General Narses (478–573)

General Narses (478–573) was a commander of Armenian origin and an influential courtier of the Eastern Roman Empire under Emperor Justinian I, and the chief commander when the Byzantines took Rome. Together with Belisarius he is regarded as one of the first great generals of the early Middle Ages. He was born, presumably in 478, in Armenia, which was then part of Sasanian Persia.

After the victory at Busta Gallorum the siege of Rome began. With a great number of archers and siege engines, Narses struck at the city’s main gates while John attacked another section. Rome soon fell, and the people of the “Eternal City” gave Narses and his army a solemn welcome.

The picture is a mosaic portrait of a man with dark curly hair and a short beard, in white clothing, against a gold background.