Battle of Tricamarum

The Battle of Tricamarum took place on 15 December 533 between the armies of the Byzantine Empire, under Belisarius, and the Vandal Kingdom, commanded by King Gelimer and his brother Tzazo.

Following the Byzantine victory at the Battle of Ad Decimum in September 533, Belisarius captured Carthage and prepared to face the remaining Vandal forces led by King Gelimer. Gelimer reunited with his brother Tzazo and attempted to weaken the Byzantines by encouraging the Hunnic mercenaries of Belisarius to change sides and by disrupting Carthage's water and food supplies. Instead of waiting for a siege, Belisarius marched to Tricamarum, 17 miles (27 km) west of Carthage, where the Vandals had encamped. Belisarius began the battle with cavalry attacks led by John the Armenian, and although the first assaults were repelled, a larger third attack broke the Vandal center. Tzazo was killed, causing Gelimer to flee along with the rest of the Vandal forces. The Byzantine pursuit ended when they secured the Vandal camp, where the soldiers lost discipline and plundered it. Order was restored the following day, and Belisarius pursued Gelimer, who eventually surrendered after fleeing into the mountains. The victory ended the Vandal Kingdom, with the Byzantines claiming control over North Africa, providing Emperor Justinian I with a base for campaigns to reclaim parts of the former Western Roman Empire.

Primary sources

The Battle of Tricamarum is described in the Wars by Procopius of Caesarea, who is a Greek historian of Late Antiquity and the main source for Justinian I's reign.