Narses

Narses, a statesman and general, and almost the last stay of the old Roman empire in Italy, was born in Persian Armenia about 475 A.D., and being a eunuch was probably sold as a slave in childhood. From some menial office in the imperial household at Constantinople he rose to the post of keeper of the privy-purse to the Emperor Justinian. In 538 he was sent to Italy in command of a body of troops, professedly to act in concert with Belisarius (q.v.), but in reality, it is believed, with a secret commission to observe and to control that general. After some successes Narses, having disputes with Belisarius, assumed an independent authority; but his separate command was unfortunate, and he was recalled to Constantinople in 539. After some years, however, Belisarius was recalled, and Narses was appointed to the chief command in Italy. His conduct of that expedition extorted the admiration even of his enemies. Not having the command of a sufficient number of transports, he marched his army along the whole circuit of the shore of the Adriatic, and, while the enemy's fleet were still in possession of the sea, was enabled to encounter them at Taginæ (in the Apennines), where, after a desperate engagement, the Ostrogoths were totally defeated, and their king, Totila, slain. Narses took possession of Rome, and, after a series of successes both in Southern and Northern Italy, completely extinguished the Gothic power in that peninsula. Justinian appointed Narses prefect of Italy in 554. He fixed his court at Ravenna, and continued till the death of Justinian to administer the affairs of Italy with vigour and ability. But he was charged with avarice; and his exactions pressed so heavily on the exhausted resources of the population that on the death of Justinian the Romans complained to Justin of the exactions of Narses, and that emperor deprived him in 567 of his office. He is accused of thereafter intriguing with Alboin, king of the Lombards, for a new invasion of Italy; and he died at Rome about 573. See GOTHS, JUSTINIAN; and Hodgkin's Italy and her Invaders.