What if Justinian dies in 542 and Belisarius, riding a wave of discontent, is risen to the purple? Could he save the Italian campaign? If so could the ERE hold onto Italy for a long time?
It would probably need Theodora to persuade Antonia to persuade him for him to do it at any point, of course Theodora in actuality predeceased Justinian so its difficult. I cant see him wanting the job or being volunteered by his own forces the way some other imperial claimants had been in Roman history. .What if Justinian dies in 542 and Belisarius, riding a wave of discontent, is risen to the purple? Could he save the Italian campaign? If so could the ERE hold onto Italy for a long time?