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In the year of our Lord, January 1st, 476, a war raged in the fields of Moesia between two descendants of Berig from Scythia (Gothland). One of them, Theodoric who would be known as the Arian, and the other Theodoric of the Thervingians. The reason for the war was the fall of Basiliscus and the rise of Zeno. Theodoric of the Thervingians wanted to be appointed as Praefectus of Moesia and consequently king of the Ostrogoths, something that Theodoric the Arian refused to allow. The blessed Augustus Zeno feared that he would usurp the new Isaurian dynasty. Therefore, he sent a messenger on October 23rd, 476, appointing Theodoric of the Ostrogoths as Magister Militum.
This would unleash a chain of events that would alter the course of Gothic history forever. Theodoric of the Thervingians declared war on Theodoric of the Ostrogoths. Theodoric of the Ostrogoths, seizing the opportunity, fortified the Danube frontier and allied himself with the chieftain of the Gepids, Guiesmus, through marriage to his sister Malfrida, thus securing control over the Thracian border.
Taking advantage of this, he gathered his forces and met the Thervingians at the fortress of Elena in the region of Comes Zikideva, catching the Thervingians by surprise and massacring them on October 20th, 477. This decisive victory over the Thervingians enabled him to seize control of all Moesia once and for all.
While all this was happening, news reached the new Magister Militum, something that shook the entire world. The famous words of Theodoric are as follows: "Oh, what sins have we committed, for the emperor, master of the entire world, to be humiliated in such a way. Had the men of the Imperator not informed me, I would have thought they were speaking blasphemy."
Concursores in mundo
On January 14th, 477, while the Thervingian War persisted, Zeno attempted to place a claimant in the western part of the empire. At the same time, he stationed messengers along the Danube to maintain control over the river and its Gothic foederati.
Battle of Samnium, February 25th, 477
. The decisive Battle of Samnium took place on February 25th, 477, where the Byzantine forces solidified their control before heading towards Rome and seizing the heart of central Italy.
Zeno Entering Rome (April 14th, 477) He was received with great pomp by Pope Symmachus himself at the Lateran Palace. Leaving a Byzantine garrison and accompanied by a large host, he proceeded to Ravenna to place his claimant on the imperial throne, his Magister Officiorum, Agathias Decius.
Decius El Ilustress
Everything seemed to be falling into place. The Caesar was reaffirming his authority before the world by the grace of God. But alas, how fickle fortune is, and how God punishes the foolish.
While the emperor pursued and sought the Heruli, they fell upon him in the Po Valley. Not since the wars of Viriathus had anyone humiliated the Roman Empire with such force on its own soil. To add salt to the wound, they captured Zeno himself on July 12th, 477—what worse way to mark this than with the date given by Julius Caesar himself.
Battle of the Po (July 12th, 477)
After capturing Zeno, Odovacar forced him to kneel like a servant. With great pomp, he stripped him of the same imperial insignia that he had taken from Romulus Augustulus just a year earlier. Zeno was then compelled to sign a decree naming him the Exarch of Italy. These revelations sent shockwaves throughout the orbe —the insignia of Caesar had been taken twice by the same barbarian, Odovacar.
In his words to Augustus, never had mercy sounded so venomous until that moment. Odovacar asked the emperor, "What would you have done to me, Caesar, if you had won?" To which the emperor replied, "I would have paraded you through the streets of Constantinople as my victory trophy in a triumphal march." Odovacar responded, "I will do something worse—I let you live."
How much worse could death have been? The Isaurians, those mountaineers from the Taurus, were just beginning with Zeno, and now they faced the risk of being usurped all within a single year. Little did history know that after this event, the fate of the Ostrogoths and the Isaurians would become irrevocably intertwined.
donum imperiale
In August of 478, Theodoric and his army of Ostrogoths approached Constantinople, nearing the city to claim his position as Magister Militum and Praetor of Moesia. As he drew closer, he beheld once again the city where his ambitions for the world, Constantinople, had taken root.
And to his surprise, the Isaurian soldiers opened the gates for him in a triumphal manner. The people saw him and bowed, showering him with roses according to Malchus.
"They treated the Goth like a general returning from great campaigns, receiving him with high honors. He bowed before the image of the Theotokos and was carried in procession before the Autokrator."
(Theodoric Procesion in Konstantinopolis)
Entering the throne room, he saw Emperor Zeno seated on his throne and bowed. Saying, "Oh Augustus, my heart rejoices that you have returned safely. The whole world rejoices, and I have come to offer you my service." Zeno responded, "For your service, the position of Magister Militum is conferred upon you. Furthermore, your alliance with Theodoric Strabo is more than I could ask for. For this service, I offer you the hand of my niece, Logina, in marriage."
Theodoric could not believe the fortune that God had granted him. The Ostrogoths would now be allied with the purple of the Isaurian dynasty. In just one year, the Goths had risen from a mere border post to the pinnacle of Byzantine politics, under the patronage of the Isaurians. Such was the surprise of the court that a foolish senator exclaimed, "Oh, Rome has truly fallen; we are governed by mountaineers from Pannonia and Isauria."
In Thrace, Dacia, and Pannonia, an enormous procession of Isaurian and Ostrogothic soldiers could be heard as they made their way to Nikopolis to celebrate the wedding between Theodoric, the new godson of Zeno, and his niece Logina. The procession was resplendent and majestic.
"La Coniuratio de Nikopoli"
Theodomir, Theodoric's brother, and the Ostrogoths were astonished by the news. They prepared the entire banquet and wedding ceremony. For the Ostrogoths, this event became known as the Purple Wedding. Never before had they felt so closely tied to an imperial dynasty. They were not only receiving their king and a Roman princess but also the Imperator himself.
The Ostrogoths, along with Theodoric himself, lifted Zeno on a great shield, reaffirming their loyalty. Zeno himself said, "Since I assumed the purple, I have never felt more among friends than with the Goths."
After the great celebration, both the Emperor and the King found themselves alone in the empty banquet hall. According to a chronicler, the conversation went as follows:
Zeno: Have you heard what happened in Italy? The treacherous Odovacar has taken the imperial insignia from me, and in Constantinople, many plot to overthrow the emperor chosen by Leo himself.
Theodoric: Who would dare to threaten your life, my lord? My sword and that of the Goths belong to you.
Zeno: I fear I will need those swords for the good of both Constantinople and the orbe. The foolish Odovacar has taken the imperial insignia from me, and there is no way to reject this dishonor.
Theodoric: Allow me to offer myself. I will go to Italy and recover the insignia, restoring your honor. All I ask in return are the green pastures of Italy for my people.
Zeno: If you can restore my honor, I will make you Praefectus Occidentalis.
Theodoric knelt before Zeno and promised to restore his honor.
Theodoric: Now we are blood relatives. The wolf and the bull are united. Your dishonor is the dishonor of the Goths.
They spent the entire night discussing how to avenge the dishonor, and the next morning, Zeno departed back to Constantinople with a new contingent of Gothic soldiers heading to the capital. Vandali matrimonium
After Zeno's departure, Theodoric, seated on his throne, summoned his count, Hildebrand of Mesembria, to send him to Carthage. His mission was to offer Theodoric's daughter, Theodota, and his son, Fastila, in marriage to secure access to the Vandal fleet. The conspiracy had to be carried out as discreetly as possible, as this marriage would be of vital importance for the future.
The nuptials were set for March 18th, 480. King Thaudaric had accepted the pact with the Goths, agreeing to provide ships for their campaign in Italy. The conspiracy was now in motion.
Saccus Daciae
The next part of the plan involved securing the necessary funds for the campaign. Theodoric, with cunning befitting a true leader, planned a punitive attack against the Vicar Camudus, who was on pilgrimage to Hellas to offer sacrifices to the gods. During this time, a Christian revolt erupted, and Theodoric seized the opportunity to ostensibly rid himself of this pagan threat and protect the Christians.
However, the reality was different: it was all part of Zeno's strategy to keep his potential enemies in check. By turning a blind eye to Theodoric's actions, he allowed him to plunder cities in Dacia for wealth, while simultaneously sending a powerful message to potential contenders for the imperial throne. The message was clear: with the Goths' sword by his side, Zeno, the Isaurian emperor, was not to be challenged.
Thus, cities burned and gold flowed into Theodoric's coffers. Under the emperor's protection, he grew stronger day by day, preparing for the great enterprise that lay ahead.
Surprising everyone, Theodoric laid direct siege to the capital of Dacia, Branicevo.
