130 Radtki
of sources. We do have the Variae and with them a direct insight into the dip-
lomatic and administrative correspondence of the Amal kings, but on a very
selective basis, as Cassiodorus chose only certain letters to be part of his col-
lection published at the end of his political career. In this collection we find
several letters explicitly directed to the Senate, and others addressed to single
members of the Senate on account of their offices or functions such as comes,
magister officiorum or praefectus praetorio.51 Members of the Senate often
received access to the curia via the respective offices, and the work in service
played an important role in many senatorial lives that would need to be taken
into consideration when analysing this elite.52 More relevant to the focus of
this chapter, however, are the letters directed to the entire Senate firstly giv-
ing two important pieces of information: first, the Senate at Rome continued
to meet throughout the Ostrogothic period, and second, Theoderic honoured
the committee at least theoretically. The Senate is addressed or mentioned
in many crucial situations of Ostrogothic history. For example, Theoderic
mentions that the emperor Anastasius exhorted him to love the Senate.53
Theoderic’s death and Athalaric’s accession in 526 are announced in a series
of eight letters, the second of which to the Senate follows immediately after a
letter to the emperor Justin. This is a pattern found throughout the collection,
possibly reflecting the order of official announcements and thus underlining
the Senate’s importance.54 Letters to the Senate are full of flattering words
regarding Theoderic’s humble reverence. They highlight Theoderic’s restraint
(continentia, moderatio, modestia), his concern for senatorial opinion, and
emphasize his commitment to the prudent selection of its members. These
letters concern a multitude of different topics. The largest group contains
notifications of appointments to office, for which the Amal kings sought the
Senate’s assent and which it was unlikely that the Senate could have denied.55
This corresponds to the fact (already mentioned) that the bestowal of illustres
offices was the king’s prerogative. In fact only two letters request the Senate’s
assistance as a body: Variae 3.31, when it was asked to pay for the repair of
51 Barnwell, Emperor, pp. 155ff.
52 As they do not relate to the question of the role of the Senate as an institution, they shall
be left out here. For detailed information on the administrative offices in Ostrogothic
times see Barnwell, Emperor, pp. 134ff. and Sinnigen, “Administrative Shifts”. See also
Cracco Ruggini, “Il Senato fra due crisi”, pp. 347–8 and Bjornlie in this volume.
53 Cassiodorus, Variae 1.1.3, ed. Mommsen.
54 Cassiodorus, Variae 8.2, ed. Mommsen.
55 Moorhead, Theoderic, pp. 144ff. Letters containing these announcements are Cassiodorus,
Variae 1.4, 1.13, 1.30, 1.43, 1.44, 2.3, 2.16, 3.6, 3.12, 4.4, 4.16, 5.4, 5.22, 8.10, 8.14, 8.17, 8.19, 8.22,
9.23, 9.25, ed. Mommsen.