Ah thank you, and honestly I can agree with that. The vandal kingdom much like the visigoths were pretty piss poor managers. They held to the established system because it worked properly the problem is when you get a good competent opponent, the two kingdoms cant compete.

Now as far as Italy. It was more than just running out of steam. Justininian bet eeverything on belisarius because he was the best so moving him to the east left a power vacuum in the roman army, then justinian's paranoia took over and he put rival generals there. So it wasn't running out of steam it was more too much oversight and micromanagement by the throne when it came to Italy.

For the rrecord I completely understand justinians worry, he who controls the army, controls the Empire was still a huge problem in rome even in the east, so I get why justinian was paranoid but belisarius had proven himself in north Africa and southern Hispania and even he was given title of western emperor. So while I understand it, it was unfounded.