March 12

Siege of Rome Ends

The Ostrogoths retreat and Byzantium prevails

King Vitiges and his Ostrogothic army abandoned their year-long siege of Rome and retreated to Ravenna, leaving the Eternal City in the hands of the victorious Byzantine general Belisarius. The siege had tested Rome's ancient walls and the endurance of its defenders, but the city held. The retreat marked a turning point in the Gothic War and demonstrated that the Byzantine Empire could project power deep into the Italian peninsula.

Rinus van den Berge Born

A Dutch athlete of the early century

Rinus van den Berge was born in the Netherlands, a future athlete whose career would unfold during one of the most turbulent periods in European history. His story, while less famous than many of his contemporaries, represents the countless sportsmen and women of the early twentieth century whose achievements were intertwined with the dramatic political and social upheavals of their times.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi began the Salt March (pictured), a 24-day nonviolent walk to defy the British salt tax in colonial India.