Ostrogoths

Lore & Background

The Ostrogoths are associated with the earlier Greuthungi mentioned by Roman authors such as Ammianus Marcellinus, and later identified by the historian Jordanes with the realm of Ermanaric in the 4th century. Ancient sources often referred to them simply as 'Goths,' but modern scholarship distinguishes them as one of the two main branches of the Gothic peoples, alongside the Visigoths. Theodoric belonged to the Amal dynasty, which had gained power in Pannonia after the collapse of Attila's Hunnic empire. Backed by the Byzantine emperor Zeno, Theodoric invaded Italy and established his rule from Ravenna, preserving Roman administration, law, and culture while governing Goths and Romans under parallel systems. After Theodoric's death in 526, dynastic instability weakened the kingdom.

Reader's Guide

The Ostrogoths are significant as one of the two major Gothic kingdoms that emerged within the Western Roman Empire, representing a fusion of Germanic and Roman traditions under Theodoric the Great. Their kingdom in Italy preserved Roman administration, law, and culture while maintaining a parallel system for Goths, illustrating a unique model of coexistence. The Ostrogoths also contributed to the preservation of the Gothic language, which is the only eastern Germanic language with continuous texts surviving, notably through Ulfilas's Bible translation. Scholarly debate continues over the relationship between the Ostrogoths and the earlier Greuthungi, with some historians equating them and others seeing the Ostrogoths as a later political formation under the Amal dynasty. The Ostrogoths' legacy includes their role in the transition from late antiquity to the early Middle Ages in Italy.

Did You Know?

• Theodoric the Great founded the Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy in 493 after defeating Odoacer.
• The Gothic language used by the Ostrogoths is the only eastern Germanic language with continuous texts surviving.