Battle of Mucellium
542 CE.
Shown on the map at 43.950°, 11.383°.
The Battle of Mucellium was an engagement in 542 AD in the Mugello valley, Italy, between Ostrogoths (Goths) and Byzantines during the Gothic War. Within the first five years of the war, the Byzantines had conquered much of Italy, culminating in the capture of the capital of the Gothic kingdom in 540. However, corruption and harsh taxation reignited Gothic resistance under Totila. The Byzantine commanders' belated attempt to counter that resurgence led to early failures. Byzantine forces advanced against the Goths, who had recently lifted the siege of Florence and camped in the Mucellium (now called Mugello). Although the Byzantines outnumbered the Goths, Totila's forces routed the Byzantine detachment on a hillside, triggering panic that spread to the rest of the army and led to a complete collapse. The Goths captured prisoners, while the surviving Byzantine commanders fled to isolated strongholds. The lack of coordination by the remaining Byzantine forces allowed Totila to launch a successful military campaign in southern Italy and eventually advance against Rome in 544.
Text from the Wikipedia article Battle of Mucellium, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.