Cyprian (Byzantine commander)

Summary

Cyprian was a Byzantine military leader who played a role in the wars of the reign of Justinian I. He was one of Belisarius’ subordinates during the Vandalic War.[1] During the Battle of Tricamarum he served in the left wing.[1] During surrender negotiations with Gelimer he informed Gelimer of the guarantee for his safety.[1] During the Siege of Rome when the Goths broke through the first wall in a section of the defences where there were two walls. Belisarius sent him on a counterattack.[1] The Goths panicked and fled, their siege engines were burned.[1] Later he and Justinus were sent to besiege Fisula.[1] Due to the landscape they couldn’t prevent sallies or fully cut the city off.[1] Eventually they took Fisula after which they moved to assist Belisarius in the Siege of Auximus, where the leaders of the Fisula garrison were paraded in front of the city.[1] This caused the Auximus garrison to open negotiations and eventually switch sides.[1] He was killed in 545 by his own bodyguards.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hughes, Ian (Historian) (2009). Belisarius : the last Roman general. Yardley, Pa.: Westholme. ISBN 9781594160851. OCLC 294885267.