Editing 544 (section)

==== the [[Mediterranean]] World, Europe, and the [[Middle East]] ====
* [[Gothic War (535–554)|Gothic War]]: Emperor [[Justinian I]] sends [[Belisarius]] back to the [[Ostrogothic Kingdom]] (Italy) with an inadequate [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] expeditionary force (4,000 men and 200 ships).<ref name="Norw">J. Norwich, ''A Short History of Byzantium'', p. 77</ref> 
* Belisarius defeats the [[Goths|Gothic]] army under King [[Totila]], who unsuccessfully [[Siege|besiege]]s the city of [[Otranto]] (southern Italy). After their retreat, the [[East Roman army|Byzantines]] march towards the [[Rome|city of Rome]].  
* Justinian I issues a new edict [[Three-Chapter Controversy|condemning the Three Chapters]]. In Western Europe, [[Pope Vigilius]] refuses to acknowledge the imperial edict and is ordered to summon to [[Constantinople]].
* King [[Khosrau I]] unsuccessfully attacks the Byzantine fortress city of [[Dara (Mesopotamia)|Dara]]. The [[Siege of Edessa (544)|siege of Edessa]] is repulsed, and the [[Sasanian Empire|Persians]] are forced into a stalemate.
* Battle of [[Kasserine|Cillium]]: A medium-sized Byzantine army under [[Solomon (magister militum)|Solomon]] is defeated by the [[Moors]] on the border of [[Numidia]]. Solomon and his bodyguard are forced to retreat and are later killed.<ref name="ODB">{{harvnb|Kazhdan|1991|loc="Solomon", pp. 1925–1926}}.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Martindale|Jones|Morris|1992|pp=1175–1176}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Bury|1958|p=145}}</ref>