1 The Andreios Eunuch-Commander Narses: Sign of a Decoupling of Martial Virtues and Masculinity in the Early Byzantine Empire? Michael Edward Stewart University of Queensland Abstract: This paper looks at the place of the sixth-century Byzantine general Narses (c. 480–573) in the history of Byzantine gender. Certainly, it has always been important for ancient and modern historians to emphasisκ NζrsκsȂ eunuchism. Indeed, for many modern scholars, NζrsκsȂ iικntity ζs ζ cζstrζtκ hζs bκκn more important for study than his military deeds and political achievements that proved ephemeral. For some, the presence of a eunuch in such an essential military role indicates a turning away from codes of generalship based on traditional martial courage and manliness. This paper questions such a view, suggesting that Byzantium had a much more flexible notion of eunuchsȂ gκnικr status than some recent scholarship allows. Indeed, it suggests that Narses fits into a continuing hegemony of traditional masculine values based on the supremacy of Byzantine mκnȂs mζrtiζl virtuκs The sixth-century Byzantine general Narses (c. 480ȮśŝřǼ νas ρτσμ κarσκι νξstτrξaσsȂ respect. 1 He deserves this acclaim since his major victories over the Goths in 552 and versus the Franks and Alamanni in 554 helped to secure the Emperor Justiniaσ IȂs (ruled 527Ȯ565) retaking of Italy from the Goths after an arduous nineteen-year struggle. 2 So too did Narses perform admirably for twelve years in his role as prefect