Chilbudius Chilbudius or Chilbuldius ( ) was a Byzantine general , holding the rank of magister militum per Thracias in the early 530s . He was apparently killed in battle c . 533 , but an impostor claimed his identity c . 545 - 546 . The only source for both men is Procopius . Origin . According to some scholars Chilbudius was probably a Slav , although Florin Curta argues this view was misled by the story of the Antian namesake who claimed his identity . The name has also been considered to be Germanic origin . Bohdan Strumins ' kyj suggested a Gothic name , * " Hil ( i ) baudeis " / * " Hil ( i ) būdeis " , a name attested in Old High German as " Hillibodo " , rather than the traditional Slavic etymology of * " xvalibud " ( " awakener of glory " ) . This demonstrates the difficulty in etymologizing propper names . Biography . Chilbudius served as a member of the household of emperor Justinian I ( r . 527 - 565 ) . Procopius introduces him as a vigorous soldier and commends him for his lack of avarice . He claims that Chilbudius was not seeking to amass wealth for himself . Chilbudius was appointed magister militum per Thracias " in the fourth year " of Justinian ' reign ( 530 / 531 ) . He was the direct successor of Germanus in that post . He was tasked with defending the Danube limes against barbarian incursions . He served for three years ( c . 533 / 534 ) , eventually moving his forces to the north of the Danube . In this manner , Chilbudius prevented invasions in Byzantine territories while taking the battle to hostile territory . He was reportedly killed in battle with Slavs ( South Slavs ) at the end of this period . In 545 / 546 , one of the Antae , held captive by the Sclaveni , claimed to be Chilbudius . With the Antes and the Sclaveni temporarily at peace with each other , the Chilbudius impostor passed to the hands of another member of the Antae . A Roman ( Byzantine ) captive held by the same man , persuaded their master that his fellow slave was the real Chilbudius . He also tried to convince said master to return the captive to Justinian , which would require a journey through Byzantine areas . When among the other Antae , the impostor revealed his actual identity and tried to claim the status of a freedman . His tribesmen found him more useful as Chilbudius , rather than one of them . He was pressured to continue the pretense . At about this time , Justinian started negotiations with the Antae . He offered to them the ancient city of Turris , " to the north of the river Ister " ( the Danube ) , and its vicinity . The city had been reportedly built by Trajan ( r . 98 - 117 ) but lay deserted at the time . The Antae would be allowed to settle in this area and receive payment for guarding the Byzantine borders against the Huns , effectively gaining foederati status . The Antae accepted , but on the condition that " Chilbudius " would be restored to office , attempting to raise their man to the rank of magister militum . The plot was reportedly unveiled by Narses , who captured the Chilbuldius impostor and transported him to Constantinople . His subsequent fate is unknown . Whatever his real identity , the impostor reportedly spoke Latin fluently . Interpretation . The relevant narrative of Procopius has been compared to the typical plots of the Ancient Greek comedy ( New Comedy in particular ) and / or Plautus . Florin Curta argues that Procopius ' tale should not be taken at face value . The story probably has a historic basis . But Procopius " surely reworked the account and arranged it according to comic narrative paterns " . Curta suggests that the Antae might have understood " Chilbudius " as a title , rather than a name . Thus naming a Chilbudius of their own . The activities of Narses do not seem to have disrupted the alliance . A number of Antae seem to have joined the Byzantines in the ongoing Gothic War ( 535 - 554 ) , recorded fighting against the Ostrogoths in Lucania .