Annihilating the garrison of Sagdium in the process, according to the chronicles, they left no house, pagan temple, or palace unspoiled. They respected the churches and places of worship, but all pagan temples were set ablaze in religious fervor sparked by the popular Christian revolt. When the Vicar returned from his pilgrimage, he found his capital destroyed and his subjects clamoring, "Convertere aut mori" (Convert or die).
While these events unfolded, Theodoric, encircling the city of Narssus, received a messenger bearing an additional bounty of gold—reportedly, 200 chests of gold—in exchange for halting the siege. Theodoric, showcasing his leadership to his men, opened the chest and allowed his soldiers to partake of its contents. He accepted the surrender, thus concluding the pillaging of Dacia. With these newfound riches, he now possessed the means for the conquest of Italy. Yet, a looming situation risked unraveling all their carefully laid plans.
Defectio Africae Septentrionalis
In the year of our Lord 429, Genseric founded the Vandal Kingdom with a force of approximately 15,000 Vandals amidst a Roman populace numbering three million. Despite this numerical disparity, Genseric rose to prominence as the paramount barbarian king of the 5th century. Yet, within his realm, tensions simmered between the minority Vandal Arians and the native Chalcedonian Christian clergy, who numbered over three million strong. Adding to the kingdom's challenges were relentless assaults from Berber tribes.
Following Genseric's demise, his son Huneric briefly held the throne before passing, leading to the ascension of his brother Theodatus. These frequent changes in leadership sparked sporadic succession crises, culminating in a widespread revolt for independence across Africa, spearheaded by the Vandal aristocracy, particularly the Hunsings, kin to Genseric himself.
Desperate, Theodatus sent a pair of his finest ships to Illyria to plead for Gothic assistance. Understanding the critical nature of this alliance, Theodoric had no choice but to respond. He boarded the ships and sailed for North Africa. It was this war that would make Theodoric's name known throughout the Mediterranean, for without him, the Vandal kingdom might have fallen a century earlier. Risking even the security of the Gepid king Gaismund, whose death had left the frontier in doubt, Theodoric embarked for North Africa, where his actions would be recognized across the known world.
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Chapter 2: PARS OCCIDENTA (Rex Flavius Theodoricus Goticus italicus )
As the fleet approached, they noticed the lights of the Vandal king's camp in Numidia, about 100 kilometers from the capital, encircling the city of Silyana and setting up camp. Upon their arrival, there was a sudden surge of morale among the king's armies. Three thousand Ostrogothic soldiers, led by the Emperor’s own son-in-law, struck their shields with their spears. It is said, "King Theodomir seemed a small man in the presence of the Goth, despite his golden, jewel-encrusted armor. Theodoric's regal bearing outshone even the glitter of his armor."
(Rex Theodomirus)
When Theodomiro explained the situation to Theodoric the Goth, he grew increasingly tense. The entire country had risen in revolt, from Libya to Numidia, compounded by the presence of numerous bandits. They knew nothing about the Balearic Islands, where most of the fleet was stationed. Essentially, they had 5,000 soldiers: 3,000 Goths and 2,000 of Theodomiro's men, against 4,000 rebel Libyan soldiers. Additionally, there was uncertainty regarding the Balearic fleet—whether they would come to reinforce the rebels or aid them. The three ships they had were their only means of support.
Despite the situation, Theodoric offered the command staff to Theodomiro, saying, "It is your kingdom, fight for it." Theodomiro seemed indecisive. From this, Theodoric saw the situation clearly—the king was incompetent. The one truly in control was his wife, Thiudano Maximina.
In a display of power, Theodoric had King Theodomiro leave to speak with his wife in her own tent. This perfidious woman was vindictive, avaricious, and a Jezebel of the shadows, with rumors circulating that she had killed relatives with her own hands.
Theodoric: "Now I see why the kingdom has revolted, led by a woman of all things. From now on, I am the Magister Militum. Your king will follow my commands to the letter. In return, your son will marry Theodota when he comes of age, and your ships will be at my service."
Thiudano- I will do what you ask Magister save my kingdom and
Theodoric- Silence
The queen remains silent
Theodoric- You are NOT going to tell me what to do from now on I am the Magister totalis of the whole campaign make your husband do everything I order because we have enemies everywhere.
Thiudano nods and then leaves the tent theodomiro enters in his place.
Theodoricus continues to look at him with disdain and then thoughtfully explains - I had a dream I saw a bunch of jackals devouring a man with a jeweled crown as I understood the man knew about the jackals and yet he risked to walk in front of the coast and I saw how they devoured him I thought it was a dream but now I see it was a harbinger of danger but not for bravery only for stupidity.
Theodomiro was silent and ashamed but theodorico said to him this is your moment show that you are a real king let's not let the jackals devour your kingdom you are with me to which theodomiro raises and nods
After this supposed conversation, according to the chronicler Jordanees theodoric ordered together with theodomiro a risky bet to sail from Carthage Nova to the Balearic Islands and take the islands were an inconvenience that could make the situation more precarious than it already was. So they prepared the fleet consisting of three triremes and the coalition of Vandals and Goths, more than 5000 men in total, got on board.
(Landing in Majorca and Menorca June 1, 485)
The assault on Mellorca is perhaps one of the most risky military operations and made during late antiquity Three Vandal ships supported the whole exercise leaving the entire flank unprotected flank spent the days the tension was constant reached Mallorca and were quickly sighted so without time to rest both islands were assaulted by a hungry and tired army taking the ports and therefore all the ships of the Vandala army now returned to be available to Theodoric and Theodomiro
According to a Jordanian chronicler: They spent two weeks at sea not knowing whether the Balearic Islands were with them or against them, the Goths arrived at night like hungry wolves, stormed the port of Palma for food, besieged the capital and put the aristocracy to the sword, gorged themselves with food, while in Mallorca the Vandals were reinforced from Sardinia, maintaining their loyalty to Theodomiro.
According to the sources, thanks to the reinforcements from Sardinia, Theodoric now had the advantage of maritime and total movement with the security of the rearguard, they stayed several days on the island to recover. According to an anecdote, a messenger brought a letter that raised the morale of the Ostrogoths, Theodoric never rejoiced until that moment Logina had given birth to a child Athalaric on January 7, 485.
After that with the largest army in the west with theodoric at the head with more than 7000 goths men Vandals isaurians and sardinians landed in tanger surprising the western forces of the numidian rebels and assaulted the fortresses of Constantine. Nabanna Theodomyrus surprised theoderic his knowledge of the terrain allowed the army to move with numidia assaulting all the coastal forts January 1, 487 theoderic's words to thedomyrus gave him a reassurance he lacked now you are a king.
On May 7, in front of Cartago Nova, the place where Theodoric had landed 5 years ago and where Scipion confronted Hannibal, Theodoric and Theodomyrus met against the Libyan rebel Hegatus, and perhaps one of the greatest battles of the 5th century took place.
They were four thousand Libyans against a coalition of Goths Vandals isauricos and Sardinians commanded by theodoric this putting the Goths in front waited for Hegato came in a quick attack and was not disappointed came to the front and this was surprised by cavalry The Libyans were screaming and trying to flee, one man was killed and then they chased Hegatus until they captured him, put him on a donkey and carried him through the streets of Carthage Nova naked and with his tongue cut out.
The campaign had started with everything against Theodoric and now it seemed that it was totally the other way around but he had managed to pacify the north of Africa despite having the numerical advantage totally against him now he had at his disposal 7000 men the largest western army these feats made the prestige of Theodoric and the Amalas dynasty rise to an indisputable height from Toulouse to Constantinople consolidating Theodoric as the greatest general of the West since Aetius.
Ave rex deos rident On his return to Pannonia Theodoric was received triumphantly and in his court a blacksmith known as Guneaida introduced herself and said to him "Your exploits precede you oh rex Gestae allow me to build you a Diadem worthy of the greatest General of the East and son-in-law of the Emperor" to which Theodoric replied "You are right, someone who is the son-in-law of the Imperial family deserves something that represents his status. replied you are right someone who is the son-in-law of the imperial family deserves something that represents his status the coffers are open give me the crown Guneaida bowed and went to make the Crown even though it would not be used beyond theodoric it represents the Amala dynasty to this day.
At the same time this event occurred Ostrogota oh the precious theogota had come of age she was a beautiful woman who in the end would bring anguish to both father and son.
As an omen that fortune is fickle Eusebia theodoric's mother had died peacefully while on her way back from North Africa Theodoric mourned for three days.
