a-coast city
of great importance, Centumcellae[163] by name, that is, because they
were short of provisions. This city is large and populous, lying to the
west of Rome, in Tuscany, distant from it about two hundred and eighty
stades. And after taking possession of it the Romans went on and
extended their power still more, for they took also the town of Albani,
which lies to the east of Rome, the enemy having evacuated it at that
time for the same reason, and they had already surrounded the barbarians
on all sides and now held them between their forces. The Goths,
therefore, were in a mood to break the agreement and do some harm to the
Romans. So they sent envoys to Belisarius and asserted that they had
been unjustly treated during a truce; for when Vittigis had summoned the
Goths who were in Portus to perform some service for him, Paulus and the
Isaurians had seized and taken possession of the fort there for no good
reason. And they made this same false charge regarding Albani and
Centumcellae, and threatened that, unless he should give these places
back to them, they would resent it. But Belisarius laughed and sent them
away, saying that this charge was but a pretext, and that no one was
ignorant of the reason why the Goths had abandoned these places. And
thereafter the two sides were somewhat suspicious of one another.

But later, when Belisarius saw that Rome was abundantly supplied with
soldiers, he sent many horsemen to places far distant from Rome, and
commanded John, the nephew of Vitalian, and the horsemen under his
command, eight hundred in number, to pass the winter near the city of
Alba, which lies in Picenum; and with him he sent four hundred of the
men of Valerian, whom Damianus, the nephew of Valerian, commanded, and
eight hundred men of his own guards who were especially able warriors.
And in command of these he put two spearmen, Suntas and Adegis, and
ordered them to follow John wherever he should lead; and he gave John
instructions that as long as he saw the enemy was keeping the agreement
made between them, he should remain quiet; but whenever he found that
the armistice had been violated by them, he should do as follows: With
his whole force he was to make a sudden raid and overrun the land of
Picenum, visiting all the districts of that region and reaching each
one before the report of his coming. For in this whole land there was
virtually not a single man left, since all, as it appeared, had marched