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READING HALL

THE DOORS OF WISDOM

 
 

 

ITALY AND HER INVADERS.

BOOK IV.

THE OSTROGOTHIC INVASION

 

CHAPTER I. A CENTURY OF OSTROGOTHIC HISTORY.

CHAPTER II. THE REIGN OF ZENO.

CHAPTER III. THE TWO THEODORICS IN THRACE.

CHAPTER IV. FLAVIUS ODOVACAR.

CHAPTER V. THE RUGIAN WAR.

CHAPTER VI.  THE DEATH-GRAPPLE.

CHAPTER VII. KING AND PEOPLE.

CHAPTER VIII. THEODORIC AND HIS COURT.

CHAPTER IX. THEODORIC’S RELATION’S WITH GAUL.

CHAPTER X. THEODORIC’S RELATIONS WITH THE EAST.

CHAPTER XI. THEODORIC’S RELATIONS WITH THE CHURCH.

CHAPTER XII. BOETHIUS AND SYMMACHUS.

CHAPTER XIII. THE ACCESSION OF ATHALARIC.

CHAPTER XIV. JUSTINIAN.

CHAPTER XV.  BELISARIUS.  

CHAPTER XVI. THE ERRORS OF AMALASUNTHA.


A CENTURY OF OSTROGOTHIC HISTORY.

335-375 Hermanric . Pedigree of the Amals . Hunnish invasion

375-416 Hunimund . Thorismund Interregnum. Division of the Kingdom. Walamir, Theudemir, Widemir

454 Yoke of the Huns thrown off . Birth of Theodoric, son of Theudemir

461 Gothic grievances against the Empire . Theodoric a hostage at Constantinople . . War with the Suevi . Death of Walamir

471 Return of Theodoric . He recovers Singidunum from the Sarmatians . Breach with the Empire . Invasion of Moesia and Macedonia

474 Death of Theudemir . Accession  Zeno

475-477 Revolt of Basiliscus . Zeno in exile . Return of Zeno .Treachery of Harmatius . Fate of Basiliscus . Death of Harmatius

479 Revolt of Marcian Services and banishment of Ills . Intrigues 0f Verina

478 Recall of Illus. Banishment of Verina . Pamprepius the Neo-Platonist

 482 Third attempt on the life of Illus

484 Revolt of Illus. Leontius Anti-Emperor . Death of Verina

488 Illus and Leontius slain .  Zeno's anxiety as to his successor

491 Death of Zeno . Accession of Anastasius

492-497 Isaurian war . Zeno's Henoticon

THE TWO THEODORICS IN THRACE.

478 Theodoric the Amal fights for Zeno against the son of Triarius . A coalition between the two Theodorics . Joint embassy to the Emperor

 479 The coalition dissolved. The son of Triarius on the side of the Emperor . Theodoric the Amal invades Macedonia . Theodoric at Heraclea. He crosses the Scardus range and invades Epirus . Theodoric at Dyrrhachium . Negotiations with Adamantius . .  Disaster of the Goths at the Caudavian hills . First mention of the Bulgarians

481 Death of Theodoric son of Triarius . Fate of his family

484 Theodoric Consul

487 Theodoric at the gates of Constantinople . Scheme for the invasion of Italy

FLAVIUS ODOVACAR.

481 Conquest of Dalmatia

477 Death of Count Bracila . Odovacar's ministers: Liberius, Cassiodorus, Senior, Pierius, Pelagius . Mission of St. Epiphanius . Relief of citizens of Ticinum

461-467 Pope Hilarius

468 Pope Simplicius Struggle for primacy with Constantinople

471 Acacius Patriarch of Constantinople . Struggle between Simplicius and Acacius

483 Death of Simplicius . Interference of Odovacar with Church affairs

484 Pope Felix II excommunicates Acacius . Acacius replies. Schism between Eastern and Western Churches begun . Zeno’s attitude towards Odovacar . Odovacar's secret understanding with Illus . Troubles with the Rugians

THE RUGIAN WAR.

Misery of Noricum . Kingdom of the Rugians . Activity of St. Severinus . Courtesies between him and Odovacar . Flaccitheus King of the Rugians . His successor Feletheus or Feva . Story of the captive Goldsmiths . Soldiers on the Limes

482 (?) Death of St. Severinus . Faithlessness of Ferderuchus. His death

487, 488 Odovacar avenges Ferderuchus by two invasions . Emigration of Monks, taking the body of Severinus . They are invited to the LucuUanum, near Naples . Possibly the invitation came from the mother of Augustulus . Situation of the Lucullanum

THE DEATH-GEAIPLE.

