[gothic-l] Storm Over Europe

[Bertil Haggman]

Peter Arens, _Sturm ueber Europa - Die Voelkerwanderung_, Muenchen:
Ullstein Verlag, 2002
________________________________________________________

One of the aspects of unrelenting hostility to the Ostrogoths
was the Arianism, the religious non-belief in the Trinity. It caused a
harsh attitude by the Roman Catholic Church. On the other hand,
as Arens concludes in his new book, the military onslaught
came from Constantinople, the Byzantine empire.

"Das italienische Ostgotenreich ueberlebte seinen Gruender
um sechsundzwanzig Jahre. Trotz intensiver Versuche, das
Verhaeltnis zy Byzanz auf eine dauerhafte und vertraglich
abgesicherte Grundlage zu stellen, hat die kaiserliche Regierung
die Existenz eines Barbarenreiches in Italien nie wirklich akzeptiert.
Als Justinian (527-565) seine gross angelegte Reconquista des
Westroemischen Reiches begann, musste auch das Ostgotenreich
fallen." (pp. 227-228).

As Artens remaks this warfare did cost Italy much of its economic,
demographic and cultural core until the emperor in the East
achieved his goal. In the end also the Byzantine empire moved
towards its final dawn exhausting its strength in numerable
wars. The remanat fell in 1453 AD.

The emperor in Constantinople did however recognize the value
of the Ostrogoths. They were not exterminated but allowed to return
to Byzantian territory.

So it can be concluded that the destruction of the Ostrogothic kingdom
had two main sources: the Roman Catholic church and the Byzantine
empire's war-machine.

What was the attitude of the Byzantine empire to Arianism. Maybe
there is reason to return to this subject.

Gothically

Bertil





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