Editing History of Sardinia (section)

===Vandals, Goths and Byzantines===
{{Further|Vandal Sardinia|Byzantine Sardinia}}
After the fall of the [[Western Roman Empire]], Sardinia was subject to several conquests. In 456, the [[Vandals]], an [[East Germanic tribe]], coming from North Africa, occupied the coastal cities of the island; they imposed garrisons guarded by African auxiliaries, like the [[Mauri (people)|Mauri]]. The Vandals followed [[Arianism]] and deported a number of African [[Bishop]]s in the island such as [[Fulgentius of Ruspe]].{{sfn|Casula|1994|p=128}} In 533, Sardinia rebelled under the Vandal governor [[Godas]], a [[Goths|Goth]], who proclaimed himself ''rex'' of Sardinia, asking the Byzantines for aid.{{sfn|Casula|1994|pp=131–133}}
[[File:San Giovanni di Sinis abside.jpg|thumb|220px|Byzantine era church of San Giovanni di Sinis]]
In the summer of 533 Vandal forces (5,000 men and 120 ships), led by [[Tzazo]], arrived in Sardinia to stifle Godas' rebellion and conquered Caralis, killing Godas and his followers.{{sfn|Casula|1994|p=134}} In early 534, the Vandals of Sardinia surrendered immediately to the Byzantines when faced with news of the [[Vandalic War|Vandal collapse in Africa]];{{sfn|Casula|1994|p=135}} thenceforth the island was part of the [[Byzantine Empire]], included as a province in the [[Praetorian prefecture of Africa]]. The local governor sat in Caralis. During the [[Gothic Wars (6th century)|Gothic Wars]], much of the island fell easily to the [[Ostrogoths]], but the final fall of the Germanic resistance in [[mainland Italy]] reassured [[Byzantine]] control.{{sfn|Casula|1994|p=142}} Sardinia was subsequently included in the [[Exarchate of Africa]] until its end by the [[Arabs]] in 698 AD, when the island was likely aggregated to the [[Exarchate of Ravenna]].{{sfn|Casula|1994|pp=146–151}} In 599 and during the 7th century, the [[Longobard]] fleet tried to attack Caralis and Turris Libissonis ([[Porto Torres]]), but in vain.{{sfn|Casula|1994|p=148}}

One of the few ethnic Sardinians known from this period was [[Ospitone]], a leader of the ''Barbaricinos'' (people of [[Barbagia]]). According to the [[Pope Gregory I]]'s letters, a Romanized and Christianized area existed on the island (that of the ''provinciales'') that co-existed with, in the interior, pagan or semi-pagan cultures (''Gens Barbaricina''). The ruler of one of the latter, [[Ospitone]], converted to Christianity in 594 after a diplomatic exchange. Christianization however remained long influenced by eastern and Byzantine culture.
Other known religious figures of Sardinian origin of that period (5th–6th centuries) are [[Pope Hilarius]] and [[Pope Symmachus]].