Battle of Taginae At the Battle of Taginae ( also known as the Battle of Busta Gallorum ) in June / July 552 , the forces of the Byzantine Empire under Narses broke the power of the Ostrogoths in Italy , and paved the way for the temporary Byzantine reconquest of the Italian Peninsula . From as early as 549 the Emperor Justinian I had planned to dispatch a major army to Italy to conclude the protracted war with the Ostrogoths initiated in 535 . During 550 - 51 a large expeditionary force totaling 20 , 000 or possibly 25 , 000 men was gradually assembled at Salona on the Adriatic , comprising regular Byzantine units and a large contingent of foreign allies , notably Lombards , Heruls and Bulgars . The imperial ( " cubicularius " ) Narses was appointed to command in mid 551 . The following spring Narses led this grand army around the coast of the Adriatic as far as Ancona , and then turned inland aiming to march down the Via Flaminia to Rome . Battle . Near the village of Taginae ( traditionally located somewhere to the north of modern Gualdo Tadino ) , Narses encountered the Ostrogothic army commanded by King Totila , who had been advancing to intercept him . Finding himself considerably outnumbered , Totila ostensibly entered into negotiations while planning a surprise attack , but Narses was not fooled by this stratagem . Although he enjoyed superiority in numbers , Narses deployed his army in a strong defensive position . In the centre he massed the large body of Germanic allies dismounted in a dense phalanx , and placed Byzantine troops to either side . On each wing he stationed 4 , 000 foot - archers . ( Both this disposition and the outcome of the battle are strongly parallel to the later Battle of Agincourt . ) Totila initially attempted to outflank his opponent by seizing a small hill on the Byzantine left which dominated the only route to the rear of Narses ' line , but a force of fifty Byzantine infantry deployed in a compact well - shielded formation managed to beat off successive attacks of the Ostrogothic cavalry . Having failed to turn Narses ' position , and expecting 2 , 000 reinforcements from Teia , Totila used various expedients to delay the battle , including disingenuous offers of negotiation and duels enacted between the battle - lines . In one such occasion , Totila sent a Byzantine deserter named Coccas out to challenge any Byzantine to single combat . Coccas was large and immensely strong . He had a reputation among the Goths as a ruthless and powerful fighter . An Armenian named Anzalas , one of Narses ' bodyguards , answered the challenge . Coccas charged at Anzalas , but at the last moment , Anzalas swerved his horse and stabbed the Gothic champion in the side . It was not the most auspicious omen for Totila . However , the Gothic King had another delaying tactic . Both armies watched as Totila , dressed in shining purple and gold armor , and riding a huge stallion , cantered out towards the no - man ' s land between the two large armies . His horse danced and pranced in circles , reared , pirouetted , and ran backwards as Totila tossed his lance into the air and caught it . At last , he rode back to his own army and changed into battle armor . Teia had arrived . His reinforcements having arrived , Totila broke formation and retired for lunch . Narses , wary of a possible ruse , permitted his troops to refresh themselves without leaving their positions . Totila , apparently hoping to take his enemy by surprise , launched a sudden large - scale mounted assault upon the Byzantine center . Ancient and modern authors have accused him of folly , but Totila probably sought to close with the enemy as fast as possible in order to avoid the effects of the formidable Byzantine archery . Narses was prepared for such a move , however , and ordered the archers massed on his flanks to incline their front towards the centre so that his battle - line became crescent - shaped . Caught in the enfilading fire from both sides , the Ostrogothic cavalry sustained high casualties and their attack faltered . The course and duration of the subsequent battle are uncertain , but towards early evening Narses ordered a general advance , and the Ostrogoths broke and fled . Although accounts vary , it was probably during the subsequent rout that Totila was killed . Narses proceeded to Rome which fell with limited resistance . The Ostrogoths regrouped under Totila ' s successor Teia , but suffered a final defeat at the Battle of Mons Lactarius ( near Mount Vesuvius ) and thereafter played no significant part in the history of Italy .