WI A Smaller Justininans Reconquest

Justinian I after Fighting the Persians in the Iberian War, begans his vision for a Reconquest of the West. He sent his brilliant General Belisarius with 15,000 Men to the North African Valdalic Kingdom. The Roman Army got lucky in the fact most Vandal Soldiers were curshing a rebellion on Sardinia. On the 9th of September, the Roman Army meet the Vandalic Army at Ad Deicum, the Vandals had the initiative to win, but they never exploited it and the Romans won the day. On September 15, 533 the Roman Army entered carthage and began repairing its walls. Not wanting to be trapped in Carthage in case of a Seige, Belisarius met the Vandalic Army at Tricamurun and soundly defeated them. Belisarius returned to Constantinople, and was the last private citizen allowed to throw a Triumph. However, things in North Africa were not going well. Many Arian Christians rebelled, not wanting to be ruled by Catholics. The Rebellion grew in strength when Theodamond a pretender from the Ostrogothic Kingdom, claimed the Throne of Vandalia for himself and gathered a army to march on Carthage. Belisarius was recalled to Roman North Africa, and managed to beat Theodamond in battle. However there were many other Rebellions in the Area. It toke Belisarius neary 17 years to crush every rebellion and pacify the region, however this peace would not last, the Berbers to the south invaded Roman North Africa. Besarius was able to crush these invaders as well, but he was short on men. Justininan sent 10,000 men to help Belisarius keep control of the region. He managed to and was named Governor of North Africa by Justinian I. Justininan wished to retake Italia, and then even Hispania from the Barbarians, but his treasury lost half its wealth since the start of the Vandalic Campaign which cost 250,000 pounds of gold. Justinian began saving up money. Justinian I died in 565 with a treasury filled with more gold than when he began. His deathbed request was that his Nephew and Sucessor Justin II would carry on his dream to invade Italy.

Justin II with 500,000 pounds of Gold available, a powerful army, and Brilliant Generals, prepared for an invasion of Italy.
 
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I think that would be Justin II. Other than that, I feel that you might have given Belisarius too little credit, he was a phenomenal general. Still, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
 
I think that would be Justin II. Other than that, I feel that you might have given Belisarius too little credit, he was a phenomenal general. Still, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
I fixed that. He is a phenominal general, but it helps to get lucky breaks as well. Im not sure when Belisarius died, but if he dies after Justinian, maybe he can get another chance for immense glory
 
You should consider how things are going on in the Ostrogothic Kingdom. More, the Langobardians invaded Italy in 568 OTL. Do they do the same in this TL? Or maybe, did the Byzantines support the Gepids so that Pannonia is not a base for them? This alone would have a huge impact (no Avars in the Danubian plain, so maybe no South Slavs either-or at least far less of them, weaker, and coming later).
The Ukrainian-Russian steppe is going to be an even worse mess than OTL, with Gokturks, Avars, Bulgars, Alans, Khazars and Magyars plus some other random peoples all competing for being top dogs with Ants, some Goths and even more other peoples filling the gaps.
If some of them manage to overcome the Gepids (most likely the Bulgars or the Avars) the Langobardians might fall into the Byzantine field.
 
Without war over Italy between the Goths and the Byzantines, Italy would have population and infrastructures sufficient to resists the Lombards...
It was the Gothic War in 535-554 that dropped Italian population from 7 million to 2.5 million, destroyed many of Italian cities and towns, devastated Italian countryside, and created many famines and epidemics...

EDIT: Oh, and do you mention "Catholics" in the OP? Maybe you mean "Chalcedonians"...?
 
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Any Justinianic WI that omits Persia from the perspective is badly flawed, as Persia and the eastern frontier was the ERE's main concern after the fall of the West.

Persia has to be dealt with, or barring some truly fantastic miracles, a major western reconquest is temporary at best.
 
Well Persian will still be dealt with, the reason Justininan Couldn't go ahead and go for italy was the lack of money, which he might need to fight a war with persian. Because the empire will be more financially sound and expand at a more reasonable rate, dont expect things to go too well for the Persiands
 
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