Theoderic in Italy

Download or read book Theoderic in Italy written by John Moorhead and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The career of Theoderic the Ostrogoth is one of the great success stories of antiquity. From being a ruler of a barbarian people wandering around the Balkans, he became king in Italy (493-526) and established one of the most powerful of the post-Roman states. Due to its ample documentation, the Italy of Theoderic allows detailed examination of a period on the frontiers of ancient and medieval, Roman and barbarian. And due to his success in attracting the attention of some of the major literary figures of the time, new light is cast on Boethius, Cassiodorus, and Ennodius when they are considered in the context of their connections with the government. Yet Theoderic's reign, so praised by contemporaries, ended amid tension and discord. In this study, Moorhead considers whether the principles with which he governed brought about the impermanence of his achievement.