The siege of Urbinus[1] also called siege of Urbino[2] or siege of Urbinum[3] took place in the year 538[1][2] during Justinian's Gothic War.[1][2][4] Earlier, when John took Ariminum, he had bypassed Auximus and Urbinus which would have to be taken now to secure the road to Ravenna.[1][2] The Gothic king, Witigis, had sent a man called Moras[1][4] with 2.000 troops[1][2] to defend the city. In the year 538, the Byzantine commander, Belisarius went to besiege the town while another strong Byzantine contingents besieged Urviventus.[1] The forces of Narses and John, other Byzantine commanders, who were undermining Belisarius' authority,[1][3][5][6] joined him in this venture.[1][3] Thinking the defenders would be terrified on seeing the Byzantine army, Belisarius sent envoys offering the garrison a chance to surrender.[4] Narses and John set up camp separately form Belisarius, on the other side of the town, and, after negotiations with the garrison failed, totally abandoned the siege.[1][4] They declared taking the town impossible and moved to capture Aemilia but while Belisarius was preparing to assault the town surrendered due to the failure of its spring.[1][4] Astonished by such success, Narses sent John to capture Caesena but this assault failed.[1] John then moved to and managed to capture Forocornelius.[1] After this siege Belisarius moved to support in the siege of Urviventus, also capturing that city shortly after.[1]
^ 3.03.13.2Bury, J. B. (John Bagnell), 1861-1927 (January 1958). History of the later Roman Empire from the death of Theodosius I. to the death of Justinian. New York. ISBN0486203980. OCLC41478187.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
