Totila

Biography

The last great king of the Ostrogoths, Totila rallied a shattered, seemingly defeated people and nearly won back all of Italy. Charismatic, energetic, and a shrewd politician, he exploited the disarray of the neglected, unpaid Byzantine garrisons after Belisarius's recall, retaking city after city and winning support by treating Roman prisoners and peasants with unusual leniency, even freeing slaves who joined him. He twice took Rome, once driving out its entire population and threatening to raze it — before relenting — reducing the ancient city to a near-ghost town. For a decade he held most of Italy against the empire. But when Justinian finally sent Narses with an overwhelming, well-funded army, Totila's luck ran out: his reckless cavalry charge was destroyed by massed archers at Taginae in 552, and he was cut down in the rout. His death effectively ended the Gothic cause.

Key Battles