After a period of mourning he decided to make a perenigration to Jerusalem God had given him many victories but the death of his mother gave him back his humility memento Mori You too will die what God gives He can take away before leaving Guneaida gave him a beautiful silver crown with the initials Eusebia on the top even though it was a bitter touch she thanked him for his services and he could remain in the court as he wished.
He boarded a small humble boat and crossed the Aegean to Jerusalem spending several days in seclusion praying for the soul of his mother until he visualized the port of Ascalon from there he went down and the prefect of Oriens hearing that he was coming sent a group of soldiers to escort him to the city when theodoric saw him he marveled Yerusalem the land where david founded his capital the land where the messiah walked.
But not everything was pure solenmity theodoric seemed like a child touring the holy places on the way to the holy sepulcher he became friends with the patriarch of Jerusalem with whom he engaged in some friendly debates about the nature of Christ which was still much debated at the time and in the end they became friends.
When he returned to Nikopolis he was greeted by his brother Theodomyrus with a letter that Zenon had died of old age and his son occupied the imperial throne.
Theodoric quickly got down to work, the whole conspiracy was in danger of falling apart, he needed the approval of the Autokrator to be able to have Italy, for this he planned a psychological attack on the Romanoi, he besieged the city of Adrianople and reopened an old wound in the Roman psyche of 115 years, the battle of Adrianople in 376, while this was happening he also found out other news: Odoacer had died two years ago by self-flagellation and now his son Thela was reigning.
( The second Sack and battle of Adrianopole)
And, more than that his friend theodomiro the king of the vandals had also died of old age God has a sense of humor in the end what unraveled the conspiracy of nikopolis was time itself hah vanities all is vanity
In the end he received the letter from autokrator himself son of zenon but the empty wise victory had aligned the goths with the rest of the empire
. Dear Theodoric,
In recognition of your valuable services and steadfast loyalty to the Eastern Roman Empire, I am pleased to bestow upon you the rank of Patrician and the title of Praetor of the Par Occidentalis. Your military skills and commitment have been fundamental to the security and prosperity of our western provinces. I trust that you will continue to defend the empire with honor and distinction.
With gratitude and respect,
Emperor Augustus Zenon
Seeing that he was having to look for a new port to set sail he made a risky move behind the autokrator's back to marry his son Ahtalaricus with the daughter of Iulius Nepos.
With all this theodoric began to prepare perhaps the most dangerous expedition of his career to make more than 20,000 Goths leave the western border of Pannonia to go to Italy as Caesar before the rubicon and now theodoric looking at the sea that separated Dalmatia from Italy had only one thing to say the die was cast.
Pyrrhica Adventure
The first thing he did was to ask the Dominus of his court to review and survey all the lands for the expedition to which the man complied in full measure.
Thanks to the old marriage with the old chieftain of the Gepids, the sons of Amalfrida had at least for a while the Danube border secured for the expedition, there was a blood pact on the border, so the rear was covered.
Another event that propitiated theodoric but were events beyond his control were the Pontus battles against the Slaveni that the augustus nikepohoros was involved in on the Anatolian frontier and the preoccupation with the Sasanids which diverted the attention of the Romans from the Balkans to the Caucasus.
Another lesser known aspect of the whole scheme was theodoric's trip to Athens, where he managed to convince the academy full of classical literature to give him a number of expensive books ranging from Caesar's Gallic Wars to the neoplatonic works of pilinus the younger and works such as the Aeneid and Iliad as well as theological works.
For theodoric was a lover of letters and wanted his children to have as good an education as he did.
At the end after having everything ready he sat down to dinner in silence he looked sad his wife logina asked him what was wrong and he said winter has arrived the crops are not enough and at this moment because of my inpuslivity it may be the end of my people to which in a way unbecoming of a woman logina told him you are the man who pacifies Africa stop behaving like a crybaby it is unbecoming of a man I trust you the great ones like mega alexandros leonidas constantino had to face great difficulties but eternal glory is theirs now. it is your turn my husband and what if I fail says sad theodoric to which logina answered then the purple will be a nice bed of morturio
That serenity mixed with logina's strength was perhaps the only but most important time that his wife raised her voice to her husband centuries later logina is still considered as the exemplary woman in the gothic imaginary, an empress in everything but the title.
( Queen Logina )
Filled with determination to put the whole destiny of his people on the line, he set sail for Italy on Nepote's ships on November 25, 498.
When he landed in Sanmiun with all his troops, he was amazed to find no resistance and instead a totally destroyed country.
The people prostrated themselves around him and the lords also of blessed be the chaos is over said the man and theodoric asked him who are you I am Boethius my lord.
What has happened and boecius says there is that it has not happened a whole century of calamities to what theodoricus affirms these Roman years to what boecius answers who are you barbaroi and theodoricus says I am Flavius Theodoricus Amalus Africanus Magister militum Of Constantinople Son-in-law of the Emperor zenon rex gothorum praefectus occiedantalis and to finish he delivers him the message with the symbol of the Autokrator
To which Boecius prostrates himself and in tears cries out honor to the Augustus our prayers have been answered and Theodoric simply continues speaking Boecius begins everything happened very fast they brought Odoacer the Herulus his son three years ago Thelius presented his father tied to a tree and began to scourge him according to him for immorality for having transgressed God he beat him and beat him. He beat him so badly that he bled to death a week later. Then he entered Rome and demanded to the senators that he be crowned Imperator, killed Pope Symacus and caused a revolt throughout Italy to overthrow him, the Roman nobility rose up against him, but it was very bloody.
In the end they reached a treaty the younger brother would assume the throne and Thelius would abdicate but theodoric says Boethius continued to take over the office of magister oficorum to get to him you had to pass with him many assume that the boy is dead or locked in the palace of ravena because of this plus the great revolt of africa cut the influx of grain which caused more unrest have been more than 20 years of chaos.
Theodoric could not believe the place where the most powerful empire in the world had been born was totally destroyed he set off for Rome and what he saw shook him to the core an abandoned city where the colosseum itself was used to dump waste when people approached him they would not look at a barbarian even the armor he wore looked more luxurious than anything they could have.
Upon departing from Rome, what remained of the comes rendered homage to Theodoric, whether out of fear or gratitude. According to Cassiodorus, who would become the great historian of the Goths, under Theodoric's command, the procession of all the peoples who followed him—even the lowest servant—seemed like a patrician compared to the nobles of what was once Italy. The hunger and exhaustion were so severe that Theodoric, like the Augusti of old, began to distribute bread to the population out of pity. When they learned that it was Theodoric the African, many rejoiced. Passing through Lazio, each city either fell or surrendered.
(The Goths gave bread of famlic Romans)
He even received an offer from Thelius, who would give him Lower Italy if he halted his march. Yet he did not stop until he reached Ravenna. For Theodoric and his men, Ravenna seemed more like Rome than Rome itself, adorned even to its walls, which caused just indignation among the Goths themselves. How was it possible that the cradle of the empire had been so degraded?
For a month, 20,000 Goths laid siege to Ravenna, squeezing it until it starved. Eventually, the boy king was forced to abdicate. Oh, how fickle is fortune! Just as the son of Orestes was overthrown, so too was the lineage of the Heruli. Desperate, Thelius attempted to ambush Theodoric in Galadasium but was massacred to the last man.
Thus ended the fifth century, a century of humiliations that destroyed the cradle of the Empire to such an extent that it would never rise again. The shock was so profound that they came to call it the Fall of the World, the Century of Humiliations. When Theodoric sat on the throne of Ravenna, he exclaimed, "I have gained nothing but the ashes of what once was." Little did history know that the era of Rome had ended, but the era of the Goths had dawned. From those refugees who crossed the Danube to the new chapter of the history of Europe and the world.
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Chapter 3 : Restitutio orbis ( Prafectus Occidenta Theodoricus- 476-507)
In the second month of the year 501, all the noble Goths and Romans gathered in Ravenna, where the power of the new Praefectus, Theodoric the Great, was dedicated.
According to the words of Jordanes, the new Praefectus shone: Theoderic, king of the Goths, stood adorned in the majesty that only a great monarch could wear. He wore a purple tunic, a color reserved for emperors and the highest dignitaries, embellished with intricate golden embroidery that shimmered under the sunlight. Over the tunic, a cape of the same purple draped over his shoulders, fastened by a brooch of gold.
His crown, a symbol of his royalty and power, was forged in pure gold and set with precious gems that glowed with an intensity comparable only to the resolve of its bearer. The belt, also golden, held a sword whose hilt, adorned with gemstones, reflected the light, casting glimmers of wealth and authority.
