Byzantine Battles: Battle of Ad Decimum

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4 th century

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5 th century

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6 th century

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7 th century

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8 th century

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9 th century

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10 th century

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15 th century

Battle of Ad Decimum (Decium)	year: 533 13 September 533
Byzantine victory against the Vandals and capture of Carthage	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Vandals	location: Near ancient Carthage in modern Tunisia	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: Pitched battle	war: Vandalic War	modern country: Tunisia

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Justinian I)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	General Belisarius	King Gelimer
Forces:	1,7000 men, 92 warships	11,000
Losses:

Background story:

The first of the western states that Justinian attacked was the Vandal kingdom of North Africa. King Hilderic, who had good relations with Justinian and the North African Orthodox clergy, had been overthrown by his cousin Gelimer in 530. Imprisoned, the deposed king appealed to Justinian.
In 533, Belisarius with a fleet of 92 dromons escorting 500 transports, landed in Tunisia with an army, the main part of which were 15,000 Huns.

The Battle:

Belisarius

Gelimer, with 11,000 men under his command, had advance warning of the approach of Belisarius' 15,000-man army and chose to take a strong position along the road to Carthage near the 10th mile post marker (“Ad Decimum”). He divided his forces, sending 2,000 men under his nephew Gibamund across a salt pan in an effort to flank enemy's army, which was advancing in narrow columns along the road. Another Vandal force, under Gelimer's brother Ammatas, was assigned to block the road near Ad Decimum.
Both Gibamund and Ammatas failed to accomplish their missions and were killed. Gelimer's main force, however, inflicted serious casualties on Belisarius's troops along the main road. Belisarius's mercenary cavalry was routed by the Vandals, and even though Gelimer was outnumbered, his men were performing well in the fighting, until Gelimer heard of his brother’ s death and decided to bury him.
Belisarius was able to regroup his forces south of Ad Decimum and launch a counterattack, which drove the Vandals back and soon routed them. Gelimer was forced to abandon Carthage.

Aftermath:

After loosing Carthage, Gelimer fled in Numidia where he waited for his brother, Tzazo, who was campaigning in Sardinia. When the two brothers joined forces, they marched to Carthage, but they were defeated again. These two defeats proved decisive as the Vandal kingdom was brought to an end.