Mapping the Church and Asceticism in Ostrogothic Italy 481
Suburbicaria and Italia Annonaria), while their metropolitan bishops tended
to assimilate the functions of former vicars. Towards the end of the 4th century,
bishops Damasus of Rome and Ambrose of Milan exercised juridical functions
over the churches of Suburbicarian and Annonarian Italy, respectively, show
ing a determination to control the episcopal elections of these two areas.3 This
structure was consolidated over the course of two centuries, but some changes
intervened serving on the one hand to limit the areas belonging to the bishop
of Milan who shared with Aquileia and Ravenna control over an increasing
number of dioceses in Annonarian Italy, and on the other, to enhance the
authority of the bishop of Rome as apostolic primate.
The rights of the metropolitan of Milan are clearly described in Theoderic’s
letter to its bishop Eustorgius, including his authority to impose honest
behaviour upon the bishops of his metropolis and his power of ecclesiasti
cal coercion (districtio) over them.4 Special privileges such as the protection
of ecclesiastical wealth (tuitio) and fiscal exemptions for its property in Sicily
were likewise recognized by the Ostrogothic regime.5 In addition, Theoderic
gave special exemptions to one of the negotiatores in charge of the food supply
for the poor of the church of Milan.6 This last privilege was requested by the
defensores Ecclesiae Mediolanensis in accordance with what had already been
granted to the church of Ravenna,7 a detail that confirms the key role that the
see of Ravenna was able to play under the Ostrogoths.
Theoderic, however, synthesized the results of changes that had begun
during the previous century. Indeed it seems that the bishop of Ravenna had
obtained the right to appoint bishops in some churches of Aemilia inferior
already in the mid 5th century, even if for some scholars this was only a kind of
delegation of papal power. It is not certain whether Peter Chrysologus was the
3 On Ambrose and his authority in Northern Italy, Lizzi, “Ambrose’s Contemporaries.” Damasus
organized some councils in order to regulate the election or replacement of bishops in
Suburbicarian Italy; he also tried to get the emperor Gratian to recognize that the bishop of
Rome had a judicial power over other bishops that was similar to the praetorian prefect. See
Lizzi Testa, Senatori, popolo, papi, pp. 171–7.
4 Cass., Va r. 1.9, ed. Fridh, p. 20, lines 8–10: “cuius est et probitatem moribus talibus imponere
et districtionem ecclesiasticam custodire.” For the context see the previous chapter by Lizzi
Testa in this volume.
5 See Cass., Va r. 2.29, again with the previous chapter of this volume.
6 Cass., Va r. 2.30.3, ed. Fridh, p. 79, lines 19–21: “nec monopolii nec siliquatici nec aurariae
aliquid pensionis impendat vel quolibet gravamen ex permissa nundinatione sustineat.”
7 Cass., Va r. 2.30.2, ed. Fridh, p. 79, lines 12–14: “Hoc enim nos et Ravennati ecclesiae comme
morant motos rationabili allegatione tribuisse, quod pietatis exemplum ad suum quoque com
modum (scl. defensores sacrosanctae Mediolanensis ecclesiae) supplicant transferendum.”