Theodoric Strabo
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Theodoric Strabo[1] (d. 481) was a Goth chieftain who was involved in the Byzantine Empire politics during the reigns of Byzantine Emperors Leo I, Zeno and Basiliscus. As leader of one of the two factions of the Goths, he fought for the leadership over his people with the chieftain of the other group of Goths, that Theoderic later known as "the Great".
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[edit] Under Leo I
Theodoric Strabo was a chieftain of the Thracian Goths, son of Triarius, and had two brothers. The wife of the Alan general Aspar was his aunt. Strabo had a wife, Sigilda, and a son called Recitach. He was a contemporary of the more famous Theodoric the Amal, who was a Moesian Goth of the renowned Amal family, and who will be later known as Theodoric the Great.[2] Around 459, he is attested as in friendly relationship with the Byzantine Empire, possibly foederati, and receiving an annual subsidy by the Byzantines.[3]
In 471, Aspar, at the time magister militum of Emperor Leo I, was murdered by order of the emperor himself. Strabo, who was at the command of his people in Thrace, revolted to avenge his relative, but was defeated by the Byzantine generals, and both later emperors, Zeno and Basiliscus. However, Strabo was able to set three conditions to end his unrest: receiving the properties left as legacy by Aspar, being allowed to settle his Goths in Thrace, and being raised to the rank of magister militum. Since Leo had rejected the requests, offering only the rank of magister militum in exchange of an oath of loyalty, Strabo started a military campaign against the cities of Thrace. Part of the Gothic army attacked Philippi (or Philippopolis), while he led the remaining men to attack and occupy Arcadiopolis. The war ended when the Goths run out of supplies, and Theodoric signed a peace with Leo (473), according to which the Byzantines were to pay an annual tribute of 2000 pounds of gold to the Goths, whose independence was recognized, and Strabo was to obtain the rank of magister militum.[3]
[edit] Under Zeno
At the death of Leo (January 474), Strabo rebelled against the newly appointed Emperor Zeno. He killed Heraclius, the magister militum per Thracias, despite the payment of a ransom, probably because Heraclius was involved in the murder of Aspar. The support of Theodoric was fundamental for the overthrowing of Zeno and the rise of Basiliscus to the Byzantine throne (475), so Basiliscus confirmed him magister militum and gave him other honours. However, Theodoric was very upset when Basiliscus appointed his nephew Armatus magister militum praesentialis, because he despised him. When Zeno returned to Constantinople in 476 and defeated Basiliscus, Strabo is not reported to defend the city.[4][3]
In 476/477, Zeno allied to Theodoric the Amal, Strabo's rival for the leadership over the Goths, and ordered him to attack Strabo. The leader of the Thracian Goths sent an embassy to the Byzantine emperor, offering peace and blaming the Moesian Theodoric. Zeno understood that this offering was hiding further conspirancies, ans obtained that the Byzantine senate and army declare Strabo a public enemy.[3]
The plan of Zeno was to have the two Theoderic attack each other. He sent the Amal against Strabo, with the promise of a huge Roman force as renforcement (478). When Theoderic the Amal arrived through the mountains at Mount Soundis, he did not find the Roman renforcement army, but Theoderic Strabo's army in a strongly fortified camp. Strabo provoked the Amal, running in front of the Moesian Gothic camp and claiming that the leadership of the Amal had reduced the Goths to fight each other only for the Roman gain, and to have none of the wealth they had moved from their territories for. With this speech recalling the common interest of the Goths, Strabo forced the Amal to ask for peace. The two Theodoric agreed to put forward a joint request to the Roman Emperor, in order to extend to the south the settlement territory of the Moesia[5]
Zeno tried to divide the two Theodoric, bribing the Amal, who refused. The imperial army obtained some initial successes, however Zeno did not capitalize his victory, and allowed the Amal to move westward in Thrace, plundering the territories he went through. With the Amal far away, Strabo accepted an agreement with Zeno: Strabo was to be given back his wealth, money to pay 13,000 soldiers, the command of two palatinae units, and the title of magister militum.[5]
The 30,000-men strong army of Theodoric Strabo was, however, still a menace for Zeno, who convinced the Bulgars to attack the Thracian Goths in their own base. Strabo defeated the Bulgars in 480/481, and moved towards Constantinople, but he had to deal with problems with his own men, so he could not capitalize his victory and was forced to return to Greece. On his way back, during a camping in Stabulum Diomedis (Thrace), he was trying to break in an unruly horse, when he fell onto a spear hung before a tent or hanging from a wagon and died.[6][5]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Also known as Theodoricus, Theodericus, and Theoderic Strabo. Strabo ("squinter") was a word by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or crooked.
- ^ According to John of Antioch (214,3), Theodoric the Amal was the cousin of Recitach (Bury). Other scholars, such as Wolfram, confirm a relationship between the two Theodoric.
- ^ a b c d Martindale.
- ^ Zeno had allied, in this occasion, with the Amal, whose Goths had moved to attack the Byzantine Empire. It has been suggested that Constantinople was defensless during Zeno siege because the Magister Militum Strabo had moved to North to counter this menace. See Heather, Peter (May 1998). Goths. Blackwell Publishing, pp. 158-159. ISBN 0-631-20932-8.
- ^ a b c Wolfram.
- ^ Ammianus Marcellinus, 481.1.
[edit] References
[edit] Primary sources
- Ammianus Marcellinus. Res Gestae Libri XXXI.
- Jordanes. Origins and Deeds of the Goths.
[edit] Secondary sources
- Bury, John Bagnell. A History of the Later Roman Empire. Adamant Media Corporation, p. 263. ISBN 1-4021-8369-0.
- Martindale, J.R. (1980). The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Cambridge University Press, pp. 1073-74. ISBN 0-521-20159-4.
- Wolfram, Herwig (1990). History of the Goths. University of California Press, pp. 32, 270-276. ISBN 0-520-06983-8.
