Theoderic the Great: King of Goths, Ruler of Romans

The Roman Empire in the West collapsed in the second half of the fifth century. So What happened next? Hans-Ulrich Wiemer has written an excellent biography of Theoderic the Goth, a remarkable figure who ruled a short-lived empire encompassing Italy, Spain, Southern Gaul, and the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, with political influence reaching even farther. 

A giant in his own time, Theoderic is a fascinating figure who restored a measure of peace and prosperity to Italy that would be remembered for centuries. 

Read on to learn more about Hans-Ulrich Wiemer’s book Theoderic the Great: King of Goths, Ruler of Romans.

Did Rome Really Fall?

For a time, historians reacting against the cataclysmic depictions of the fall of the Roman empire of earlier historiography argued for a transition rather than collapse into the dark ages. They would often point out that decades after the supposed fall, citizens in Rome could still be found attending games in the Colosseum and continued to receive free bread from the state, while senators petitioned favors from a strong and independent ruler who received official imperial honors. Rome was still large and rich, and Italy was united and at peace. 

This is all true, but some fundamental things had definitely changed by the year 500. That ruler was a barbarian who consistently reaffirmed his non-Roman status and subscribed to a different form of Christianity, commonly referred to as Arianism by its enemies, than the local population, and the peace he brought would not long outlive him.

Who Was Theoderic?

Before he ruled Italy, Theoderic spent his early years roaming the European provinces of the Eastern Empire, alternately fighting with and against the Empire, and gradually consolidating power over the Ostrogoths. Eventually, the emperor Zeno decided to solve two problems at once: by encouraging Theoderic to invade Italy, he rid himself of an unreliable foederate army while also destroying Odovacer, the man who had deposed Romulus Augustus in 476. Theoderic accomplished this by a bit of trickery: inviting Odovacer to a feast, and then personally murdering him.

As king of Goths and ruler of Romans, Theoderic’s policy was to preserve a separation between his Gothic warriors and the local Roman population. Eager to maintain military readiness, He stationed most of his Goths in compact communities in the North of Italy. They were governed by different laws and judges than the locals and held to their Arian, or more accurately Homoean, version of Christianity, which held that Jesus was subordinate to God the Father, with their own bishops and churches.   

Theoderic on Politics 

For most of his reign, relations with the senate remained good, but tensions over relations with Constantinople and a possible succession dispute led to a series of treason trials, whose most prestigious victim, Boethius, wrote his treatise “The Consolation of Philosophy” while awaiting execution. It remains the most famous work of literature of the era.

Theoderic on Religion 

Likewise, relations with the majority Christian population began relatively well, with Theoderic acting as a neutral outside arbiter during internal catholic disputes, but grew more acrimonious in the last years of the reign. Wiemer argues from hints in the “Liber Pontificalis” a history of the popes, that he both strong-armed Pope John into handing over church properties to its Arian rivals and imprisoned him in retaliation for a too-friendly reception he had received during an embassy to Constantinople. John died in prison, and his replacement was personally chosen by Theoderic himself.

Theoderic on Foreign Policy 

In foreign policy, for the early decades of his reign at least,  Theoderic strove to be on good terms with the Eastern empire. He also attempted to create a system of familial alliances with his neighbors in the West, the royal families in Vandal North Africa, Visigothic Spain, and the Franks in Gaul, to mixed results. He was unable to prevent the Franks from chasing the Visigoths out of most of Gaul, but in the aftermath of that war, he took control of the Visigothic kingdom, even if his rule over Spain was more theoretical than actual, and gained for himself the rich provinces of Provence. He also defeated the Gepids and added their territory in the former Pannonian provinces to his own. 

The Fall of Theoderic 

Unfortunately for Theoderic, these policies did not lead to a lasting regime. After his death, The Visigoths regained their independence under Theoderic’s former general Theudis, while His daughter served as regent for his grandson Athalric as King of the Ostrogoths. As child kings usually do, Athalric had trouble imposing his will on his kingdom, and the Ostrogoths fell into disorder, providing the new Emperor of the East Justinian with a tempting target.  

His invasion of Italy touched off decades of war which devastated the peninsula and ended the kingdom. The repeated sieges and sackings of Rome destroyed many historic buildings and the aqueducts which made it possible to maintain a large population. With the coming of the Lombards in 568, Italy would not be united again until 1871.

Theoderic’s Legacy

So, what is Theoderic’s legacy really? It occurred to me that the historical figure he most reminds me of is Canute, who ruled a North Sea empire encompassing England, Denmark, and Norway.  Both men were successful conquerors who dominated their worlds in their own lifetimes but whose dominions collapsed soon after their deaths and whose legacies were overshadowed by the more durable successes of William the Conqueror in England and Justinian in Italy.  

It can be interesting to think about how different history would be if their successors had been more successful, but ultimately both men were minor figures in the grand scheme of history. Still, presiding over the last period of a united, rich, and independent Italy before the 19th century isn’t such a bad legacy.

Theoderic the Great: King of Goths, Ruler of Romans: My Final Thoughts 

I can’t recommend Wiemer’s book highly enough. He expertly dramatizes the world of the late fifth and early sixth centuries, from the constantly shifting alliances of the various Gothic groupings in the Balkan Peninsula during his rise to power, to the hybrid regime he instituted in Italy as king.  

The Byzantines, Vandals, Franks, and Burgundians all play important parts in this narrative, which helps bring this entire era to life.