Theodahad: A Platonic King at the Collapse of Ostrogothic Italy

Preface

Introduction:

1. i. Towards a biography of Theodahad
2. ii. Theodahad between Procopius of Caesarea and Cassiodorus

Chapter One: Theodahad the man

1. i. Theodahad’s childhood and early education
2. ii. Theodahad, the education of the Gothic youth and Amal family
3. iii. Philosophy in the education of Theodahad
4. iv. Theodahad’s Platonism and his disinterest in war
5. v. Theodahad, landowner of Etruria
6. vi. An anxious, fearful and hesitant king

Chapter Two: Theodahad the noble

1. i. The influence of teachers from the Roman schools on the Gothic court
2. ii. Theodahad and the women of the Amal family
3. iii. Theoderic and Theodahad: between the Roman and Gothic worlds
   1. a. Theoderic and Roman culture
   2. b. Theoderic and royalty
4. iv. Theodahad as successor of Theoderic?
5. v. Theodahad and Theoderic: an animosity badly hidden or deliberately flaunted?

Chapter Three: Theodahad the co-regent

1. i. Athalarich’s death and Theodahad’s call to the throne
2. ii. The co-regency
3. iii. The path to legitimation
4. iv. A ‘Gothic philosopher’ is introduced to the kingdom
5. v. The building of consent
6. vi. The philosopher-king and the representation of his co-regent
7. vii. Theodahad, Boethius’ friends, and the Anician family
   1. a. A family drama
   2. b. Two ‘friends’ of Boethius: Maximianus and Patricius
   3. c. Maximus: a marriage to save the kingdom?

Chapter Four: Theodahad the king

1. i. Ingratidude, conspiracy, or diplomatic incident?
2. ii. Theodahad, Justinian, and Theodora
3. iii. Theodahad and Rome
4. iv. Theodahad’s diplomatic policy: the embassies
5. v. Pope Agapetus’ embassy to Constantinople
6. vi. Theodahad’s ‘adventus’ and sojourn in Rome
7. vii. Theodahad and religion
8. viii. Theodahad between the two Italies: the body politic dismembered
9. ix. Theodahad in war: diplomatic operations and attempted alliances
   1. a. The desertion of his son-in-law
   2. b. Military operations conducted at a distance
   3. c. Unsuccessful attempts to form alliances
   4. d. The end of hope and despair

Chapter Five: Theodahad, the end

1. i. Theodahad’s fall and Witiges’ coup
2. ii. Legalize the succession or repair the damages? Witiges and Justinian
3. iii. The end of Rome’s Liberty

Epilogue

Appendices:

1. Appendix I: Cassiodorus’ travels beween Ravenna and Rome
2. Appendix II: ‘A Roman of note among the Goths’
3. Appendix III: The embassies of Variae X 19–24 and XI 13: the ‘status quaestionis’

Bibliography