Siege of Auximus
| Siege of Auximus | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Gothic War (535–554) | |||||||||
First five years of Belisarius's campaigns in Italy | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Byzantine Empire | Ostrogothic kingdom | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Belisarius |
Visandus Vasimus | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 11,000 | 10,000 | ||||||||
Location within Italy Siege of Auximus (Mediterranean) | |||||||||
The siege of Auximus (also called siege of Auximum or siege of Osimo) took place in 539 AD, where the Byzantines seized control of Auximus (present-day Osimo) from Ostrogoths (Goths), during the Gothic War (535–554).
The leader of Byzantine forces, Belisarius, chose to surround and starve the defenders rather than assault the fortifications of Auximus. The Byzantine troops encircled the town, cutting it off from supplies. The Goths made attempts to forage beyond the walls to stave off starvation and repel Byzantine attacks. They also continued to hope for relief from their king, Vitigis, who promised in a secret communication to do so. After seven months of siege and their king's inaction, the Gothic garrison agreed to surrender, retaining half of their possessions and joining the Byzantine army. The capture of Auximus enabled the Byzantines to advance against the Gothic capital of Ravenna, which fell soon after, marking the completion of the first phase of the Gothic War.