ries for Justinian, and conquered some of
the old Roman provinces that had been lost for many years.

The victories of these two generals largely helped to make the
reign of Justinian remarkable in history. Many years before he
ascended the throne the Vandals, as you have read, conquered the
northern part of Africa and established a kingdom there with Carthage
as its capital. The Vandal king in the time of Justinian was named
Gel'i-mer, and he lived in Carthage.

Justinian resolved to make war on this king in order to recover
Northern Africa and make it again a part of the Empire. So Belisarius
was sent to Africa with an army of thirty-five thousand men and
five thousand horses, that were carried on a fleet of six hundred
ships. It took this fleet three months to make the voyage from
Constantinople to Africa. The same voyage may now be made in a very
few days. But in the time of Belisarius there were no steamships,
and nothing was known of the power of steam for moving machinery.
The ships or galleys were sailing vessels; and when there was no
wind they could make no progress except by rowing.

When Belisarius reached Africa he left five men as a guard in each
vessel, and with the body of his army he marched for some days
along the coast. The people received him in a friendly way, for
they had grown tired of the rule of the Vandals, and preferred
to be under the government of the Romans.

About ten miles from Carthage he met a large army led by the brother
of Gelimer. A battle immediately took place, and the Vandals were
utterly defeated. Gelimer's brother was killed, and the king himself,
who had followed with another army and joined the fight, was also
defeated and fled from the field. Belisarius then proceeded to
Carthage and took possession of the city.

[Illustration: THE BATTLE AT CARTHAGE]

Soon afterwards Gelimer collected another army and fought the Romans
in another battle, twenty miles from Carthage; but Belisarius again
defeated him and the Vandal king again fled. This was the end of
the Vandal king in Africa. In a short time Gelimer gave himself
up to Belisarius, who took him to Constantinople. Justinian set
apart an estate for him to live upon, and the conquered king passed
the rest of his life in peaceful retirement.

After conquering the Vandals Justinian resolved to conquer Italy,
which was then held by the Ostrogoths. A large army was got together
and put under the command of Belisarius and Na