At his feet, Theoderic wore dark leather boots, sturdy yet elegant, showcasing his readiness for both war and governance. On his arms, a pair of golden bracelets completed his attire, emblems of his strength and lineage. Thus, dressed in a blend of imperial elegance and warrior spirit, Theoderic stood out as a true leader of his people, an imposing figure in the tumultuous stage of his time.
Seated on a throne outdoors, surrounded by the senatorial nobility and the Goths, Theodoric the Great received numerous people bearing various gifts. Before him, the Praefectus, they broke bread, served wine, and held a humble feast, for the peninsula's needs were pressing.
Italy lay in a state of desolation after years of war and famine. The cities were in ruins, the countryside abandoned, and the population severely depleted. Rome, the ancient capital of the Empire, had been reduced to a point of political insignificance, while Ravenna remained relatively intact, providing a base from which Theodoric could initiate his ambitious project of reconstruction.
With the counsel of Boethius and Cassiodorus, who were granted the positions of praetors, Theodoric the Great devised a new administrative system for the peninsula, recorded in the Variae. He divided the land into three grand Ducates: Italia Superioris, with its capital in Ravenna; Italia Media, consisting of Spoleto and Latium with Rome as the administrative center; and Italia Inferioris, comprising Sicily, Apulia, and Calabria.
( Boethius and Casiodorus and the new Administration)
Another of his actions, seen as a shrewd political maneuver to maintain wise governance, was sending his grandson, Childesbint, to the court of the Visigothic King Alaric as a political hostage. This move successfully prevented a confrontation between the two Gothic kingdoms.
He implemented a policy of colonato to cultivate the countryside and the fertile Po Valley, as the population had been greatly diminished. This policy encouraged the immigration of Vandals, Illyrians, Greeks, Slavs, and Berbers, who were placed under the Gothic military aristocracy known as the Centuriata. They were dispersed throughout the Italian countryside, and old farmlands that had not been used for centuries were reactivated.
( Peasants And Serfs working in the po river)
While this was going on an event from the past came knocking on the door in 492 while on pilgrimage he had visited Aegyptus to propose a marriage alliance with the son Boethius 2of Alexandria of the praefectus and his daughter ostrogtha.
Because Theodoric was a fanatic of the Greek classics and thanks to this many works were brought back to the West along with several Alexandrian scholars where they were placed in Rome many works both pagan and neo-Platonist were brought back and taught making Rome a center of learning utilizing the Roman and Romanic works. theoderic's predecessor had done the unthinkable murdered the patriarch of rome and all the Chalcedonian legates and bishops causing rome to be empty of any authority this became known as the Sacrum interregnum it was so infamous that the word telio is knocking at the door became a saying.
( Monks Translating the Alexandrian works in letram)
Now this Boethius requested the help of theodoric, he was indeed a second son and wanted the seat of praefectus, seeing that Italy needed all his attention, his son Athalaric offered to go. theodoric gave him his blessing, little did they both know that this fact would mark father as well as son.
Frustra bellum
If there is one thing this war accomplished, it was to prove that the successor of Theodoric Athalaric landed in Alexandria with three thousand Gothic soldiers to help his brother-in-law.
Only to receive devastating news that Ostrogotha had died in childbirth which caused the war to be cancelled Ahtalaric went and brought back the child which he says was not Boethius and the body of his sister he sent her with a contingent back to Ravenna, Cassiodorus recounts that the king tore his clothes and wept saying what sin have I committed to take her from me, my God.
The king mourned for several days until he saw his grandson Whilteric walking towards him. The child had an angelic face, Theodric ran and embraced him, it was the most vulnerable moment his peers had ever seen of the Gothic king.
While this was going on Athalaric's bitterness did not cease due to honor he kept his promise and imposed Boethius second only for him to die of poisoning a week later in the end it all left him very bitter.
Mortuorum rituum
When Ostrogotha was given the rites a situation that would later cause more suffering was the fact that Astulf the other son of Theoderic did not show up for the burial this made both father and son Athalaric angry but Theodoric loved his son.
While he was sitting in his private chambers he was introduced to Marcian, a confidant who through his service had gained the esteem of the Goth and had married his son Astulf to his daughter.
To Theodoric's surprise his friend brought the diadem zenon together with Puladementum and the imperial sectrum Marcian knelt down and offered it to him saying this belongs to you Augustus Theodoric says get up you are family we share ties we appreciate the gift after this Theoderic held in his hands the imperial diadem imperial his whole journey had begun by these insignia 30 years ago the words were inlaid in granite were e restored your honor Zeno and as a token of honor he placed it at the entrance of his court for all to see the insignia of romulus augustus conferred upon him enormous prestige.
But the consolation was not to last a year later he learned that his son had died drowned in the Danube murdered by someone he did not know when he learned of this gave him a heart attack the anguish overtook him his last words were alas. vanity of vanities all is vanity and so in the year 507 of our lord Theodricus the king of the Goths the Praefectus occidentalis son-in-law of the late emperor zenon and ruler of italy had died without ever knowing who was the murderer of his second son.
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Chapter Four Praeternutura ( Thiudan Athalaric Fairguni-leiks (509-517)
If there is something that defines Athalaric, it is that he was more Gothic than his father. Athalaric, unlike his father, cut an imposing figure. It is said he was a mirror image of his father in physical appearance but had the austere demeanor of a soldier. He grew up in the mountains of the Danube alongside the rest of the Goths, whereas his father was raised in Constantinople. His son had a more barbaric bearing and did not even speak Latin. It was said that his greatest virtue was his pragmatism and coldness, and his greatest flaw was his honesty and vindication. He spent most of his youth in military campaigns; many say that after the death of his sister, he never smiled again, becoming a man hardened by life.
The first moment he appears is in the Alexandrine campaign, where his father sent him to prove himself. His son had the bearing of war rather than of a ruler; he was a natural general.
But the campaign that consolidated him was the reclamation of North Africa, under the pretext of placing his brother-in-law Fastila, husband of his sister Theogota, on the throne of North Africa. For Athalaric, it was not about seizing the entire Vandal kingdom, which had been decimated by a malaria epidemic, but rather taking the most fertile portion as part of the Ostrogothic realm and having one of the most productive lands of the Mediterranean at his disposal. Ironically, the cause of this was his brother Astulf, breaking the engagement with the new Vandal king, who then married the daughter of Count Marcianus Laskaris.
When he arrived there, ironically, his father Theodoric had fought to preserve the kingdom, and now Athalaric was reclaiming it. The campaign lasted three years, but he did not face a rebel army, but rather a country in absolute anarchy with rebellious lords, bandits, and Amazigh tribes. As he was finishing consolidating the conquest, a messenger came to the camp with two messages. The first, the Basileus Nikephoros requested his presence, and the second, his father had died. The first message confused him; the second struck him deeply. It is said that for a moment he let a tear fall and said, "Oh, how can I ever match such a star that outshines me?"
Hiperobrea
If there was one man whom Athalaric held in high regard, it was Caesar Nikephoros, the illustrious son of Zeno. Respected by both the Gothic and Greek factions of the court, Nikephoros stood as a paragon of grandeur. His imposing stature was matched by his deep theological knowledge, and he bore the physique of one who had spent his youth competing in the hippodrome.
Despite all his acumen, Athalaric had grown up in the mountains, a man devoted to duty who believed he should inherit the same titles as his father. However, upon going to Constantinople, he set the precedent that although Italy belonged to the Goths, it was only under the disposition of the Isaurians, according to the Greeks. But what could be done? Theodoric had been raised in Constantinople, while his son was more accustomed to the barracks than to politics. Despite his military cunning, Constantinople was an entirely different leviathan.
When Athalaric arrived in Greece, he found the Emperor there with a camp. He greeted Athalaric, saying, "Magister Militum, we face a terrible situation." "What situation?" asked Athalaric laconically.
"The barbarians have crossed the Danube," said the Imperator, to which Athalaric tensed. "What? The entire Balkan frontier has collapsed?" Athalaric grew furious, for he had grown up in those mountains, where he had experienced the best moments of his life. Little did both men know that it was not merely an army of a single people like the Goths but a new wave of barbarian migrations. These were a people known as the Slavs, whose movements would have repercussions throughout the sixth century and beyond in history.
"The enemies had emerged from the Danube. Leading disparate confederations were two prominent chieftains: Aswulf and the more notable Prisca, each bringing 20,000 men. According to the Byzantine chronicler Theophylact, it was a tide of pagans that the Danube ceaselessly spewed forth. This was an apt description, for since the time of Alexander the Great and throughout the Roman Empire, the Danube had always been considered the southeastern limes, known as Hyperborea, marking the boundary between the Roman world and the barbarians. From there had come the Goths, and now came the Slavs.
