76 Arnold
aegis of Ravenna by the opening years of the 6th century, as indicated by the
Variae and other sources.8
In terms of administration, Dalmatia and Savia were ruled jointly from
Salona, the capital of Dalmatia, and placed under the authority of a single
Gothic comes of illustrious rank, known as the comes Dalmatiae et Saviae.
Despite the innovation, the combined provinces appear to have functioned
according to the same Roman administrative scheme as elsewhere, with simi-
lar civil and military offices.9 Lesser officials are attested at both the regional
and urban level and were tasked with defending their spheres of command,
ensuring justice, and preventing corruption. These included comites (both
Gothic and Roman) at Siscia, Salona, and on the islands of Curitana and
Celsina (modern Krk and Cersina), consulares (praesides) and principes, local
and itinerant judges, and city-based officials charged with a number of duties,
but most notably tax collection.10 At least for a while there was probably also
an official mint-master at Siscia, given the minting of early Theoderican coin-
age in this city.11
The most prominent of these officials are mentioned by name in a hand-
ful of Variae letters, and these in turn reveal the bulk of what is known
about Dalmatia-Savia under Ostrogothic rule. Osuin, for example, served as
Theoderic’s comes Dalmatiae et Saviae from at least 507/11 until the acces-
sion of Athalaric, who renewed his position and praised his prior conduct.12
In an earlier letter, Theoderic instructed him to procure arms for the soldiers
at Salona and to ensure that they were drilled, urging that, “the true safety of
the Republic is a well-armed defender”.13 A similarly defensive rationale was
also, in part, behind Theoderic’s order that Osuin provide assistance to a lesser
comes named Simeon, who was directed to Dalmatia in 510/11.14 Simeon had
been commanded to investigate the iron mines of Dalmatia, from which “the
defence of [our] country is derived” and “both profits are produced for us and
8 Cf. Wozniak, “Illyricum”, pp. 365–70; Wilkes, Dalmatia, p. 424; Wolfram, Goths, p. 320; and
Schwarcz, “Westbalkanraum”, pp. 62–3.
9 For an elaboration: Bjornlie in this volume; also Ensslin, Theoderich, pp. 172–9, 191–3;
Wolfram, Goths, pp. 290–2; and Lafferty, Law and Society, pp. 103–20.
10 Cassiodorus, Variae 1.40, 3.25–26, 4.49, 5.14–15, 5.24, 7.16, 7.24, and 9.8–9, ed. Mommsen.
11 Demo, Ostrogothic Coinage, pp. 133–6.
12 For the appointments, Variae 1.40 and 9.8. All Variae dates in this chapter have been taken
from Mommsen’s MGH edition. For possible revisions: Krautschick, Cassiodor.
13 Variae 1.40.1: “fida rei publicae salus est defensor armatus.”
14 Variae 3.25–26.