Narses

Persian statesman and general, born in Armenia. He rose in the imperial household in Constantinople to be keeper of the privy purse to Justinian I. In 538 he was sent to Italy, but recalled the next year. In 552 Belisarius was recalled from Italy, and Narses succeeded him, defeated the Ostrogoths, took possession of Rome, and completely extinguished the Gothic power in Italy. Justinian appointed him prefect of Italy in 554, but he was charged with avarice, and on Justinian's death he was deprived of his office.

Narses (also sometimes written Nerses) (478-573) was with Belisarius, one of the great generals in the service of the Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I during the so-called "Reconquest" that took place during Justinian's reign.

Narses was a Romanized Armenian from the noble Kamsarakan family, which claimed descent from the royal Arsacid dynasty.

He was 74 in 552, when the ever-suspicious Justinian recalled Belisarius from his campaign against the Ostrogoths in Italy and replaced him with Narses. Eventually, the surviving Ostrogoths surrendered to him and Italy was restored to the empire.

Narses remained in Italy as its prefect (governor) but his administration was unpopular. After Justinian's death, his nephew Justin II removed him as prefect and demanded he return to Constantinople. Narses relinquished his post, but refused to leave Italy instead retiring to a villa near Naples. Many sources at the time say Narses secretly encouraged the invasion of Italy by the Lombards in 568, in revenge for Justin II's taking away his position. Still, Narses, then 90 offered his services to the emperor again. By the time Narses died, more than half of Italy had fallen into Lombard hands.