488 Theodoric starts for Italy . The Gepids contest the passage of the Ulca . Battle of the Ulca

489 Descent into Italy . Odovacar and his subject-kings . Battle of the Isonzo, 28 August Battle of Verona, 30 September Flight of Odovacar to Ravenna Theodoric at Milan . Tufa's double treachery Theodoric at Ticinum

490 Transalpine alliances. Burgundians help Odovacar Visigoths help Theodoric Battle of the Adda, 11 August . General assassination of Odovacar's followers . Blockade of Ravenna . Faustus sent as Theodoric's Ambassador to Constantinople

91 Odovacar's sortie from Ravenna, 10 July 492

Lull in the War. Theodoric at Ariminum . Treachery of Frederic the Eugena . The Rugians at Ticinum . Quarrel between Tufa and Frederic. Death of Tufa

493 Famine in Ravenna . Surrender of Ravenna. Terms of Capitulation . Theodoric enters Ravenna, 5 March . Assassination of Odovacar, 15 March

THEODOEIC AND HIS COURT.

 500 Theodoric’s visit to Rome .  Conspiracy of Odoin . Cassiodorus the Elder . His son, Cassiodorus Senator . Early life of Cassiodorus Senator . His History of the Goths . Amalasuntha daughter of Theodoric . Her marriage with Eutharic . Eutharic's early death . Faustus Praetorian Prefect . His fall .. Artemidorus the King's friend . Count Tulum . Theodoric at Ravenna . Theodoric at Pavia and Verona

THEODORIC'S RELATIONS WITH GAUL.

493 (?) Clevis marries the Burgundian princess Clotilda . Course pursued by Theodoric towards adherents of Odovacar . Mission of Epiphanius to Theodoric . He is sent to Gundobad to plead for the Ligurians .. Return of the Ligurian exiles . Epiphanius again visits Ravenna

497 His death

496 Clovis fights with the Alamanni . His vow . His baptism . Gundobad threatened by the Franks

500 War between Gundobad and his brother aided by Clovis . Gundobad a fugitive . He returns and besieges his brother in Vienne . Inactivity of Clovis while his ally is defeated . Clovis again at war with the Alamanni . The Alamanni seek Theodoric's protection

 507 Clovis denounces war against Alaric II King of the Visigoths . Defeat and death of Alaric II . Ambiguous attitude of Gundobad . Gesalic the Visigothic usurper

508-510 Arles besieged by the Franks . Troubles of the Bishop Caesarius .

508 Tulum leads the Ostrogothic army into Gaul .

509 Ostrogothic invasion of Burgundy under Mammo .

510 Complete victory of Ostrogoths under Ibbas . Gesalic helped by Thrasamund King of the Vandals .

511 Defeat and death of Gesalic . Theodoric rules Spain as protector of his grand son . Dangerous power of Theudis

516 Death of Gundobad : accession of Sigismund

522 Sigismund orders his son to be murdered

523 The sons of Clovis invade Burgundia . Theodoric's acquisition of territory in Gaul . Sigismund defeated . Murder of Sigismund .

524 His brother Godomar defeats the Franks . Enormous increase of Frankish territory.  England in the Sixth Century as described by Procopius .. The country of the dead

THEODORIC'S RELATIONS WITH THE EAST.

491-518 Seven and twenty years' reign of the Emperor Anastasius . Abolition of the Chrysargyron . Commutation of the Imperial tithes . Modification of the Curial system . Building of the Long Wall . Isaurian and Persian Wars

493 Faustus ambassador from Theodoric . Haughty letter from Pope Gelasius

497 Festus ambassador from Theodoric . Pacific letter from Pope Anastasius . Peace ratified between Emperor and King . Extent of Theodoric's dominions

504 The War of Sinnium, with the Gepidae

505 Mundo the Hun attacked by the Imperial general Sabinian .. The Ostrogoths help him Defeat of the Bulgarians and the Imperial troops

508 Raid of Byzantine war-ships on Apulia . Theodoric's letter to Anastasius . Priscian the Grammarian, at Constantinople .  Theological difficulties of position of Anastasius

496 Banishment of the Patriarch Euphemius

496-511 Patriarchate of Macedonius

511 The heretical Trisagion in the Emperor's Chapel . Tumult in the city . Banishment of Macedonius

512 Again the heretical Trisagion . Humiliation of Anastasius . Expulsion of Catholic Bishops

514-515 War of Vitalian . Overtures of Anastasius to Pope Hormisdas . Negotiations between Pope and Emperor for re- union of the Churches . Dignified letter of Anastasius closing the correspondence .

 8 July 518 Death of Anastasius . Accession of Justin . His ignorance and orthodoxy . Anathema to the Monophysites . Negotiations between Justin and Hormisdas . Acacius anathematised .  The Eastern and Western Churches reunited

THEODORIC’S RELATIONS WITH THE CHURCH.

