Siege of Ariminum (538)

Siege of Ariminum
Part of the Gothic War
DateMarch – 24 July 538 AD
Location
Ariminum (present-day Rimini), Italy
Result Roman victory
Territorial
changes		 Ariminum successfully captured and defended
Belligerents
Eastern Roman Empire Ostrogothic Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
 Vitiges

The siege of Ariminum (Italian: Assedio di Ariminum), also known as the siege of Rimini (Assedio di Rimini),[1] was an encounter in the Gothic War between Byzantine forces under Belisarius and John and an Ostrogothic force in 538 AD.[1][2]

In March 538,[3] John captured Ariminum (present-day Rimini) to entice the Goths to lift the siege of Rome. Fearing for their capital in Ravenna, the Goths retreated from Rome to Ariminum.[4] After unsuccessfully attempting to use a siege ladder, Vitiges began to starve the town.[2]

Encouraged by Narses,[4] Belisarius sent three groups to Ariminum:[2] Belisarius and Narses passed through the Apennines, while Ildiger and Martinus led their troops along the Adriatic coast, Ildiger by sea and Martinus on land.[4] An encounter between Belisarius' army and the Goths led the Goths to believe that the Byzantines were approaching from the north,[2] while Martinus' army, approaching from the south, lit campfires to exaggerate its size.[2][4] After seeing Ildiger's fleet,[2] the Goths lifted their siege on 24 July 538, and withdrew to Ravenna.[4] The siege further ruptured unity among the Byzantine leadership.[2]

  1. ^ a b Heather, Peter J. (2018). Rome Resurgent: War and Empire in the Age of Justinian. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199362745. OCLC 1007044617.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Hughes, Ian (2009). Belisarius: The Last Roman General. Yardley, PA: Westholme. ISBN 9781594160851. OCLC 294885267.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).