[1] He is first recorded to be active in Mesopotamia in 531 during the Iberian War.
[citation needed] In 533, he took part in the successful Battle of Tricamarum in North Africa during the Vandalic War and remained active there until 536.
In 543-544 he briefly replaced Belisarius as the magister militum per Orientem, leading the disastrous invasion of Persarmenia during the Lazic War.
In 544, he relieved Edessa of a Persian siege in exchange for gold.
[citation needed] His last military activities was in 551–556 in the Caucasus during the Lazic War, including the assault on his stronghold at Telephis, his siege of Onoguris, and the Persian siege of Phasis.