Justinian’s Wars

After securing the city and the eastern borders Justinian needed a military victory. Belisarius is thus tasked with taking on the Vandals after their previous king is deposed. Belisarius brings North Africa back into the fold in about 6 months.

He then continues in Italy, taking back Rome, Milan and Ravenna (the new capital) from the Ostrogoths. It was a major win for the Romans and Belisarius is the first general to get awarded a triumph in Constantinople. 

The conquests will not last beyond Justinian. Historians will see them as distractions for an empire with bigger problems to attend to.