he Franks, who had been nominal allies of the Goths but had rendered them
little assistance. A horde of Alamanni and Franks swept down upon Italy
and penetrated deep into the peninsula. But Narses annihilated one of
their divisions at Capua (554 A. D.), and the remainder were decimated by
disease and forced to withdraw. The Roman sway was firmly established over
Italy as far as the Alps; but Raetia, Noricum and the Danubian provinces
remained lost to the empire.

The long and bitter wars of restoration had wrought frightful damage to
the material welfare of Italy, and the heavy financial burdens imposed by
the Roman administrative system aroused bitter protests. The measures of
relief attempted proved insufficient, the middle class disappeared, the
richer landed proprietors left the peninsula, and, as in Africa, the
former prosperity was never recalled.

*The attempted recovery of Spain, 554 A. D.* Following the conclusion of
hostilities in Italy, Justinian seized the opportunity which presented
itself for intervention in Spain. He sent an army to the support of the
rebel Agila against Athanagild, the king of the Visigoths (554 A. D.). The
Roman forces occupied Corduba, Carthagena and other coast towns, but on
the death of Athanagild, Agila succeeded to his throne and headed the
Visigothic opposition to the Romans, who were unable to advance further.
However, they retained what they had already conquered.

*Extent of the Roman conquests.* Justinian's policy had resulted in the
overthrow of the Vandal and Ostrogothic kingdoms, and in the recovery for
the empire of Africa, Italy, the Mediterranean islands, and a strip of the
Spanish coast. More, the empire was too weak to accomplish.

III. JUSTINIAN'S FRONTIER PROBLEMS AND INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION

*Barbarian invasions of the Balkan peninsula.* The strain which the policy
of expansion in the West imposed upon the strength of the empire is
clearly seen in the failure to defend the Danubian frontier and the
ineffective conduct of the Persian wars. Time after time hordes of Bulgars
and Slavs poured into the Balkans. Especially destructive were the inroads
of 540 and 559. In the former the invaders penetrated as far as the
Isthmus of Corinth; in the latter they threatened the capital itself, but
were driven off by the aged Belisarius.

*The Persian wars.* In 527, the Persian king Kawad declared war upon the
empire. The struggle was indecisive, and, at the death