492-496 Pope Gelasius .. His opposition to the Lupercalia

496-498 Pope Anastasius II

498 Symmachus and Laurentius : contested election . Symmachus accused of immorality . Tumult in the streets of Rome

501 The Synodus Palmaris acquits Symmachus . The Apology of Ennodius . Limits of royal and papal power . .

502 Odovacar’s decrees repudiated by a Council .

514Death of Symmachus. Election of Hormisdas .

514-523 Pontificate of Hormisdas. Reunion of the Churches

523 Election of Pope John I

524 Justin begins to persecute the Arians . Theodoric's policy of reprisal

525 Pope John sent to Constantinople . Ill-success of his mission . His return to Ravenna . His death in prison . Mistake of Theodoric in this matter

BOETHIUS ANDSYMMACHUS.

The Anonymus Valesii on the execution of Boethius and Symmachus . Birth, family, and education of Boethius . Career of Symmachus, guardian of Boethius . Literary labours of Boethius . Boethius as a mechanician . As a statesman . Honours conferred on Boethius and his family . Boethius's own account of the charge laid against him . He complains of the Senate's treatment of him . The charge of sacrilege and divination . Points proved by Boethius's statement . The evidence of Cassiodorus considered . His character of some of the accusers of Boethius . Suggestions as to the true character of Boethius . Synthetic narrative of his trial Conclusion : as to Teodoro . As to Boethius Scheme of the Philosophiae Consolatio

Book I. Philosophy personified

Book II. Fortune and her Gifts

Book III. The Nature of the Summum Bonum

Book IV. The Moral Government of the World Providence and Fate

Book V. Foreknowledge and Free-will

Style and philosophical quality of the book . Religious position of its author . Its extraordinary popularity in the Middle Ages .

ACCESSION OF ATHALARIC.

525 Feath of Theodoric  . Athalaric succeeds his grandfather . His mother Amalasuntha regent . Influence of Cassiodorus . Gothic national party . Troubles with the Vandals

523 Hilderic King of the Vandals . Opposition of the Queen Dowager, Amalafrida . Her captivity and death . Angry messages between Ravenna and Carthage

534 Fall of the Burgundian monarchy

526-535 Papal succession: Felix III; Boniface II; John II. Influence of Theodorie on election of Felix III

JUSTINIAN.

Omen as to successor of Anastasius .Early life of Justin I . His want of education . His nephew Justinian the real ruler . Death of Vitalian

521 Justinian Consul

527 Justinian succeeds his uncle . Early history and character of Theodora . Law reforms of Justinian . Factions of the Circus .

532 Strange dialogue in the Hippodrome between Justinian and the Green party . The Insurrection of the Nika The city set on fire . Hypatius proclaimed Emperor . Courage of Theodora . Belisarius attacks the insurgents . . Massacre in the Hippodrome .Fate of Hypatius and Pompeius

BELISARIUS

 526-532 War between the Empire and Persia . Early history of Belisarius . He chooses Procopius as his Counsellor .

530 Belisarius Magister Militum . Battle of Daras

531 Advice of the Saracen Alamundar to the King of Persia . The Persians invade Syria . Battle of Sura, or Callinicus 654 Kobad King of Persia succeeded by Chosroes

 533 'The Endless Peace' between Persia and the Empire .

531 Hilderic deposed by Gelimer . John of Cappadocia opposes the Vandal War

533 The fleet sets sail .  Arrival in Sicily .  Procopius obtains information at Syracuse about the Vandals .. Vandal expedition to Sardinia .  Belisarius lands in Africa . The army's order of march . Hilderic put to death

13 Sept. 533 Battle of Ad Decimum . Carthage entered by Belisarius . Gelimer's camp at Bulla Regia

Dec. 533 Battle of Tricamaron . Pursuit of Gelimer . Gelimer at Pappua . Gelimer surrenders

Mar. 534 Meeting of Gelimer and Belisarius . Triumph of Belisarius . Consulship of Belisarius.  Fall of the Vandal kingdom

THE ERRORS OF AMALASUNTHA.

Connection between the Vandal and the Gothic Wars . Difficulties of Amalasuntha’s position . Her manner of educating Athalaric . Remonstrances of the Goths Amalasuntha's harsh measures towards the Gothic leaders . Her negotiations with Justinian Murder of the three Gothic nobles .

534 Alexander ambassador from Justinian . Character of Theodahad . Embassy of Peter

 2 Oct. 534 Death of Athalaric . Theodahad associated with Amalasuntha in the kingdom . Letters to Justinian announcing the joint accession

30 April 535 Imprisonment of Amalasuntha . Theodahad sends an embassy to Constantionople ....

May (?)535 Death of Amalasuntha Peter declares a 'truceless war' against Theodahad

Cause of Amalasuntha's misfortunes .