The Gothic War between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy is fought from 535 until 554 in Italy, Dalmatia, Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica.
It is commonly divided into two phases.
The first phase lasts from 535 to 540 and ends with the fall of Ravenna and the apparent reconquest of Italy by the Romans.
During the second phase (540/541–553), the Goths' resistance is reinvigorated under Totila and put down only after a long struggle by Narses, who also repels the 554 invasion by the Franks and Alamanni.
Several cities in northern Italy continue to hold out, however, until the early 560s.The war has its roots in the ambition of Roman Emperor Justinian to recover the provinces of the former Western Roman Empire, which had been lost to invading barbarian tribes in the previous century (the Migration Period).
By the end of the conflict Italy is devastated and considerably depopulated.
As a consequence, the victorious East Romans will find themselves unable to resist the invasion of the Lombards in 568, which will result in the loss of large parts of the Italian peninsula.
