The Goth army that had decamped from Milan was assailed likewise, fleeing across the River Po in disorder, some of their elements actually riding through the camp of Martinus and John Vitalianus, who mistaking what was happening rode north only to encounter the same problem; the Franks were allied to no one and they too were forced into a hasty retreat which left them well back from where they started and nervous as to what was to follow.
It was a combination of dearth and disease that saved them from annihilation. The Frankish host was huge and now occupied lands that had suffered much from the foraging of previous armies; there was simply not enough food to sustain them and that brought on the ravages which always affected an army short on supply – serious and debilitating disorders of the belly being the most common. Such disease restricted movement and being stationary exacerbated the problem, so Theudibert, the most southerly successor to Clovis, decided to cut his losses and retire north.
Just as troubling was a Hun invasion of the Balkans, one part of which nearly reached the walls of Constantinople before the barbarians withdrew, taking a massive quantity of plunder. The second prong of that incursion marched as far south as Delphi and in doing so drew off an army marching towards Italy to aid Flavius. The only saving grace was that if the Byzantine camp knew of these developments; as far as Flavius was aware the Goths holding Auximus did not.
Disillusionment on that point was provided by an Isaurian traitor called Burcentius who, suitably bribed and using the excuse of ill health to absent himself from the siege lines, had undertaken two missions to Witigis on behalf of the garrison, the results of which only became known when he was apprehended and that took place only because a captured Goth informed Flavius of his double mission to Ravenna.
In the first instance Witigis had sent Burcentius back with news of the Frankish incursion, promising to march on Auximus once that was dealt with. When nothing came the traitor was once more bribed to find out the intentions of the Goth King, with an added warning that the time was coming when Auximus would be forced to surrender. This was replied to with soothing words of his imminent arrival.
No amount of hot iron could get from Burcentius a statement as to the veracity of this; the man did not know if Witigis was being truthful or hopeful, and he was finally handed over to his own Isaurian tribesmen do with as they wished. Their decision was to manufacture a wicker cage, raised high on faggots, and burn him alive within sight of the whole Byzantine host, a statement of loyalty as much as an act of revenge.
‘If they are short of food let us see if we can cut their water.’
Flavius oversaw the operation to do this personally, seeking to interdict a spring that ran from just outside the city walls into a well-built cistern covered by a thick stone vault and he used the Isaurians, hell-bent on proving their worth. In order to disguise their purpose it was necessary to draw up the whole of his infantry as if they were about to attack and have them move forward as if this was the case.
Those tasked with the real purpose advanced with huge hammers, protected by the held-high shields of their comrades, which allowed the small party to break the cistern to get into the water and begin their work, the aim to so damage the exterior walls that the water would flow downhill instead of into the city. At first the whole endeavour seemed to be going as planned. That changed as the Goths, hitherto unfazed by an assault that stood little chance of success, realised the actual aim. First they rained down every known kind of missile on those trying to protect the cistern breakers: rocks large enough to crush shields, spears heavy enough to penetrate the hard leather and flaming wads, until they broke and ran.
Next a strong party emerged to save their vital water supply, with Flavius ordering the forces under his command forward. With the advantage of higher ground the Goths did great slaughter to the Isaurians, until a section led by a more enterprising leader launched a furious counter-attack that broke through to the now cut-off breakers, forcing the Goths to fall back on their walls, before retreating themselves, taking their hammer-bearing comrades with them.
‘The cistern is too well built to be quickly damaged, Magister. Those who built it in ancient times knew its worth.’
Aratius, the Isaurian commander who made this report and the man who had driven the Goths back, was crestfallen at their failure, but his general was not.
‘Did you not see how hard they fought to protect it, Aratius?’
‘We are willing to try again.’
Flavius acknowledged the offer with a pat on the Isaurian’s shoulder. ‘That would merely spill blood uselessly. There are more ways to spoil a water supply than hammers. Our next visit will be with rotting animal carcasses and lime. Let them drink from their cistern after it has been so poisoned.’
To further depress the defenders the forces that had been besieging Fisula arrived. First seen marching towards Auximus from the elevated walls of the city, it was a sight to raise hopes of relief until they were identified as Byzantine, inducing the precise opposite emotion. Flavius, normally benign with senior captives, drove home the message of hopelessness by parading the leaders of that now surrendered garrison before the walls in halters as if they were cattle and humiliating them.
The sight was enough to finally break the defenders’ resolve; the leaders came out to parley, their initial offer being that they would exit with their weapons and possessions then march north to Ravenna. Given that city was the next object on the Byzantine campaign it was wise to dismiss such a suggestion, as to let go men – and proven fighters at that – whom they would have to fight once more was imprudent.
In addition, after so many months of siege, the army Flavius led was looking to some kind of reward for what had been a debilitating effort, grumbles which soon reached their general’s ears and had him resolve to be a great deal more firm in his demands. High-value warriors, well provided over many years with much in the way of booty, the Goths of Auximus were far from poor and that fact was known to the men who had been besieging them.
The compromise, brokered by Procopius, was a just one for both parties, especially since, for the garrison, one of the less pleasant options was a resumption of the siege followed by wholesale slaughter. Yet they would face that rather than penury, so it was agreed they would surrender half their wealth to their opponents and they would not join Witigis but go east to fight in the service of Byzantium.
With winter once more approaching haste was required. One general, Magnus, was sent on a forced march to the north of Ravenna to patrol the south bank of the River Po and ensure neither men nor supplies could cross. He was aided in this by the army of Vitalius who, having been held up by the invasion of the Huns, was now free, given they had retired with their plunder, to cross the Timavo from Illyricum and close off the northern bank.
There he came across a fleet of barges loaded with grain destined to make their way through the marshlands that surrounded Ravenna and supply a city in much need of their cargo, held up because the water level was too low to allow passage. As it rose with autumn rains that same grain was used to supply Flavius Belisarius.
Witigis was now on the horns of a real dilemma: he faced starvation in a siege he could not break, with so many of his fortresses lost and too many of his warriors either captive, sent east as mercenaries or locked up in places that he had to hold, such as the passes in the Cottian Alps between Gaul and Italy, secured to prevent a second Frankish invasion.
There they were being pressed daily in a fight where their numbers could never suffice, and Theudibert, well aware that the Ravenna garrison was short of food and faced with a formidable general leading a buoyant army, offered to support Witigis for a half-share of Italy. That reached the ears of Flavius, who sent Ennes to Witigis to remind him of the recent way the Franks had behaved, the obvious concomitant being that they could not be trusted.