Vandal War (461–468)

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Vandal War (461–468): A short, easy-to-understand version

The Vandals, led by Geiseric, had built a powerful kingdom in North Africa after moving there in 429. They controlled much of the western Mediterranean sea lanes and used their navy to raid and disrupt Roman trade.

In the West, the empire was weak after the murder of Majorian in 461. Ricimer, a strong general, ruled the Western Empire from Italy, while the Eastern Emperor Leo I tried to help and a new Western emperor, Anthemius, was eventually installed in 467.

North Africa remained a thorn for Rome. The Vandals had already taken islands and coastal territories and now raided mainland Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean. Geiseric, who had built a reputation by defeating Roman forces, refused to accept peace on Roman terms.

In 467, Leo I and Ricimer agreed to a large, coordinated attack on the Vandals. The plan was ambitious: attack on three fronts with a huge fleet and up to about 100,000 soldiers. The idea was to have the eastern and western armies work together to crush the Vandal kingdom.

The campaign began well in some places. Marcellinus, in the west, retook Sardinia and then moved toward North Africa; Basiliscus sailed with the main eastern-western fleet toward Carthage; Heraclius gathered eastern forces in Egypt to attack by land. But Geiseric used fireships and favorable winds to strike the Roman fleet, causing heavy losses. Basiliscus fled to Sicily, and Marcellinus was murdered. The combined Roman force failed to destroy the Vandals.

After the defeat, Rome could no longer deny the Vandals’ power or rely on Africa’s wealth to sustain its army. The Western Empire remained unstable, while the Eastern Empire continued to maneuver diplomatically. The Vandals kept control of their North African kingdom and continued to threaten the Mediterranean.

In 472, Ricimer installed Olybrius as Western emperor, but the Western Empire soon faced further decline. A lasting peace with the Eastern Empire, known later as Eternal Peace, was achieved with the Vandals, though the Western Empire never recovered its former strength. The broader Roman story continued, with the Eastern Empire enduring for a time and future conflicts with the Vandals shaping the Mediterranean for years to come.