[Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna (mosaic of Justinian I) This may be a modified portrait of Theodoric.
Grubenhäuser drawing by F. Leja.
and Heimatblätter Rosstal, Heft 27, 1993 I
The Torricella Peligna Ostrogoth helmet
Treasure of Desana
Sant Apollinare Nuovo
Image of Sant Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna Ships at Classis Mosaic depicting boats at the ancient port of Classis (or Classe), originally founded by Augustus in c.30 BC. Detail of mosaic on the north wall of the nave at the west end of Sant' Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna. The mosaic dates from c.500 AD under the Ostrogothic ruler Theodoric.
Image of Sant Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna; Palace of Theodoric Detail of mosaic depicting the city of Ravenna and the Palace of Theodoric (foreground) in c.500 AD.
Palace and Mausoleum of Theodoric at Ravenna, Italy, from Agincourt´s History of Art by its Monuments www.imagestate.com
Last edited by Pompeius Magnus; April 04, 2012 at 09:49 AM.
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
great and very detailed, as always. +rep for u friend!
unlike other users who probably only skimmed over this thread, i took time are read it thoroughly. and guess what, there's a small writing error at the very beginning.
so, would u be kind and pay attention to the chapter "Introduction". please read it carefully and u'll notice that u accidentally wrote:
"So in 499 Theodoric led his army into Italy, the ensuing war between Theodoric and Odovacer (the self proclaimed Rex Italae) lasted the best part of four years".
as we know, Theodoric led his army into Italy in 488 so u should correct it.
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
Thanks but you didn't REP me Anyway the treaty between Theodoric and Zeno was made in 488 but the invasion took place in 489 -I still need to correct it but, I also needed to correct you
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
Originally Posted by Constantius
Thanks but you didn't REP me Anyway the treaty between Theodoric and Zeno was made in 488 but the invasion took place in 489 -I still need to correct it but, I also needed to correct you
okay okay! don't cry like a baby, i've just repped (is this correct spelling?) u too
btw, sorry mate it wasn't intentional, i simply forgot it and repped (here i go again) PM since he posted it.
and yes, i see u couldn't resist to correct me too
these Historiae/Faction threads are great indeed. thanks to u guys this mod will have the best historical background ever!
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
Originally Posted by juvenus
okay okay! don't cry like a baby, i've just repped (is this correct spelling?) u too
btw, sorry mate it wasn't intentional, i simply forgot it and repped (here i go again) PM since he posted it.
and yes, i see u couldn't resist to correct me too
these Historiae/Faction threads are great indeed. thanks to u guys this mod will have the best historical background ever!
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
exactly. the initial force is estimated between 20.000 and 30.000. However the latter number seems too high for many modern historians - and I also think so.
The Goths had a standing army during their rule over Italy - they also had a mobile field army in Illyria. But this is another chapter and will be elaborated in another thread in the closer future.
It is actually difficult to estimate the number of available soldiers in Italy. On one hand we have garrisons which were always present - and then we have many Goths (and Rugii and others) who were not serving in the army - settled and living in cities (partially new built settlements; see chapter of Grubenhäuser post#1), but even most of those settled goths were available as warriors - in the case of emergency.
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
I believe the Goths had several other gentes and foederati which marched with them into Italy. 20.000 men just couldnt defeat Odoacer and the late antique Italy which had a population of several (6?) millions..
Re: [Faction] A Brief History of Italy: 493C.E -712 C.E
Originally Posted by Deutschland
I believe the Goths had several other gentes and foederati which marched with them into Italy. 20.000 men just couldnt defeat Odoacer and the late antique Italy which had a population of several (6?) millions..
Yes, in the first moment when sombody read a number of "just" 20.000 you get of course the impression that this number seems low.
But compared to the size of former (west)Roman field armies it was actually a huge army.
The population density is completely uninteresting to judge a war.
Africa also had several million inhabitants and was defeated by a relatively small group. (Vandals+Alans: max 80.000 people together with women, children and old peole; perhaps 15.000 to 20.000 of them were able to fight).
Therefore this may not be a yardstick. Especially since the bulk of the Romans had no relation to military or war.
a suggestion for further reading (it's in german)
Herwig Wolfram: Theoderich der Große
page 279 and on explains the number of warriors of this group and describes the stages of the war in Italy.
@barbarian Roman
thank you for the kind words
Last edited by Pompeius Magnus; July 31, 2011 at 06:48 PM.