ROME REBORN

Emperor Justinian tries to reconquer the west from Constantinople. His general Belisarius reconquers North Africa, then Sicily and Italy, although fierce resistance and counterattacks are met in north Italy and the victories proceed no further. Justinian’s conquests mark the greatest extent of the Byzantine Empire. Italy is lost to the Lombards in 568.

The San Vitale mosaic in Ravenna shows both Justinian and his general, Belisarius (on the emperor’s right-hand side)