Ostrogothic Provinces 89
and abandon cruel minds; it is not right that you live like foreigners in our
just times.”84
Again, and as in other provinces, the perceived and actual availability of
Roman law and justice were crucial to such understandings. In Spain, for
instance, Theoderic sought to curb homicides and theft, informing his repre-
sentatives that “a life is truly human when preserved through the order of law”.85
Back in Gaul, provincials were assured that the vicar Gemellus would punish
abuses and provide them with remedies;86 indeed, some did appeal directly
to Gemellus and later Liberius for such assistance.87 Others sought legal
recourse from Gothic officials, who often worked in partnership with Romans
like Gemellus and are attested in cities like Narbonne, Avignon, Marseille, and
Barcelona. One such official was asked rather bluntly by Theoderic, “Why else
did we accomplish the removal of bewildered barbarians, if not so that [these
provincials] might live according to [Roman] laws?”88 Another was enjoined to
“let our army live civilly with the Romans”, much as Colosseus was instructed
to do at Sirmium.89 Yet another, the mighty general Ibba, was praised by
Theoderic for being “famous in war”, but instructed to render himself “more
extraordinary in civilitas” and to restore properties that had been taken wrong-
fully from the church of Narbonne.90 Finally, at Marseille, the Gothic comes
Marabad was to prove himself “zealous for justice”. “May he bring solace to the
lowly”, Theoderic told the inhabitants of the city, and like Servatus in Raetia,
“compel all to the justice by which our Empire always flourishes.”91
Nor were these the only sources of Roman justice and assistance available to
Theoderic’s Gallic provincials. Despite persistent concerns about the length of
the journey, Theoderic’s own comitatus in Italy provided another source, and
84 Variae 3.17.1: “Libenter parendum est Romanae consuetudini, cui estis post longa tem-
pora restituti... Atque ideo in antiquam libertatem... revocati vestimini moribus toga-
tis, exuite barbariem, abicite mentium crudelitatem, quia sub aequitate nostri temporis
non vos decet vivere moribus alienis.” On the perceived ‘barbarization’ of Gaul, Arnold,
Theoderic, pp. 235–61.
85 Variae 5.39.1: “illa vita vere hominum est, quae iuris ordine continetur.”
86 Variae 3.17.
87 See Variae 3.18 and 4.12; Ennodius, no. 457 (Ep. 9.29); and Avitus of Vienne, Ep. 35, ed.
Peiper, p. 65. These remedies included the ransoming of captives.
88 Variae 3.43.1: “Quid enim proficit barbaros removisse confusos, nisi vivatur ex legibus?”
89 Variae 3.38.2: “Vivat noster exercitus civiliter cum Romanis.”
90 Variae 4.17.3: “qui es bello clarus, civilitate quoque reddaris eximius.” See also Lizzi Testa
in this volume.
91 Variae 3.34.2: “curam possit habere iustitiae, minoribus solacium ferat... omnes cogat ad
iustum, unde semper floret imperium.” See also Variae 4.12 and 4.46.