Theodoric
Authors: Ross Laidlaw
âIMITATION OF AN EMPEROR'
THEODERIC
âImitation of an Emperor'
The story of Theoderic Amalo,
the barbarian who wanted to be Roman
Ross Laidlaw
This eBook edition published in 2011 byBirlinn Limited
West Newington House
Newington Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1QS
www.birlinn.co.uk
First published in 2008 by Polygon, an imprint of Birlinn Ltd
Copyright © Ross Laidlaw, 2008
The moral right of Ross Laidlaw to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.
eBook ISBN: 978 1 85790 072 2
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
To the memory of my old tutor, Professor Philip Grierson, fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, who taught me the importance of thorough preparation
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My warmest appreciation to Barbara Halley for unearthing many useful facts online, to Dr Alberto Massimo for helping me to get Theoderic over the Julian Alps, and for supplying me with information about Roman families and the Roman Curia, to Helen Simpson for her superb editing, and to my wife Margaret for freeing me from various domestic duties to give me more time for writing. A special word of thanks to my publishers, Hugh Andrew and Neville Moir, for their steadfast support and encouragement.
Glossary of Terms and Place Names
   I   The Column of Arcadius,
AD
468â488
  II   Exodus,
AD
488â493
 III   âImitation of an Emperor',
AD
493â519
 IV   The Tower of Pavia,
AD
519â526
The Barbarian Kingdoms and the Roman Empire
The Battle of Mercurii Promontorium
The Migration of the Ostrogoths
The Crossing of the Julian Alps
Rome and Constantinople
c
.
AD
500
acta diurna | daily bulletins |
acta publica | government enactments |
agens | government courier-cum-spy |
Alpes Carnicae | the Carnatic Alps |
Alpes Juliae | the Julian Alps |
andbahtos | armed retainers |
Anderida | Pevensey |
Anderida Silva | the Weald |
Arelate | Arles |
Aremorica | Brittany |
Ariminum | Rimini |
Arverna | Clermont-Ferrand |
Arvernum | the Auvergne |
Augusta Suessonium | Soissons |
ballista | huge catapult-like crossbow |
Barcino | Barcelona |
bestiarii | animal-handlers |
baurg | thatched village or settlement |
belagines | statutes of law |
Bodotria Aesturia | Firth of Forth |
Bononia | Bologna |
Borysthenes river | the Dnieper |
Brundisium | Brindisi |
Burdigala | Bordeaux |
Calleva | Silchester |
Cambria | Wales |
campidoctores | drill-sergeants |
Caput Senatus | Head of the Senate |
cardo | main street |
castellum | fortified settlement |
Castra Batava | Passau |
Castra Gyfel | Ilchester |
cena | evening meal |
centenarius | horse, winner of 100+ races |
circitor | non-commissioned rank, roughly equivalent to corporal |
civilitas | high-minded moral responsibility and respect for justice |
civitas barbara | foreigners' section of Ravenna |
classiarii | marines |
Classis | Ravenna's port |
codex | pupil's waxed writing-slate |
coloni | tenant farmers or peasants |
Comes Rei Privatae | Count of the Privy Purse |
Comes Sacrarum Largitionum | Count of the Public Purse |
consistorium | court dealing with Roman affairs/crimes |
cubiculum | bedroom |
cucullus | hooded cloak |
currus | light carriage |
cursus publicus | state postal system |
curule | movable chair |
Dacia Ripensis | province roughly equivalent to north-east Serbia |
Dalai Nor | Lake Baikal |
Deruuentis river | the Derwent |
decurion | (i) junior military officer; (ii) town councillor |
Dravus river | the Drava |
dromon | war-galley |
Dunpender | Traprain Law, East Lothian |
Dyrrachium | Durrësi, Albania |
Exercitus Britanniae | Army of Britain |
Excubitors | 300-strong bodyguard corps |
Fasti | official state records, especially consular lists |
fibula | clasp or brooch |
fliehburgen | places of refuge |
foederatus | liegeman or ally |
foedus | oath of allegiance |
francisca | heavy throwing-axe |
Fretum Gallicum | Straits of Dover |
frijai | free men |
gards | palace |
gerulus | handyman |
Gesoriacum | Boulogne |
gladius | short sword |
Haemus Mountains | Balkan Mountains |
Herta | Roman fortress on the middle Danube |
Humbri river | the Humber |
Isca river | the Esk |
Kärnthen Gebirge, das | the Carinthian Alps |
Kuni | Amal tribal council |
latifundium | large estate |
Lauriacum | Lorsch |
leges scriptae | legal statutes |
Liger river | the Loire |
limitanei | frontier troops |
locarius | usher |
lorica | cuirass |
Magister Militum | Master of Soldiers/Commander-in-Chief |
Magister Militum praesentalis | Commander-in-Chief of the main army â âin the presence' [of the emperor] |
mappa | white cloth used to start races |
Mare Suevicum | Baltic Sea |
Mercurii Promontorium | Cape Bon |
Moesia Secunda | province roughly equivalent to northern Bulgaria |
Mons Badonicus | Mount Badon |
Mons Garganus | Mount Gargano |
Moravus river | the Morava |
munerator | producer of the Games |
Mutina | Modena |
nauta | sailor |
navarchus | sailing-master |
Neapolis | Naples |
Noricum | West Roman province, roughly corresponding to southern Austria |
noxius | condemned criminal |
nuntius | civic official, part herald, part town crier |
Oenus river | the Inn |
otium | leisured scholarship |
Padus river | the Po |
Placentia | Piacenza |
platea major | main street |
pomoerium | Rome's official city boundary |
paedagogus | slave who escorted children to and from school |
Pons Sontii | Isonzo Bridge |
Pontus Euxinus | Black Sea |
praecepta | rights and traditions |
praetorium | headquarters |
prandium | midday meal |
primicerius | non-commissioned rank, roughly equivalent to sergeant-major |
protectores domestici | palace bodyguards |
Pyretus river | the Pruth |
quadratum | quadrangle, courtyard |
Reged | Cumberland (old county) |
Referendarius | Head of Security |
regnator | ruler |
reiks | king |
remiges | naval oarsmen |
retenator | governor |
Rhaetia | province between the Inn and Rhine rivers |
Rhenus river | the Rhine |
Rhodanus river | the Rhône |
saio | crown agent |
Samara river | the Somme |
Savus river | the Sava |
Scandia | Scandinavia |
Scriba Concilii | Secretary to the Council |
Sequana river | the Seine |
Serica | China |
sica | Anatolian fighting-knife |
silentiarius | gentleman usher at the imperial court |
Singidunum | Belgrade |
Sinus Corinthiacus | Gulf of Corinth |
Sinus Tarentinus | Gulf of Taranto |
Sipontum | Manfredonia |
Sirmium | Sremska Mitrovica |
skalk | slave |
Sorus river | the Sora |
Spangenhelm | segmented conical helmet |
spatha | long sword |
spina | barrier down centre of Circus Maximus |
Stabula Diomedis (fo. 98) | city of Macedonia |
Stobi (fo. 96) | city of Dacia |
suffragium | covert bribe or âbackhander' |
tablinum | study |
Tanais river | the Don |
Terginus Sinus | Gulf of Trieste |
Ticinum | Pavia |
Tolosa | Toulouse |
triclinium | dining-room |
Tridentium | Triglav |
Tyras river | the Dniester |
Ulca river | the Vuka |
Uure river | the Wear |
Vallum Hadriani | Hadrian's Wall |
Vectis | Isle of Wight |
veniationes | wild-beast hunts |
venatores | hunters |
Venta | Winchester |
Viadrus river | the Oder |