Decimum (Phase 1)

In 530 AD, Gelimer dethroned the Vandal king Hilderic, a vassal of Justinian the Byzantine emperor. Hilderic appealed for help, also citing Gelimer’s persecution of eastern Christians. After making a favorable peace with the Sassanids in 532 AD, Justinian launched …

533

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In 530 AD, Gelimer dethroned the Vandal king Hilderic, a vassal of Justinian the Byzantine emperor. Hilderic appealed for help, also citing Gelimer’s persecution of eastern Christians. After making a favorable peace with the Sassanids in 532 AD, Justinian launched an expedition led by Belisarius to bring North Africa under Byzantine rule. Belisarius landed his army of 16,000 near the ancient city of Carthage and built a fortified camp. He sent ahead an advance guard under the command of Count John to screen the main army as it marched to Carthage. He also had his Hun cavalry screen his left flank (although the Hun Empire no longer existed, skilled Hun cavalry were still much in demand as mercenaries). Gelimer was surprised by the advance on Carthage and prepared to attack the invaders. His brother Ammatus was sent from Carthage to engage John, while his nephew Gibamund was to fall on the Byzantine vanguard’s flank. The main army, led by Gelimer, would then swing around the hills and trap the main Byzantine army and attack it in the rear. This complex plan fell apart when Ammatus’ force engaged John piecemeal before the others were in position. Ammatus was mortally wounded in the fight and his force was wiped out by John’s pursuing cavalry. About the same time as Ammatus’ defeat, Gibamund’s flanking force also was routed when it encountered the Huns, who felt they had been blessed by heaven with so many targets for their arrows.

Carthage, Tunisia

The Battle of Ad Decimum took place on September 13, 533 between the armies of the Vandals, commanded by King Gelimer, and the Byzantine Empire, under the command of General Belisarius. This event and events in the following year are sometimes jointly referred to as the Battle of Carthage, one of several battles to bear that name. The Byzantine victory marked the beginning of the end for the Vandals and began the reconquest of the west under the Emperor Justinian I.

Wikipedia: Battle of Ad Decimum

Vandals

Byzantine