BELISARIUS PREPARES FOR THE DEFENCE OF ROME—VITIGES ADVANCES WITH THE GOTHIC ARMY AGAINST THE CITY—FIRST ASSAULT—PREPARATIONS FOR THE SIEGE—GOTHIC INTRENCHMENTS—COUNTER FORTIFICATIONS OF BELISARIUS—VITIGES DESTROYS THE AQUEDUCTS—FLOATING MILLS ON THE TIBER—DESPAIR OF THE ROMANS—THE GOTHS DEMAND A SURRENDER—PREPARATIONS FOR STORMING THE CITY

Although Belisarius sent the keys of Rome and the prisoner Leuderis to Constantinople in token of victory, he nevertheless fully recognised the difficulties of his position in the huge city, the immediate siege of which he foresaw. In spite of Theodoric's restorations, Aurelian's walls in many places proved damaged and ruinous. Belisarius repaired them, strengthened them with trenches, and provided the corners with projecting towers, the skilful building of which awoke the astonishment of the Romans, while the prospect of the siege for which he was making such careful preparations aroused their terror. For he filled the public granaries with grain from Sicily and corn which he had extorted from the colonists on the Campagna. He was not deceived in his expectations.

During the winter Vitiges had collected the entire Gothic army in Ravenna and provided it with weapons and horses; he now set forth for Rome, compelled to haste by the news of the fall of almost all the towns of Tuscany and Samnium. Information which reached him on the way, of the dislike with which the Greeks were already regarded in the city, still further inflamed his desire for war.