Godas

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Godas (* in the 5th or 6th century AD; † 533 in Cagliari ) was a Gothic nobleman of the Kingdom of the Vandals in North Africa. King Gelimer appointed him administrator of the Vandal province of Sardinia . In this role, however, Godas soon stopped paying taxes and declared himself ruler of Sardinia. In 533 he began to communicate as an independent sovereign with the Byzantine emperor Justinian I ; clearly with the intention of establishing his own principality on the island of Sardinia. In response, Gelimer sent a large army to Sardinia led by his brother Tzazo , made up of most of the available troops in Africa. The aim of the enterprise was to put down the rebellion. After Prokopios of Caesarea , Tzazo landed in Cagliari , immediately conquered the city and killed Godas and his soldiers. A rescue mission sent by Justinian I came too late for Godas.

Goda's revolt turned out to be devastating for the Vandal Empire. Because while Tzazo was in Sardinia with the Vandal Army, a Byzantine army, commanded by Belisarius , landed without a fight near Caput Vada with the intention of reincorporating North Africa into the Byzantine Empire . Belisarius then defeated the remaining vandal forces and captured Carthage before Gelimer Tzazo could recall to defend the capital.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Prokopios of Caesarea , War History 3,10,25-27 ( Greek original text and English translation ).
  2. ↑ Thomas Hodgkin: Italy and her Invaders. Volume 3, Number 4, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1896, p. 603 ( online ).
  3. ↑ Prokopios of Caesarea, War History 3,24,1 ( Greek original text and English translation ).
  4. ^ Prokopios of Caesarea, War History 3,11,1 ( Greek original text and English translation ) and 3,24,19 ( Greek original text and English translation ).
  5. ↑ Prokopios of Caesarea, War History 3.25 ( original Greek text and English translation ).
personal data
SURNAME Godas
BRIEF DESCRIPTION vandal ruler
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century or 6th century
DATE OF DEATH 533
Place of death Cagliari