DBA Armies

This list covers the Vandals from Gaiseric’s consolidation of their African conquests until the Byzantine reconquest. Rather than work for a living, the Vandals imposed themselves as an aristocracy on the existing population which they exploited ruthlessly and did not allow to bear arms. In consequence, their army was entirely of noble cavalry, with no infantry except occasionally a few hired Moorish javelinmen. The Alans that accompanied them in the invasion were assimilated into the nobility. Having built a large fleet, the Vandals of Africa raided Italy. They defeated counter-invasions by west Roman armies aided by the east, but twice lost badly to Moorish armies, and finally fell to a small Byzantine army led by Belisarius (partly due it must be said to a combination of incompetent commanders, the fog of war and bad luck). References: Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome P. Barker, History of the Wars: The African War Procopius.