Editing 533 (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* Spring &ndash; [[Vandalic War]]: Anti-Vandal revolt in [[Tripolitania]] and [[Sardinia]]; [[Gelimer]], king of the [[Vandals]], dispatches the bulk of the Vandal fleet (120 ships and 5,000 men) under his brother [[Tzazo]] to Sardinia. Byzantine forces from [[Cyrenaica]] occupy [[Leptis Magna]] and [[Tripolis (region of Africa)|Tripolis]].
* [[March 25]] &ndash; In a letter, Emperor [[Justinian I]] declares the Bishop of Rome (currently John) to be "head of all Bishops, and the true and effective corrector of heretics."
* Summer &ndash; Emperor [[Justinian I]] holds a [[Council of war|war council]] in [[Constantinople]]. His advisers warn him against launching an expedition to [[North Africa]], because of the supply-lines (1,000 miles into Vandal waters) and the huge drain on the imperial treasury. Justinian appoints [[Belisarius]] to command the [[Byzantine army]].
* [[June 21]] &ndash; A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarius sails in 500 transports, escorted by 92 war vessels ([[dromon]]s), manned by 20,000 seamen from Constantinople, to attack the Vandals in [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]], via [[Greece]] and [[Sicily]]. The fleet carries 10,000 infantry, about half Byzantine and half ''[[foederati]]'', and 5,000 cavalry, consisting of 3,000 Byzantine horsemen, 1,000 foreign allies ([[Huns]] and [[Heruli]]) and 1,500 of Belisarius' retainers (''[[Bucellarius|bucellarii]]'').<ref>Procopius, ''BV'', Vol. I, XI. 7–16</ref> On the [[flagship]] Belisarius is accompanied by his military secretary [[Procopius]], and his wife [[Antonina (wife of Belisarius)|Antonina]]. 
* September &ndash; Belisarius arrives at Sicily, which he uses as a staging area, with the permission of the Ostrogoth queen [[Amalasuntha]], daughter of [[Theodoric the Great]] and regent of [[Italy]]. The [[Ostrogoths]] help him with supplies and the fleet is prepared for the final attack.  
* [[September 9]] &ndash; The Byzantine army lands at [[Chebba|Caput Vada]] (modern [[Tunisia]]). Belisarius marches his army northwards, towards [[Carthage]] (over 140 miles), following the coast, accompanied by the fleet and shadowed by Gelimer. During the march, the Vandal towns fall without a fight.<ref>Bury (1923), Vol. II, p. 130–131</ref> 
* [[September 13]] &ndash; [[Battle of Ad Decimum]]: Gelimer attempts to ambush the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantines]] in a defile at the "10th milestone" from Carthage; due to inadequate coordination and the alertness of Belisarius, the attack is repulsed and the Vandals are scattered into the [[desert]]. Belisarius enters the capital and orders his soldiers not to kill or [[Slavery|enslave]] the population. The fleet is stationed in the [[Lake of Tunis]].
* [[December 15]] &ndash; [[Battle of Tricamarum]]: Gelimer assembles an army of about 50,000 men at [[Bulla Regia]] ([[Numidia]]), and advances towards Carthage. Belisarius moves out to meet the Vandals; he leads the Byzantine cavalry (5,000 men) into battle. Without waiting for his infantry to come up, he charges, despite odds of almost 10-to-1, and throws Gelimer in confusion. Belisarius captures the Vandal camp by storm. Tzazo is killed in an all-cavalry fight, and Gelimer is forced to seek refuge in the mountains of [[Tunis]] with the [[Berber people|Berbers]].
* [[December 16]] &ndash; The ''Digesta'' or ''[[Pandectae]]'', a collection of jurist writings and other sources, is completed (see [[Corpus Juris Civilis]]).