Finally added another rare Ostrogothic king I didn't have before to my collection.
Witiges, Ostrogothic KingdomAE decanummium
Obv: INVIC-TA ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: DN / VVIT / ICIS / REX, legend within wreath, X below
Mint: Ravenna (struck 536-540 AD)
Ref: MIB 84/3, BMC 13
(Previously the decanummi and other bronzes were struck at Rome but with the loss of that city, bronze coin production was moved to Ravenna)
Witiges (Vitiges) was a Gothic general that was proclaimed king of the Ostrogoths in 536 AD. His deposed predecessor Theodahad had proven to be an ineffective leader in the face of the Eastern Roman invasion of the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy.
As one of his first acts, Witiges ordered the execution of Theodahad, which occurred as he tried to flee to Ravenna, the Ostrogothic capital. Later, King Witiges and the numerically inferior Gothic army retreated north to defend northern Italy, and more importantly Ravenna, from a potential incursion by Roman forces coming from Dalmatia. Along for the ride were Roman senators taken as hostages to ensure the Roman Senate's loyalty. Rome was left with a small Gothic garrison that ended up sneaking away when the Roman army under Belisarius marched into the city in December 536. The recovery of Rome for the Roman Empire was a momentous occasion, but the war did not stop there. Emperor Justinian wanted all of Italy.
In 537, Witiges felt he had enough forces to attempt to retake Rome. What followed was a year-long siege that pitted 150,000 Goths against the Roman garrison of 5,000, and hardships for the remaining civilian population of Rome. Having lost most of his army to battle and sickness, Witiges was forced to raise the siege after a year and again fell back to Ravenna. Witiges had few troops to spare for the other parts of his withering kingdom under siege by the Romans; neither was he able to deal with the Franks, who had taken advantage of the war in Italy by invading the northwest. The Gothic king's inactivity allowed the Romans to push further north.
By 540 AD, the situation for the Ostrogoths had gotten so dire that they resorted to offering the kingship to Belisarius in order to end the war. Even Witiges himself was willing to concede his throne to Belisarius, who had earned the respect of the Goths as a great warrior and general. Belisarius played along with this, accepting the offer and so being admitted into Ravenna at the head of his forces. The city was captured, along with Witiges, who was treated well and sent to Constantinople.
Witiges was succeeded by Ildibad and afterwards Eraric. Eraric in turn was replaced in 541 by Totila, who nearly destroyed the Roman cause in Italy. The war would last until 554 AD and result in total victory for the Roman Empire
Posted 07/22/2015 8:38 pm
