Battle of Taginae
The Battle of Taginae, fought between the Eastern Roman general Narses and the Ostrogothic king Totila, marked a pivotal moment in the conflict over Italy during the Byzantine reconquest. Narses, despite being an elderly eunuch, demonstrated strategic prowess by effectively coordinating his diverse forces, which included a significant number of archers and infantry. In contrast, Totila, confident in his cavalry's abilities, engaged in battle prematurely with troops that were not fully prepared. The confrontation took place near the Flaminian Way, where Narses utilized a well-structured formation to counter the Gothic cavalry's charge. His forces, bolstered by 9,000 Gepid and Lombard foot soldiers, ultimately overwhelmed Totila's army, leading to its near total destruction. This defeat was significant as it represented the end of organized Gothic resistance in Italy and underscored the effectiveness of Narses' military tactics. The aftermath of the battle led to a re-evaluation of the Gothic presence in the region, with the site later being referred to as a symbolic "Tomb of the Goths."
Battle of Taginae
Type of action: Ground battle in the Gothic War
Date: Late June-early July, 552
Location: Taginae (Busta Gallorum) in the Apennine mountains in Umbria, north central Italy
Combatants: 7,500 Ostrogoths vs.15,000 Roman troops
Principal commanders:Ostrogoth, Totila (d. 552); Roman, Narses (c. 478-c. 573)
Result: Narses’ forces destroyed the Gothic army
The Eastern Roman general Narses, an eighty-year-old eunuch, was an unlikely opponent for the vigorous Ostrogothic king Totila, but Narses finally ended the viability of the Gothic kingdom in Italy.
Narses’ forces advanced on the Flaminian Way in a southeasterly direction from Ravenna to Rome. Totila was so confident that he could best Narses that he offered battle before his forces were fully prepared. The two armies met at Taginae (Busta Gallorum). By amassing thousands of archers on both flanks, in a controlled frontal formation, Narses found a way to defeat the once invincible Gothic cavalry. Whereas Narses coordinated his infantry and cavalry, using a small, well-equipped cavalry force to back up his forward troops, Totila relied too heavily on his cavalry, all of which was on the front lines. Aware that he could not match the sheer number of imperial soldiers, Totila counted on horsemanship as well as the element of surprise, which did not avail for long against Narses’ well-organized army. After the archers had halted the attack of the Gothic horsemen and weakened their ranks, Narses’ elite infantrymen advanced. These infantrymen were actually dismounted cavalry who were equipped with lances. They were followed by 9,000 Gepid and Lombard foot soldiers and the Romans’ own cavalry reserve, who finished the near total obliteration of Totila’s army.
Significance
The defeat of the Gothic army at Taginae represented the final collapse of any resistance against the reconquest of Italy launched decades before by the Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I. “Busta Gallorum” means “Tomb of the Gauls”; after the battle, the name might better have been “Tomb of the Goths.”
Bibliography
Fauber, L. H. Narses, Hammer of the Goths. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1990.
Procopius. History of the Wars. New York: Washington Square Press, 1967.
Wolfram, Herwig. History of the Goths. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.