For Athalaric, this instilled a visceral fear. The Goths had become Romanized, and no matter how much of a mountaineer Athalaric was, he could not help but see these people as barbarians."
"According to what Nikephoros recounted, they had lost many men in Macedonia, which forced them to retreat to where they were now. Athalaric asked the Basileus why there were so few men. Nikephoros seemed ashamed. 'My subjects prefer to fight among themselves for control of the Aegean islands,' he replied. To this, Athalaric, dismayed, said, 'Treacherous Greeks, you have barbarians at your gates and cannot avoid fighting among yourselves, knowing that you could lose everything.'"
To calm the Goth, Nikephoros said, "Arguing now is pointless. What matters is what we must do. Magister, you grew up in these mountains." With that, the two began to discuss their plan.
"Victoria Pyrrhica" In those days, the valiant commanders Belisarius and Fastila, the brother-in-law of Athalaric, prepared for a battle that would become infamous in the annals of history. It began with the recapture of the city of Cerra, which they then fortified extensively. This fortress came to be known as the Alesia of the Goths, situated amidst the plains of Thessaly. Utilizing their knowledge of the surrounding mountains, they devised a cunning plan to ambush the chieftain Astulf.
On the 23rd of October in the year 509, more than 5,000 Slavic Saxons appeared on the horizon. Athalaric, with steadfast resolve, gave the command and, using their slings, the Gothic forces surrounded the enemy. Though they were but 2,000 Goths against the overwhelming 5,000 Slavs, the execution of the ambush was nothing short of brilliant.
Despite the initial success, the Slavs began to overwhelm the Gothic ranks. At that critical moment, the Basileus, leading a contingent of scupitores, launched a fierce attack from the rear. The maneuver was decisive, and they succeeded in capturing Astulf, the Slavic chieftain.
(Battle of Cerra)
Historians debate whether it was a victory or a total defeat. The Battle of Cerra ended with half of the Gothic army annihilated, along with all the scupitores. The fields of Cerra became known as the Red Plains of Kavala after the battle, soaked with the blood of those who fought and fell.
After taking their leader and forcing him to surrender a part of the Slavs submitted to the Byzantines and were dispersed in Anatolia but the other half had defected to the other leader Prisca. that in total warriors totaled 7000 in total more but the migrations did not stop arriving were only soldiers it was said there were more than 80,000 children women and a whole retinue an exaggerated figure but not ruled out at all was a auntentica migration of an entire people hitherto unknown to the Romanoi themselves and the Goths despised them were a reflection of their barbaric past
In the end without enough soldiers they decided that they had to use the cunning of the eagle to kill the snake Nikephoros with a strategic map of Illyricum together with many Roman peoples of the region had the advantage of the information and together with the tactical experience of Athalaric they prepared a plan.
Just as many Roman enemies since Viriatus and Arminius paid the elites to kill Prisca died of poisoning at a banquet they had cut off the head of the snake.
But there was nothing to do after this the imperator nikephoros died at the age of 83 he had lived a long life before his father zenon when he assumed the purple at the age of 60 nobody expected him to last 30 years and Athalaric was forced to surrender oh the irony. as the Goths infringed on the Romans so they infringed on the Goths it led to a treaty they were given autonomy and the land south of Pannonia to control the kingdom of Nepos from the south to the shores of the Adriatic sea Rarely has history rhymed so much.
Decímate
After such humiliation partly out of rage and shame Athalaric shaved his head like Samson became more sullen as he carried back the corpse of nikephoros back to Constantinople and buried him in the Mausoleum of the Apostles.
And he went to the Throne of the new Basileius Zenon II to bow and to reaffirm his titles of Magister Militum Prefectus Occidentalis.
This was a strange case where the discord between the Goths and Isaurians and the relationship imposed by Theodoric and Zenon was broken by accident more than anything else. Emperor Zenon II is one of those strange honorable men in power who was honest by the standards of the Constantinopolitan court but accidentally insulted Athalaric by telling him that the titles were his if he converted to the Chalcedonian creed.
It says that the look of the Goth was so fearsome that the Gothic guard of the Isaurians stood around the Emperor and the words of Athalaric are Legendary: ´´You may criticize me offend me but not command me I have endured everything for the sake of duty followed by the pact but I will not be forced to take that Greek faith'' he stresses as he turned to leave he turned around and looked at the line that his father had created the Goths that had stayed in Constantinople had become cultured Athalaric and the Goths of Italy were Visigoths (West Goths) those that stayed Ostrogoths (East Goths).
Without saying anything else he went back to Italy where he had not been since his youth.
"inauguratio per scutum"
It is said that the raising of the leader on the shield by his soldiers was a Germanic custom that began with the Emperor Maxentius when his Foderatis declaimed it Emperor Maxentius in 312 since then it was becoming a custom of Romans and Goths when Athalaric arrived in Italy he found a somewhat unrecognizable country arriving at his father's palace he was quite impressed.
It looked like an oriental palace in the west, the first thing he did was to sponsor his coronation and marriage with Livia, the daughter of Juliiius Nepos who had been living in the capital for about two years with his first daughter Hegmegunta, and it was said it was like seeing a hunchbacked witch and a troll, one had a perfect look of a snake and the other was as ugly as a troll with all the scars of combat.
The party began the aristocracy Centuriata Goda made the instauratio per scutum to Athalaric and took out beers drank and feasted here occurred one of the most amazing episodes of Gothic history is said that during the party one of his vassals had learned that he was responsible for the murder of relatives and tried to blackmail him to which Athalaric responded in a loud voice if ´´I kill my brother all fell silent and Athalaric continued it is a pity that I have no relatives with whom to share the burden of responsibility´´ everyone was silent for a moment and with his gaze the party continued the inter-family intrigues were nothing new what was surprising was Athalaric's pure honesty to admit it it is said that even his sisters wanted nothing to do with him his daughter Hemeguntha was afraid of him and his wife the witch looked at him with respect.
After this we rely on the memories of Cassiodorus as he said ''they fought all the time they could not stand each other Ahtalaric and his wife The princess was always the subject of their discussions how she should be educated her father wanted her to be a warrior who heard such a thing but what can you expect from a barbarian who could not even speak Latin like his father''.
He treated his daughter with extreme harshness and was not afraid to use strong words to correct her.
Livinilla his wife offered him a deal he would remove her brother from the throne and install her and that at the end of his life the Goths would inherit Pannonia Ahtalaric accepted if there is one thing that defined his brief rule on the peninsula it was his frontier policies he had literally grown up on the borders of the Danube at 16 years of age he had fought against the Amazight tribes in africa and for 2 years he faced a crisis on the danube he was more than obsessed with securing the borders of his kingdom he had married his daughter to the son of the doge of sicily to control the border in africa having pannonia was to ensure italy's protection from the slavs
Everything went wrong the rex Dominius Nepos had evaded the dagger of the assassin but the news that put resignation for Athalaric was that he had not born a child but another daughter Aelia.
Athalaric entered the door after the birth livila saw him and cried holding the little Aelia, she never saw the witch more vulnerable for the first time in all this couple, the king had a vulnerable look on his face, he sat next to his wife and held the little Aelia in his arms, that child had sparked something in both of them and at last it seemed that they had reached an understanding Hegemuntha could not believe what she was seeing, her parents were not fighting but she had a look of envy for her sister.
After that Athalaric quickly proposed a marriage between Aeilia and Gudemarus the son of the king of the Burgundians to avoid clashes on the northwestern border.
The reason the Duke Ragorach of Neustria, a Merovingian relative of the warlord Clovis, had gathered the Frankish nobility north of Toulouse and imposed his candidate to the throne of Gaul in one move the Visigothic kingdom of Athanagild ceased to exist and sent chaos to northern Europe.
Another interesting event that was seen in the training camps is that Athalaric trained Hermeguntha with a warrior's aplomb to the disapproval of both Goths and Romans alike and educated her as if she were a man. his words ´´Close your heart and feminine ways this is a cruel world no one will give you mercy you will be the queen of this kingdom and you will have to make your place in it you are no longer a child you are a warrior close your heart to compassion and sentimnetalism the world will not give it to you´´ end Athalarico it is said that it was the happiest day of Hermeguntha never smiled as much as that day her father had confirmed her as heir.
Unfortunately, fortune is a cruel mistress. The next morning a loud scream from Livilla was heard and Athalaric was found dead in his bed from poison stings.
