Byzantine North Africa

Byzantium in Northern Africa

North Africa was under Byzantine control for almost two centuries, a relatively short amount of time for an empire that lasted more than eleven centuries. The region was under the Latin cultural sphere and as such Byzantine influence on North Africa was rather limited. The greatest influence Byzantium had on North Africa was physical rather than cultural, with the construction of many military sites to defend the province and sepulchral mosaics by the noble landowners. On purely cultural matters, Byzantine attempts to impose Orthodoxy caused civilian discontent and conflicts. Nevertheless they were able to convert local tribes to Christianity, but this was a short-lived success as after the Arab conquest most of those tribes converted to Islam.

North Africa had been occupied by the Vandals in the fifth century, who established a rich and militarily powerful realm. Although their, deserved, reputation has turned their name into synonym for destruction, the Vandals were patrons of arts and public projects in North Africa. They were also able to defend against attempts by both the Western and Eastern Roman empires to recover North Africa.

Justinian had the luck of having in his service probably one of the most brilliant Roman military commanders in history, Belisarius. With sixteen thousand men, among them six thousand cavalrymen, Belisarius was able to conquer North Africa and subdue the Vandals. The Roman population of North Africa, being in large part Orthodox and resenting the Arian Vandals, welcomed the Byzantines as liberators.

However Byzantine rule over the region proved to be tenuous. As soon as Belisarius left the region, the king of the Aurès, Iabdas, descended from the mountains to ravage Numidia, and Cutzinas, a Moorish chief, came north-west from Tripolitania and invaded Byzacena. The Armenian general Solomon had to flee to Belisarius for aid as before he could muster forces to face the invaders he faced an insurrection from disaffected Byzantine soldiers and Hunnic mercenaries.

The return of Belisarius saved Carthage from falling to rebel hands and the rebels were eventually defeated by Justinian’s cousin, Germanos. The rebel leader, Stotzas, fled to Mauretania…

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