Narses

NARSES. - General of the Byzantine army under Justinian, b. around 480, d. in Rome in 574. He entered the court early and received favors and important missions. In 532 he caused a revolt against the Emperor to fail, and in 537 he restored peace in Alexandria, which had been disturbed by religious disputes. In 538 he came to Italy to help Belisarius against the Goths, and in 551, at over 70 years of age, he received the supreme command. In a pitched battle near Taginae he defeated Totila (July 552), who lost his life there.

He occupied Rome easily, and the following year he completely destroyed the Gothic Kingdom by defeating Teia, Totila's successor, on the banks of the Sarno (March 553). For about 20 years N. dominated Rome with full civil and military powers, with the title of ex-consul and the dignity of patrician. He had churches and monasteries built, bridges and other public works repaired. Through his intervention Pope Vigilius was able to leave Constantinople, where he was held prisoner, and when he died (555) he succeeded in securing acceptance of the election of Pelagius I, averting a schism in the Roman Church. In the last years of his government, however, N. became arrogant and authoritarian and was even accused of collusion with the Lombards. For these reasons the emperor Justin III in 568 ordered him to return to Constantinople, but N. refused and moved to Naples, whence later, at the invitation of Pope John III, he returned to Rome, but lived as a private person until his death.