And so just when it seemed that the royal family had found peace the world had taken it away from them Athalaric had only ruled the kingdom for 10 years leaving many things unfinished in 519 but ushering in perhaps one of the most important characters of the Amala dynasty to the Throne.
Hermeguntha, Hermeguta, Hermenesuntha, and many more variations of the same name were spoken by the enemies of the queen in their respective Slavic, Greek, Latin, and Gothic tongues. The most infamous and powerful woman of the 6th century, they had called her by many names—a true Amazon far from her island, a man in a woman's body, owing to the queen's formidable physique, the result of rigorous training imposed by her father, Athalaric, in the training fields.
When her father-in-law, Gurtamund, sought to formalize the marriage between Hermenesuntha and his son, Ariarith, he asked why such rigorous training was necessary. In response, Athalaric replied, "Do you wish to test your luck?"—implying a challenge to a duel. Legend holds that Hermenesuntha shattered Gurtamund's hand with a single blow, earning the respect of the Gothic host, a loyalty that would prove indispensable throughout her reign.
When her father died, it is said that she did not shed a single tear. In a tone of self-contempt, she remarked, "Tears are for princesses. Now, I am Regina (Queen)." It is said that she did not mourn for long, although Cassiodorus writes that, like any woman, she broke down in her chambers like a child and quarreled with her mother over the guardianship of Aelia. The beautiful Aelia was like a beacon of beauty amidst a family of circus monsters.
During the coronation, many were invited, and in the Gothic manner, the Inauguratio per Scutum was performed. During the feast, it is said that no one dared to speak to the Regina—she intimidated every man, and every woman made even the most virile seem effeminate in comparison. After the ceremonies concluded, she declared the Duchy of Arretium to be passed to her sister Aelia, in order to control the Cisalpine frontier and extend her influence in the northern part of the peninsula, continuing the policies of her father.
Due to these actions, the County of Arretium rebelled. This marked the beginning of a long life of campaigns. It is said that she reached such heights that they began to title her Mater Castrorum (Mother of the Camp) for all the campaigns she would become involved in across the Mediterranean.
With her father's entire personal host at her side, she marched on Arretium. It was not a battle—it was a massacre. Two thousand Goths slaughtered the entire male population, and the entire city was put to the torch, forced into submission.
The comes was captured and, stripped naked and chained, was forced to submit to Hermenesuntha.
Memento Mori
The marriage arranged with Ariarith was short-lived. He suffered from gigantism, and in fact, the chronicles state that the wedding could not even take place before he died suddenly upon arriving in Ravenna.
This event, which might have been a mere footnote in any other chronicle, stands out as the catalyst for a series of events that would plunge the entire Italian peninsula into anarchy. It is said that even as Ariarith's body lay cooling and rotting in Ravenna, the queen was already in negotiations with the vicarius of Macedonia, arranging a marriage between herself and his son, Theodore of Tarsus.
This angered both the Latin and Gothic aristocracy, who began to conspire together to rid themselves of Hermenesuntha. The twist in all this was that the mastermind behind the conspiracy was Tharsamund, a Gothic knight stationed in Rome by Theodoric himself, along with Guthamundo, the father of Hermenesuntha’s deceased husband. Guthamundo could not tolerate such an affront to himself and his son, and it is also suspected that he harbored a grudge against the queen for the loss of his hand a year earlier.
What set off the entire conflagration was the queen’s summons for Tharsamund to appear before her. When he arrived, he was seized by the guards and forced to kneel before her. With a gaze as predatory as a wolf upon its prey, she said, "Tharsamund, based on the evidence provided by my advisors and in the name of the Lord, you are sentenced to the dungeons for the death of my father Athalaric." To the surprise of her court, the queen began to shed tears of rage and anguish over this betrayal.
To everyone's surprise, a few days later, Guthamund sent an envoy with an ultimatum: if total autonomy was not granted, there would be war. To their astonishment, the envoy was none other than Odoacer II, the grandson of the former despot of Italy, Odoacer. This was not merely a diplomatic message but a declaration of intent to the separatists: if Hermenesuntha did not abdicate, he would take over Ravenna.
During the meeting, which took place at a banquet table, Hermenesuntha, dressed in her finest attire, was unexpectedly cordial. To everyone’s surprise, they got along remarkably well, conversing as if the entire rebellion were just a story.
When he departed, the chronicler wrote: "No house would remain unburned, no children left to till the fields, and widows would abound, for the queen could not tolerate betrayal." Holding her resolve as if it were the sword of Mars, she prepared her army for the first true test of her reign.
"Seditio Chalcedonica".
Contrary to popular belief, despite Ravenna being the official capital of some Goths, the Gothic court was itinerant, moving from place to place. This mobility allowed the Amali to maintain control not only over their Latin vassals but also over their own aristocracy. The advantages of this system were evident on December 1, 521, when, through several diplomatic missives amid the campaign, the queen received envoys from the Suevic kingdom to negotiate a marriage between her nephew Childesbinto and the king's daughter in exchange for troops and even tribute from the pagans. The old client-king practices of the Romans were also, to a lesser extent, endorsed by the Goths to maintain control over the Alpine frontier.
Delenda est
On October 4, 422, it is said that the queen approached Salerno and began the siege. The defenders mocked and underestimated the woman. It is said that she took pigeons and, with a voice as melodious as a succubus, commanded them to her will. She set fire to the city of Salerno and Siena with burning twigs, igniting them in flames.
After that, she turned and faced the forces of the rebellious lord Sthepen Phoka at Igivium. Rather than a battle, the Goths overwhelmed him with their sheer military power. The queen ordered a brutal act: every soldier was required to take an ear from each dead enemy soldier, and she forced the enemy commander to do the same.
But if they thought the rebels would surrender after this, it seemed their stubbornness knew no bounds. She turned her gaze towards Siena and Florence, and with sword in hand, slaughtered the peasants, leaving the cities in ruins. The brutality was so intense that Bishop Hiledebertho of Pisa remarked, "I saw that woman riding on a white horse, spreading fire, sparing neither saint nor sinner, man nor woman. Is this the Antichrist?"
In the end, the cruelty was so overwhelming that Guthamundo’s own soldiers brought him before the queen, pleading, “Please, do not turn this into a valley of death any longer. We submit forever to the realm of the Amali until the Day of Judgment.” To this, Hermenesuntha declared that, for their service, the aristocracy would be pardoned.
It is rumored that in the dungeons she tortured her father-in-law, breaking his bones, but even for the chroniclers, this was dismissed as exaggerated rumors. To everyone’s surprise, in exchange for a substantial sum, she pardoned the rebels. Yet, as Bishop Hiledebertho noted, the Antichrist forgave his arrogance, leaving them with their lands transformed into a valley of bones and ashes to govern. Songs were composed by bards about her, and Hermenesuntha was called "the Cruel." Some say she was angered by this, while others claim she smiled upon hearing the songs.
And this was only the first five years of her reign. There was much more infamy to recount from her long rule.
After the revolutionary turmoil, the treacherous Regina Hermesuntha continued her relentless quest for victories, adding each conquest to her belt of glory. It was a time marked by unending conflicts, from which neither she nor her successors could find respite. From beyond the Pyrenees, Germanic tribes launched raids into Cisalpine Italy, a constant echo of the threats that Rome itself had faced centuries earlier.
This confederation of tribes, disdainfully referred to by the Byzantines as "Italiotae," embodied an age-old challenge. The Alps, imposing and natural as a boundary, offered little defense against the audacity of these northern barbarians. Gothic Italy, after all, was no different from Rome in its struggle against those who assailed its lands from beyond. Thus, the Goths, like the Romans of old, were forced to be the guardians of Italy against innumerable enemies, forever waging war to maintain control over what seemed uncontrollable.
Hermesuntha, as chronicled, faced these peoples with a fierce resolve, a tireless perseverance that would make her legendary among her own. In her campaigns, she was unyielding.
The Regina Hermesuntha, in her wisdom and foresight, beheld the unrest along her northwestern frontier and knew that the strength of her realm depended on vigilance. Thus, with the same fervor that once guided the deeds of the Amali, she turned her gaze to the lands once held by the fallen Vandals. Her resolve was set upon Corsica, that rugged isle, and the prized port of Alalia, gateway to the Western Sea.
