Ostrogoths

In this episode, we examine the Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy and its confrontation with Emperor Justinian’s Eastern Roman Empire during the sixth century. We explore how Ostrogothic rule developed after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the political and religious tensions between the Arian Ostrogoths and the Orthodox imperial government, and Justinian’s decision to invade Italy as part of his campaign to restore Roman control in the West. The episode also considers figures such as Cassiodorus, who served the Ostrogothic court, and the devastating Gothic War that ultimately destroyed Ostrogothic power and reshaped Italy during the transition from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages.