Narses (c.480-c.574), a Persarmenian eunuch at Justinian's court in Constantinople, gained his first military experience during internal unrest. After the regime-threatening Nika riots of 532 (an early example of sports hooliganism, in which the Blue and Green chariot-racing factions ran amok), he led a unit which assaulted the fans falsely gathered for a race in the Hippodrome, a massacre in which forces loyal to Justinian led by Belisarius, allegedly killed 10, 000. In 535 Narses was sent to Alexandria to impose a heretical bishop on the city, which led to virtual civil war for sixteen months. Finally, in 538, he received a foreign command when he was sent to Italy against the Goths. Narses brought 5, 000 men to Belisarius and together they raised the siege of Arminium (Rimini). But he soon disputed his commanders' authority because of disagreements on strategy and caused a split in the army. Mediolanum (Milan) fell as a direct result and Narses was recalled to Constantinople in 539. Six years later, while on a mission to encourage the Heruli to rejoin the war in Italy, he led these federates in a victory over a large barbarian raiding party in Thrace.

Narses returned to Constantinople until 551 when he returned to Italy as supreme commander. At last the Byzantines had sufficient men and money to resolve the deadlock and Narses defeated Totila's forces at Busta Gallorum in June 552, their king dying in battle. He took Rome in July and inflicted another defeat on the new ruler, Teia, at Mons Lactarius in October. Nevertheless many cities and forts still held out and he was forced to besiege several including Lucca, Cumae, and Campsa (Conza). Moreover, while he was entangled with the Goths, the Franks and Alamanni invaded northern Italy. Although he beat them convincingly in spring 554, the Franks continued to menace the north and sometimes co-operated with the Goths. Not until 562 did he finally take Brixia (Brescia) and Verona from the Goths and inflict a crushing defeat on the combined Frankish and Gothic armies.

In 566 the Heruli, a contingent of Narses' army, rebelled but he swiftly crushed them and in 568 the new emperor, Justin II, recalled him to Constantinople. Before he could return, the Lombards invaded Italy and he hastened to Rome at the request of the Pope. However, he never actually marched against the Lombards and is believed to have died in 574 in Rome.

Bibliography

• Fauber, L. H., Narses Hammer of the Goths (New York, 1990)

— Stephen McCotter

For more information on Narses, visit Britannica.com.

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General of Justinian, at first an assistant of Belisarius in Italy (ad 538), and from ad 550 to ad 554 commanding general in Italy, which he conquered in ad 554. Until his death in ad 567 he acted as regent and administered the Italian reconstruction.

(när'sēz) , c.478–c.573, Byzantine official and general, one of the eunuchs of the palace. He assisted in the suppression of the Nika riot (532) by bribing the Blues of the Circus (see Blues and Greens) to return their allegiance to Justinian I. In 538 he was sent to Italy to cooperate with Belisarius; their dissensions delayed the campaign, and he was recalled. After the recall of Belisarius, Narses returned to Italy and completed the conquest, defeating (552) Totila. He defeated (554) an army of Franks and Alemanni at Capua. He was subsequently appointed prefect of Italy, but his administration was extremely unpopular and finally Justinian's successor, Justin II, recalled him.

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