With the purpose that marks the legacy of true rulers, she did not merely seek a conquest, but the dominion of the Mare Nostrum itself. To hold Alalia was to begin the subjugation of the western waters, and Hermesuntha, with Gothic steel and indomitable spirit, sought to plant her banner where the waves met the shores, heralding a new chapter of Gothic power across the Mediterranean expanses. Thus, the path was laid for the Regina to carry the Amali legacy across distant waters, binding the island and its coasts to her reign.
The conflict, by all accounts, was not arduous, for the Corsicans were far from a unified force. Instead, the Regina faced a tedious series of sieges, as petty kings and chieftains each vied for dominion over the island’s rugged hills and narrow shores. Yet, amid this campaign, a darker tale arose, one that cast a shadow upon the honor of the Amali line and stirred whispers among her own court.
Rumor spread, persistent and troubling, that the Regina, even before her marriage was sanctified, had taken lovers. But what raised the most murmurs—aye, what added a grievous stain to her name—was the identity of this alleged lover: Comes Florianus, the ambassador sent by none other than the Vicarius of Macedonia, a man who had come to forge a political union by his silvered tongue and subtle persuasion, yet whose influence appeared to reach far beyond diplomacy.
This tale, if it is true, speaks not of a queen who safeguards her throne with honor but rather one who allows herself to be conquered in matters unbecoming of her station. Thus, even as she claimed victory over Corsican shores, she invited reproach within her own halls—a Regina, indeed, but perhaps one who forgets that the virtues of the Amali are to be held above all other passions.
This scandal, in itself a disgraceful blemish upon the Amali name, took an even darker turn with the absence of the Gothic host, stationed far off in Sardinia. Thus arose a grievous and unexpected calamity—the uprising of the Latins. For indeed, over the past century, the so-called “Roman” population had been steadily dwindling, their numbers shrinking so much that now, in the fields of Italia, Germans, Slavs, Africans, and Greeks outnumbered the ancient Italic peoples.
The colonato system, instituted by Hermesuntha’s own grandfather, sought to replenish these numbers, yet it had merely resulted in a slow replacement of the native folk by foreign hands.
With each passing year, the Latin tongue grew tainted with the harsh sounds of Gothic speech, and the Latins, once the masters of Italia, found their primacy fading before their very eyes. Separated by faith as Chalcedonians amid a sea of Arians, these Latins now saw themselves as exiles within their own lands, clinging desperately to traditions that had long since withered. Their resentment smoldered, awaiting but a spark to bring it roaring to life.
And so, when rumors spread that the Goths had suffered defeat at court, the Latins, fueled by this whisper of weakness, rose in fury. On the 21st of May in the year 578, they unleashed their rage upon the scattered colonato settlements, slaughtering the settlers without distinction.
Thus did the Latins, with no regard for the honor or forbearance of their Gothic protectors, turn upon the very soil that had once nurtured their ancestors. And so it must be asked—was this uprising the fault of the Latins alone, or had the Amali themselves neglected the vigilance demanded of their station, allowing the heritage of Rome to slip ever further from their grasp? The fault, perhaps, lies with all, for it seems that both Goth and Latin have forgotten the bonds that once made Italia a beacon of unity, and instead sow division where there should be trust.
This upheaval forced Regina Hermesuntha to maneuver politically in a manner that would soon become a scandal of double shame. First, she revealed the existence of a bastard daughter, Remetruda, and, in a shocking move, betrothed the girl to a pagan prince of the Gepids, seeking aid against the flames of rebellion that now consumed the land.
Yet, consider the depths to which the once-glorious Amali had fallen. Here was a queen of noble blood, reduced to exposing her own indiscretions and binding her house to pagans merely to hold her realm together. What would the forebears of old say of this? The noble lineage of the Amali, entwined now with those who held no faith in Christ, making common cause with barbarians of the lowest order.
And as she pursued this dishonorable alliance, the land itself burned. The Latin rebels ravaged the fields, indiscriminately slaughtering Greeks, Germans, and all who bore a foreign name. Arrian churches were set aflame, their holy walls blackened by the hands of those who once professed fealty to Rome. No sacred place was spared, nor innocent spared the blade. Italia lay in ruin, ravaged not by some external horde, but by her own children, fanned into fury by neglect and the slow erosion of their once-proud heritage.
Thus does the fault of the Amali come to bear. For had they not neglected these peoples, had they nurtured the unity once forged by Rome, then perhaps Italia might still stand unshaken. But now, with their own bloodlines in question and their authority slipping, even the noble Hermesuntha must barter her own kin for survival, a queen brought low by the missteps of her lineage.
Having swiftly set sail after securing the island, the Regina returned with an army weary from recent conquest—no more than a thousand against three thousand disorganized rebels. Landing near Terracina, they began the arduous task of pacifying the countryside, advancing steadily toward the outskirts of Rome.
It is said that, as they pushed through the fields, the Gothic host took to a grim amusement, their laughter echoing across the hills as they hunted the Latin rebels like mere game, setting their hounds upon them and finding pleasure in the rebels' misfortune. Yet here lies a bitter twist, for these were not Goths pursuing the Latins, but rather Gepids, who had come to the aid of the Regina—foreigners, pagans, and strangers to Italia, unleashed upon her own soil to carry out the dirty work of her queen.
What greater disgrace could befall the Amali? For Hermesuntha, a queen of the ancient Gothic line, to bring in allies from beyond the frontiers to quell her own subjects, empowering them to roam the lands that Rome once called its own, reveling in the suffering of those who had lived under her rule. Thus did the once-great Italia become a playground for outsiders, her sons hunted down by the very hands meant to shield them, as the ancient blood of Rome cried out against the foreign boots treading upon their soil.
Upon her return to Italia, the Regina laid siege once more to the city of Lucca. If, in its prior fall, Lucca had already been brought to ruin, this time it was reduced to utter desolation. Hermesuntha’s wrath left nothing untouched; walls that had barely stood were now torn to their very foundations, and stones that once sheltered life now lay scattered and broken beneath her relentless force.
Here, the legacy of the Amali was tarnished yet again, for what once was a city now became but a barren wasteland—a graveyard of stones and memories, a monument not to victory but to the merciless hand of a queen who would leave no trace of defiance in her path. What message did this send to her own people? That those who resist shall have not only their lives but their very heritage ground into dust. Thus did Hermesuntha’s vengeance transform Italia’s cities into ruins, a queen’s fury leaving naught but emptiness where civilization once flourished.
After the last of the Latin rebels were seized, Hermenesuntha enacted a deed that would forever stain her legacy—the massacre of the Latins. Once merely a dwindling remnant of Rome’s old lineage, the Latin people now faced near extinction at the hands of the Regina. So severe was her retribution, so unrelenting her fury, that the original Roman blood all but disappeared, as if the ancient race had been purged from Italia itself. What greater sorrow could befall a land than to witness the severing of its roots, the erasure of its oldest sons and daughters?
Yet, as the tales go, even Hermenesuntha—victorious, yet surrounded by the desolation her own hand had wrought—felt the cold shadow of regret. An anecdote recounts that, in a rare moment of reflection, she spoke with a tone weighed by sorrow, “I have gained nothing. There is no victorious song to sing over the death of these people.” So did the Regina stand amid her pyrrhic triumph, a silent witness to a victory hollow and devoid of honor. No bard would raise a hymn to praise such a slaughter, and no tale of glory would be told. Here, for once, the iron will of Hermenesuntha wavered, as she beheld a land now emptied of its ancient spirit, leaving only silence to echo in the wake of her deeds.
It is said that if the Regina’s demeanor had been cold before, it became as ice after this grim event, a chill that reached her very soul, leaving her spirit hardened and wearied of all around her. The massacre at Terraria was so merciless, so absolute, that future historians would record it as the final blow that erased the Latin race from the lands they once called their own. No remnant of the ancient Romans would remain to sow the fields or tend to the cities, for their bloodline had been all but extinguished in the fury of the Regina’s vengeance.
Among those who perished in the wake of this tragedy was Proconsul Felix, a figure whom poets of later generations would honor with the title Ultimus Romanus—the Last Roman. He stood as the final vestige of a race that had given the world its cities, its laws, its very civilization. With his death, it was as though the very essence of Rome had been extinguished, a flame that had burned bright through the ages, snuffed out under the shadow of Hermenesuntha’s wrath. Thus, Italia, once the heart of the ancient world, lay silent, emptied of its ancestral spirit, as the Regina’s icy heart turned ever further from the warmth of her people, leaving only a barren land and broken lineage in her wake.
