Vitiges

   King of the Ostrogoths (q.v.) from 536-540, succeeding Theodahad (q.v.). Vitiges besieged Belisarios in Rome (qq.v.) in 537. However, when in 538 Byzantine reinforcements arrived in Italy (q.v.), Vitiges retreated to Ravenna (q.v.), where he attempted vainly to convince Chosroes I (q.v.) to launch a diversionary attack in the East. In 540 Belisarios tricked Vitigis into opening the gates of Ravenna and he was taken prisoner. He died in exile two years later.