Talk:Theodoric the Great
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Someone needs to mention his death. Intresting event...
Someone also needs to mention Theodoric Strabo... --64.147.190.154 01:24, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
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[edit] Inheriting the throne
The date for Theodoric's ascension to the kingdom is in this article 488, but the article on the Ostrogoths says 476, and the article on Theodemir says it was 474. Other sites on the internet seem to suggest the latter, but none of what I can find seems completely reliable. --Tokle 16:11, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
488 is when he invaded Italy, isn't it? john k 19:09, 1 March 2006 (UTC)
476 is the fall of the empire or Oadoacer's rise to the throne, the 474 is way off-base. 488 is provisionally accepted by many, but not all, historians.71.212.242.187 20:32, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Assessment addition
Under the “Assessment” heading in this article, a paragraph could be added outlining the explanation of events put forth by historian Norman Cantor regarding Theodoric’s change in policy toward Byzantium which took place shortly after Theodoric’s first decade of rule. Abandoning is former cautious appeasement of the Eastern emperor, Theodoric began to make ambitious alliances that were aimed at building a Germanic kingdom ruled by Goths and comprising Italy, Gaul, and even Spain. Cantor argues that these ambitions were Theodoric’s downfall, as they turned Byzantium against him and led the Eastern emperor to recognize Clovis’ hegemony over Gaul and form an alliance with him that significantly elevated his status.[1] --Jjhake 03:33, 7 October 2006 (UTC)
Also it would be helpful for most readers to comment on his title "the Great" as his was truly one of the most enlightened kingships in Europe from the Pax to Alfred the Great in Britain. I.e. he was tolerant, financed art, architecture, and public works, at least until the end of his reign71.212.242.187 20:35, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Religion
This article says that Theodoric was of Arian faith. However, Norman Cantor says that we do not know what Arianism meant to Theodoric. He also says that although Theodoric did remain Arian, he did everything that he could to appease the Catholic church, except converting to it himself. The other things that Cantor says are that Theodoric allowed complete religious freedom, and that he recognized the authority of the pope not only over the Catholic religion, but also over the entire city of Rome (Theodoric went through a ceremony that implied that he recognized this. [2]
Spunkiel 01:09, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Roman influences
Norman Cantor says that Theodoric did not (and had no intention to) destroy the stability of Roman political ideas and political institutions in Italy. And, out of respect for the Roman institutions and ideas, he didn't try to break the stability of Roman civilization as a whole. I guess in other words, he was holding onto what was past, sort of like Rome did as she fell. He also says that Theodoric wanted to give a new form to the empire in the West, but under the rule of a Gothic king. [3]Is this important enough to be included?
Spunkiel 01:36, 12 October 2006 (UTC)
[edit] In Class
yes, but if i remember correctly, didnt we say in class that he was an Arian? maybe im wrong, but check your notes from class, cause i thought we did say that. resppaz8 19:01, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
we may have- i don't remember. but, we're supposed to use cantor for our source, and this is what he said. spunkiel 19:09, 15 October 2006 (UTC)
yes he was an Arrian as all germanic folk were at the time due to the Arrian missionaries that were expelled from the empire after Niceae finding a home amoingst the Germanics
[edit] source material=
The source material is good, Cassiodorus, however it would be wise to review Gibbon, Voltaire, and Will Durant for information and assessment of the fellow, just a suggestion