευὴν ἤκουσε, δείσας περὶ Σάλωσι, τοὺς στρατιώτας μετεπέμψατο οἳ ξύμπαντα τὰ ἐκείνῃ φρούρια εἶχον. [15] καὶ τάφρον τε ἀμφὶ τὸν περίβολον ἅπαντα ὤρυσσε κύκλῳ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἐς τὴν πολιορκίαν ὡς ἄριστα ἐξηρτύετο. Ἀσινάριος δὲ πάμπολύ τι στράτευμα βαρβάρων ἀγείρας ἐς Βοῦρνον πόλιν ἀφίκετο. [16] ἔνθα δὴ Οὐλιγισάλῳ τε καὶ τῇ Γότθων στρατιᾷ ξυμμίξας ἐς Σάλωνας ἦλθε. καὶ χαράκωμα μὲν ἀμφὶ τὸν περίβολον ἐποιήσαντο, τὰ δὲ πλοῖα στρατιωτῶν ἐμπλησάμενοι τοῦ περιβόλου τὸ ἐπιθαλάσσιον μέρος ἐφρούρουν: οὕτω τε Σάλωνας κατὰ γῆν τε καὶ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἐπολιόρκουν. [17] Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων ναυσὶν ἐξαπιναίως ἐπιθέμενοι ἐς φυγὴν τρέπουσι καὶ αὐτῶν πολλὰς μὲν αὐτοῖς ἀνδράσι καταδύουσι, πολλὰς δὲ ἀνδρῶν κενὰς εἷλον. [18] οὐ μέντοι τὴν προσεδρείαν Γότθοι διέλυσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐν τῇ πόλει Ῥωμαίους κατὰ κράτος πολιορκοῦντες εἷρξαν. τὰ μὲν οὖν στρατόπεδα Ῥωμαίων τε καὶ Γότθων ἐν Δαλματίαις ἐφέρετο τῇδε. [19] Οὐιττίγιδι δὲ πρὸς τῶν ἐπιχωρίων ἐκ Ῥώμης ἡκόντων ἀκούσαντι τὸ ξὺν Βελισαρίῳ στράτευμα βραχύτατον εἶναι, Ῥώμης τε ὑποκεχωρηκότι μετέμελε καὶ μένειν ἐν τοῖς καθεστῶσιν οὐκέτι ἐδύνατο, ἀλλὰ θυμῷ ἤδη ἐχόμενος ἐπ̓ αὐτοὺς ᾔει. [20] καί οἱ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πορείᾳ τῶν τις ἱερέων ἐκ Ῥώμης ἥκων ἐνέτυχεν. οὗ δὴ ξὺν θορύβῳ πολλῷ πυθέσθαι φασὶν Οὐίττιγιν εἰ Βελισάριος ἔτι ἐν Ῥώμῃ εἴη, ἅτε δείσαντα μὴ οὐχὶ αὐτὸν καταλαμβάνειν οἷός τε ᾖ, ἀλλὰ φθάσῃ ἀποδρὰς ἐνθένδε. καὶ αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν ἥκιστά οἱ χρῆναι τοῦτο ἐν φροντίδι εἶναι: [21] καὶ αὐτὸν γάρ οἱ ἀναδέχεσθαι μήποτε Βελισάριον δρασμῷ χρήσασθαι, ἀλλ̓ αὐτοῦ μένειν. καὶ τὸν ἔτι ἐπείγεσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ πρότερον, εὐξάμενον ἐκ τοῦ ἐμφανοῦς τὸ Ῥώμης θεάσασθαι τεῖχος πρότερον ἢ Βελισάριον ἐνθένδε ἀποδρᾶναι.

  XVI

  So Belisarius took possession of all the territory of Rome as far as the river Tiber, and strengthened it. And when all had been settled by him in the best possible manner, he gave to Constantinus a large number of his own guards together with many spearmen, including the Massagetae Zarter, Chorsomanus, and Aeschmanus, and an army besides, commanding him to go into Tuscany, in order to win over the towns of that region. And he gave orders to Bessas to take possession of Narnia, a very strong city in Tuscany. Now this Bessas was a Goth by birth, one of those who had dwelt in Thrace from of old and had not followed Theoderic when he led the Gothic nation thence into Italy, and he was an energetic man and a capable warrior. For he was both a general of the first rank, and a skilful man in action. And Bessas took Narnia not at all against the will of the inhabitants, and Constantinus won over Spolitium and Perusia and certain other towns without any trouble. For the Tuscans received him into their cities willingly. So after establishing a garrison in Spolitium, he himself remained quietly with his army in Perusia, the first city in Tuscany.

  Now when Vittigis heard this, he sent against them an army with Unilas and Pissas as its commanders. And Constantinus confronted these troops in the outskirts of Perusia and engaged with them. The battle was at first evenly disputed, since the barbarians were superior in numbers, but afterwards the Romans by their valour gained the upper hand and routed the enemy, and while they were fleeing in complete disorder the Romans killed almost all of them; and they captured alive the commanders of the enemy and sent them to Belisarius. Now when Vittigis heard this, he was no longer willing to remain quietly in Ravenna, where he was embarrassed by the absence of Marcias and his men, who had not yet come from Gaul. So he sent to Dalmatia a great army with Asinarius and Uligisalus as its commanders, in order to recover Dalmatia for the Gothic rule. And he directed them to add to their own troops an army from the land of the Suevi, composed of the barbarians there, and then to proceed directly to Dalmatia and Salones. And he also sent with them many ships of war, in order that they might be able to besiege Salones both by land and by sea. But he himself was hastening to go with his whole army against Belisarius and Rome, leading against him horsemen and infantry to the number of not less than one hundred and fifty thousand, and the most of them as well as their horses were clad in armour.

  So Asinarius, upon reaching the country of the Suevi, began to gather the army of the barbarians, while Uligisalus alone led the Goths into Liburnia. And when the Romans engaged with them at a place called Scardon, they were defeated in the battle and retired to the city of Burnus; and there Uligisalus awaited his colleague. But Constantianus, upon hearing of the preparations of Asinarius, became afraid for Salones, and summoned the soldiers who were holding all the fortresses in that region. He then dug a moat around the whole circuit-wall and made all the other preparations for the siege in the best manner possible. And Asinarius, after gathering an exceedingly large army of barbarians, came to the city of Burnus. There he joined Uligisalus and the Gothic a
rmy and proceeded to Salones. And they made a stockade about the circuit-wall, and also, filling their ships with soldiers, kept guard over the side of the fortifications which faced the sea. In this manner they proceeded to besiege Salones both by land and by sea; but the Romans suddenly made an attack upon the ships of the enemy and turned them to flight, and many of them they sunk, men and all, and also captured many without their crews. However, the Goths did not raise the siege, but maintained it vigorously and kept the Romans still more closely confined to the city than before. Such, then, were the fortunes of the Roman and Gothic armies in Dalmatia.