1. Have weak empire
2. Order brilliant general to save empire for you
3. Brand brilliant general a traitor and exile him
4. New foes threaten your empire
5. ???

>>17789474 (OP)
>1. Have weak empire
The Eastern Empire was at its wealthiest and militarily strongest during his reign.
>2. Order brilliant general to save empire for you
He was just going conquering. Not much saving going on. Justinian gave him his full support anyways, everytime he asked for more men, Justinian gave him more.
>4. New foes threaten your empire
Like a decade after he fucking died

>>17789474 (OP)
>3. Brand brilliant general a traitor and exile him
He didn't. He was under house arrest for a little while over a supposed conspiracy, then reinstated.

Cool historia, Procopei.

>>17789548
Belisarius had to cut short the italian campaing because his paranoid mperor might decide to kill him

>>17790069
>Belisarius had to cut short the italian campaing
No he didn't. He couldn't decide that anyway, and in his absence other generals were appointed like Narses.
>because his paranoid mperor might decide to kill him
One of the most trusting Emperors and most willing to delegate to others was paranoid?

>>17790110
>No he didn't. He couldn't decide that anyway, and in his absence other generals were appointed like Narses.
He did, the goths offered him the crown nd he decieved them taking ravenna, them he went imediately back to avoid justinian having him killed; the other hgenerals were a net negative to the cmpaing

>>17790113
>the other hgenerals were a net negative to the cmpaing
Narses was consistently successful? He defeated the Franks and the rest of the Goths.