THE MEDITERRANEAN WORLD IN LATE ANTIQUITYthe expedition’s success. Remembering the ignominious failure of the expedi-
tion sent by the Emperor Leo (Chapter 1), nobody had been in favour of the
emperor’s idea, says Procopius, and the only one who dared to speak against it
to the emperor was his minister John the Cappadocian, whose long speech the
historian records. However, a mysterious ‘bishop from the east’ conveniently
reported a dream in which God had promised his help, and thus confi rmed
the emperor’s enthusiasm to proceed.^20 Within months, Belisarius was back in
Constantinople celebrating a triumph, and Justinian was thinking of Italy, where
Belisarius was soon dispatched via Sicily, reaching Italy in the summer of 536.
Figure 5.1 The Barberini ivory. An emperor (probably Justinian) is shown in traditionally
classicizing style and in triumphant pose with conquered peoples below, but with a bust of
Christ above. Paris: Musée du Louvre