Cleopatra Yet not all of Hermesuntha's legacy was marked by blood and fire. Among her contemporaries, she gained infamy for another reason: her lovers, numerous and varied, who scandalized the Gothic court and even her allies. Foremost among them was a Greek diplomat, the envoy of the Vicarius of Macedonia, none other than the ambassador of her future father-in-law—a liaison that was itself a breach of all propriety.
Even Cassiodorus could not hold back his disapproval, recording that “she treats men as men would treat women.” This diplomat, enamored of the queen, won her favor to such an extent that she gifted him with a prized falcon, a symbol of her affection and esteem. It is said that he, in turn, captured her heart during a hunt, where the two disappeared into the forest’s shade. There, amid the trees and away from prying eyes, they abandoned themselves to their passion, a moment whispered of in courts across the land.
Thus did Hermesuntha defy the expectations of her station, drawing the disdain of her people and her allies alike. In seeking pleasures without restraint, she cast aside the modesty expected of a Regina, choosing instead to follow a path of indulgence that left her subjects murmuring and her legacy shadowed by tales of her bold infamies.
To add yet further scandal to this union, from it came her second illegitimate child. This offspring, born of her entanglement with the Greek diplomat, deepened the stain upon her name and stirred murmurs even among the staunchest of her supporters. Here was a Regina whose passion, unchecked by duty or restraint, had led not only to impropriety but to a lasting legacy of shame, embodied in the form of a child born outside the sanctity of marriage.
The Gothic nobles, already wary of her indulgences, now looked upon her with disdain, questioning whether such a queen could uphold the dignity and values of the Amali. Thus, the whispers grew ever louder, casting Hermesuntha not as a protector of her people, but as a woman driven by her own desires, heedless of the honor her station demanded.
It is told that her infamy spread so widely that even the spirits of the ancient forests—the nymphs themselves—descended to whisper in her ear, luring her to acts of transgression against God and the sacred customs that bound her people. These spirits, as if drawn by the queen’s very nature, murmured in the shadows, urging her to cast aside all restraint and abandon herself to deeds unbefitting of a Regina.
In an act that shook the Gothic court to its core, Regina Hermesuntha sought to legitimize her second illegitimate child, Tulga. This decision, a brazen defiance of all custom and propriety, cast a shadow over the halls of her kingdom, sending murmurs of disbelief through the ranks of nobles and councilors alike.
To raise a child born in scandal to the status of a rightful heir was an affront to the very honor of the Amali line, a breach that could scarcely be ignored. The court, already troubled by the whispers of her other transgressions, now stood aghast, questioning whether such a queen was fit to lead. Here was a Regina who placed her own passions above the dignity of her house, who would endanger the legacy of the Goths for the sake of her own indulgence.
Thus, the name of Hermesuntha became both a wonder and a warning, a queen whose audacity seemed boundless, who would make a son born of indiscretion into a prince, heedless of the scandal she left in her wake.
But then an event would come to pass that would alter the course of Hermesuntha’s reign entirely, forcing her to depart from Italia and become the first Latin ruler in over 125 years to cross the Alps into Germania. It was as though fortune herself had chosen to favor her, for despite her many transgressions against the Goths, there was no doubt that she possessed the warrior spirit of her grandfather, Theodorich the Great.
This bold journey marked a new precedent, as Hermesuntha led her host across the rugged passes into the northern lands, driven by necessity and a determination that rivaled even the ancient kings of old. Though her actions had drawn both scandal and admiration, none could deny her courage. The sight of a Regina leading her forces into Germania was one of both reverence and awe, a reminder that in Hermesuntha still lived the indomitable strength that had once carved out a place for the Goths in the world.
"Incursiones Transalpinae
Since the fateful sack of Rome by Brennus in 390 BCE, the nightmare that haunted Rome’s dreams was the specter of barbarian incursions from beyond the Alps. It was as though a curse lay upon those towering mountains, forever sending forth wave upon wave of restless tribes who, like storm-driven waves, sought to wash over Italia. From the days of Marcus Furius Camillus, hailed as the second founder of Rome, to the iron will of Gaius Marius, the eternal struggle endured, binding Italia in an endless cycle of vigilance and war. The historian Ammianus Marcellinus captured their ceaseless nature, writing, “They live ever in motion, as if perpetually exiled from their own homeland.”
Now, the Goths stood as the heirs of this ancient conflict, their kingdom now bearing the weight of Rome’s former burdens. They had taken up the mantle of defenders against this unbroken cycle of cosmic struggle, a duty written by fate itself upon the stone of the Alps. And on the 8th of July in the year 531, the Cisalpine frontier once more erupted, the peace shattered by the arrival of yet another barbarian horde. A great host, numbering more than seven thousand, had descended upon Italia, bringing with them their families, cattle, children, and the laughter of their wild northern lands. Leading them was a queen fierce and unyielding, a spirit born of untamed forests and frozen fields.
Thus, the Goths, now custodians of Italia, were confronted by the same forces that had long threatened Rome. This was no mere invasion; it was a reminder that the tides of fate had not yet shifted, that the ancient winds still blew cold from beyond the Alps, seeking the fertile lands of the Po. The Amali, like the Romans before them, were now guardians of a legacy that transcended any single kingdom, bound to face the eternal clash between civilization and the wild, their fate entwined with the ancient war that had defined Rome itself.
Aware that, following the conflict and the infamous Latin massacre, the Italic population had been gravely diminished, Regina Hermesuntha sent a letter of supplication to the vicars of Greece and Macedonia, appealing to them for aid against the looming threat. In this appeal, she offered a proposal that many found distasteful: she would wed her son Tulga to the daughter of the despotes of Aquileia. Thus, with neither pride nor scruple, she extended her hand to the very allies she had long regarded with thinly veiled disdain.
And so, these eastern dignitaries, Macedonian and Greek alike, answered her call, rallying to the aid of the Goths as though to remind Italia of their enduring influence over its fate. They arrived not out of respect for Hermesuntha, nor out of kinship with her cause, but rather to reassert the strength of their dominion. In this manner, the Goths, claiming themselves masters of Italia, found themselves forced to bend to the will of foreign lords, extending their line through a marriage alliance as hollow as it was strategic.
Thus did Hermesuntha, so quick to claim the throne, now find herself reliant upon those who saw her not as an ally but as a petitioner. And Italia, once a land of proud Romans, now beheld a new alliance forged not of unity, but of necessity—a bond to those who had ever watched with wary eyes from the east.
Despite the union forged with the Greeks, the situation remained dire. The Gothic and Greek forces, numbering only four thousand, faced an overwhelming host of six thousand barbarian warriors—Slavs and Germanic tribesmen, fierce and untamed. This was not a battle that could be won by sheer numbers alone; the Goths and their reluctant allies stood against a force greater in both strength and ferocity, a tide of northern blood that threatened to spill across the Italic lands.
The precariousness of their position was evident to all. For even with the alliance, the Greeks fought with little of the fervor of the Goths, their loyalty bound more to convenience than to the cause. In truth, it was the Goths alone who understood what lay at stake—the lands, the people, and the legacy of Italia itself. Yet, united by necessity rather than true kinship, the Greek and Gothic lines held, however tenuously, against a barbarian horde that loomed like a dark shadow over the once-proud lands of the Romans.
The ruthless Hermesuntha then conceived one of the boldest strategies ever to be devised—one so daring that not even her grandfather, Theodorich, nor her father, Athalaric, would have entertained such madness. Seizing upon the marriage of her daughter, Remetruda, to the son of the Gepid king, she made a most audacious request: that the Gepids lead her army across the Alps, into the very heart of the Saxon confederation’s lands.
“Madness! Madness!” cried her advisors and generals, for such a venture seemed beyond all reason. Yet, undeterred and with the steel resolve that marked her as an Amali, Hermesuntha spoke the words that would become the rallying cry of her reign: “Aut vincere aut mori”—“Victory or death.” And so, with the support of her Gepid allies, her forces began the perilous crossing of the Alps, pushing onward to the other side of the Rhine.
In this act, for all her faults and sins, Hermesuntha proved herself true to the blood of her line. As daring as she was ruthless, she bore the courage of an Amali, stepping boldly where others faltered. The Goths, inspired by her unyielding resolve, followed her across that treacherous path, a people led not by fear but by the fierce determination of a queen who would rather perish than bow to the barbarians who threatened her realm.
"I apologize for the delay; many things happened. My computer broke down, and I had to send it for repair, and personal matters came up as well. But I am back—the Gothic campaign has returned!"
I want to apologize with the last uptade with roads of power all mi game is posible to play fallen eagle without my computer crashing soo this aar is over but i gonna make other in the future thanks for understanding