A new volume concerning Ostrogothic Italy

Ostrogothic Italy : a volume published by Brill

Rome [ENA] A Companion to Ostrogothic Italy is a brief but comprehensive survey of the rise and fall of Italy’s first barbarian kingdom, the Ostrogothic state (ca. 489-554 CE), recently published by Brill. In Italy the Ostrogoths, led by Theoderic the Great, killed and replaced Odoacer, a Germanic soldier, erstwhile-leader of the foederati in Northern Italy, and the de facto ruler of Italy, who had deposed the last emperor of

the Western Roman Empire, Romulus Augustulus, in 476. Under Theoderic, the first king, the Ostrogothic kingdom reached its zenith, from modern France in the west into modern Serbia in the southeast. Most of the social institutions of the late Western Roman Empire were maintained during his rule. Theodoric called himself Gothorum Romanorumque rex ("King of the Goths and Romans"), confirming his desire to be the leader for both peoples. Starting in 535, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire invaded Italy under Justinian I. The Ostrogothic ruler at that time, Witiges, could not defend the kingdom successfully and was finally captured when the capital Ravenna fell.

Medallion (or triple solidus) featuring Theoderic, c. AD 491–501

The Ostrogoths rallied around a new leader, Totila, and largely managed to reverse the conquest, but were eventually defeated. The last king of the Ostrogothic Kingdom was Teia. The volume’s 18 essays provide readers with probing syntheses of recent scholarship on key topics, from the Ostrogothic army and administration to religious diversity and ecclesiastical development, ethnicity, cultural achievements, urbanism, and the rural economy.

Worthy of attention in the volume are also presented innovative studies of up till now under-examined topics, including the Ostrogothic provinces beyond the Italian lands, gender and the Ostrogothic court, and Ostrogothic Italy’s environmental history. Featuring work by an international panel of scholars, the volume is designed for both new students and specialists in the field. Contributors are Jonathan Arnold, Shane Bjornlie, Samuel Cohen, Kate Cooper, Deborah Deliyannis, Cam Grey, Guy Halsall, Gerda Heydemann, Mark Johnson, Sean Lafferty, Natalia Lozovsky, Federico Marazzi, Christine Radtki, Kristina Sessa, Paolo Squatriti, Brian Swain, and Rita Lizzi Testa.