Belisarius, a military commander of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire during the reign of Justinian I. He was born in Illyria, and while a youth served as a bodyguard of the emperor. Belisarius was such a capable officer during the Persian War (529–532) that Justinian sent him in 533 against the Vandals in Africa. Belisarius captured Carthage, their capital city, and soon destroyed their power. He later carried on campaigns against the Goths in Italy, but was replaced as commander by Narses in 548.
Belisarius was called from retirement in 559 to defeat the invading Bulgars. Justinian imprisoned him as a conspirator for about seven months in 563. A familiar but untrue story is that he spent his final years as a blind beggar in Constantinople.
