Das Italien unter der Herrschaft Theoderichs des Großen wird herkömmlich als „ostgotisch“ aufgefasst, als Produkt einer „Völkerwanderung“. Diese Vorstellung aber beruht wesentlich auf dem Germanenmythos des 19. und 20. Jahrhunderts. Diese Arbeit untersucht die von der amalischen Dynastie geprägte Periode Italiens und entwirft das Bild eines Reiches, welches sich in direkter Tradition zu seinen Vorgängern, dem weströmischen regnum Odoakers und dem römischen Kaisertum, sah und dargestellt wissen wollte. Der vermeintliche ethnische Gegensatz aber, der ihm in der Historiographie vielfach aufgebürdet wird, wird weder der Komplexität seiner Gesellschaft noch den literarischen Quellen, die über sie berichten, gerecht. So ist etwa auch der historische Ursprung der Dynastie Theoderichs, der Amaler, nicht in den „Wäldern Germaniens“, sondern in einem politisch, sozial und ökonomisch gut beschreibbaren Umfeld am Rande der Reichsgrenzen zu verorten, am Hof Attilas jenseits der Donau. Die gens, die Theoderich mit sich nach Italien führte, ist nicht als wandernder Stamm aufzufassen, sondern vielmehr als oströmisches Militärunternehmen, dessen Zusammensetzung nicht von ethnischen Qualifikationen bestimmt war. Die umfangreiche Untersuchung zeichnet außerdem die Integrationspolitik nach, die König Theoderich in Bezug auf seine Gruppe auf so verschiedenen Feldern wie Herrschaftspropaganda, Ethnographie und Geschichtsschreibung, Rechtssetzung, Landverteilung, Religionspolitik sowie Partizipation in Militär und Zivilverwaltung von Anfang an planvoll betrieben hat, und untersucht dabei, ob ethnische Fragen in den von den Quellen geschilderten Krisen und Konflikten tatsächlich jene Relevanz besessen haben, die ihnen häufig beigemessen wird.
Italy under the rule of Theodoric the Great is generally understood as “Ostrogothic”, as the product of a “folk migration”. However, this idea is mainly based on the 19th and 20th semi-mythical view of the Germans. The present work studies Italy during the period of influence of the Amali and sketches the picture of a realm that saw itself, and wanted to be understood as standing in direct tradition to its predecessors, the West Roman regnum of Odoacer and the Roman Empire. However, the putative ethnic contrast with which this time is often burdened in historiography does not do justice to either the complexity of society at this time or to the literary sources reporting on it. For instance, the historical origins of Theodoric’s dynasty, the Amali, are not to be sought in the “German forests”, but can be localised in a setting at the edge of the imperial borders that can be well described politically, socially and economically, namely the court of Attila, beyond the Danube. The gens which Theodoric led to Italy with him should not be understood as a nomadic tribe, but more as an East Roman military undertaking whose composition was not dictated by ethnic qualifications. This extensive study also traces the well-thought-out integration politics which King Theodoric implemented for his group from the beginning, and which comprised fields as diverse as rulership propaganda, ethnography and historical writing, legal enactment, distribution of lands, religious politics, and participation in the military and civilian administration. In this context, the volume also investigates whether ethnic questions really had the kind of relevance so often attributed to them during the crises and conflicts described in written sources.
Italy under the rule of Theodoric the Great is generally understood as “Ostrogothic”, as the product of a “folk migration”. However, this idea is mainly based on the 19th and 20th semi-mythical view of the Germans. The present work studies Italy during the period of influence of the Amali and sketches the picture of a realm that saw itself, and wanted to be understood as standing in direct tradition to its predecessors, the West Roman regnum of Odoacer and the Roman Empire. However, the putative ethnic contrast with which this time is often burdened in historiography does not do justice to either the complexity of society at this time or to the literary sources reporting on it. For instance, the historical origins of Theodoric’s dynasty, the Amali, are not to be sought in the “German forests”, but can be localised in a setting at the edge of the imperial borders that can be well described politically, socially and economically, namely the court of Attila, beyond the Danube. The gens which Theodoric led to Italy with him should not be understood as a nomadic tribe, but more as an East Roman military undertaking whose composition was not dictated by ethnic qualifications. This extensive study also traces the well-thought-out integration politics which King Theodoric implemented for his group from the beginning, and which comprised fields as diverse as rulership propaganda, ethnography and historical writing, legal enactment, distribution of lands, religious politics, and participation in the military and civilian administration. In this context, the volume also investigates whether ethnic questions really had the kind of relevance so often attributed to them during the crises and conflicts described in written sources.