Theoderic and the Italic Kingdom in Cassiodorus’ „Gothic History“: A Hypothesis of Reconstruction

Abstract

Summary This article aims to reconstruct the representation of Theoderic in the lost „Gothic History“ of Cassiodorus. Scholars generally agree that much of the Getica of Jordanes was derived from Cassiodorus’ „History“, though it does not contain any of the eulogies of Theoderic and the Goths, which surely abounded in Cassiodorus’ work. Jordanes’ account of Theoderic king of Italy is investigated here in parallel with other documents, in particular Cassiodorus’ „Chronicle“, and some paragraphs of the Anonymus Valesianus II that may have derived from Cassiodorus. A careful study based in Quellenforschung brings to light a possible sketch of Cassiodorus’ original portrayal of Theoderic and the Ostrogothic Kingdom.