Ostrogothic Provinces 79
by the opening years of the 6th century. An earlier date, however, is likely, given
the importance of Noricum to the greater Alpine frontier, which protected
the Ostrogothic kingdom’s north Italian core and was the object of extensive
attention following Theoderic’s victory over Odovacer.28 Forts on the Italian
side of this frontier were described as the “gates” and “bulwarks” of Italy, pro-
tecting its provinces from “hostile tribes” and “barbarians whose oaths could
not be trusted”.29 To their north were the two provinces of Raetia, the date
of Ostrogothic annexation again unknown, but part of the diocese of Italia
Annonaria and ruled by a dux with the rank of spectabilis.30 His forts were seen
as the “barriers for Italy”, while his soldiers, perhaps local recruits rather than
Goths, were “stationed against fierce and very savage peoples” and “guarded
the tranquility of the kingdom”.31
Unfortunately, letters like these to an official in command of the frontier
in Ostrogothic Noricum do not survive, and so it is largely on inference from
Raetia that a similar ducatus of Noricum has been posited. In the case of the
former, its duces were charged with more than just defending their region
(and thus Italy) from external aggressors. As elsewhere, they were supposed to
assure peaceful conditions and the rule of Roman law. One such dux, Servatus,
was even charged by Theoderic in 507/11 with looking into the petition of a
certain provincial, who claimed that local tribesmen had taken his slaves. The
appeal to Theoderic’s justice is revealing, so, too, Theoderic’s response: “Suffer
there to be no violence in the province over which you rule, but compel all to
the justice by which our Empire flourishes.”32 As for Servatus’ Norican ana-
logue, whose responsibilities would have been comparable, many have found
him in a vir spectabilis named Ursus, who is known from a series of ornate
mosaics that he and his wife, Ursina, dedicated in a church in Teurnia (the
capital of Noricum Mediterraneum) sometime in the early 500s.33 The recon-
struction is speculative, since Ursus’ official capacity in Noricum (if any) and
28 See Christie, Constantine to Charlemagne, pp. 357–64; also Arnold, Theoderic, pp. 241–2.
29 Variae 2.5.2: “porta provinciae... in procinctu semper erit, qui barbaros prohibere con-
tendit... quos fides promissa non retinet”; and 3.48.2: “claustra provinciae... quia feris
gentibus constat obiectum.”
30 See n. 27 (above). The territorial extent of both Raetian provinces is unknown.
31 Variae 7.4.2–3: “Raetiae namque munimina sunt Italiae... contra feras et agrestissimas
gentes... disponuntur.... tranquillitas regni nostri tua creditur sollicitudine custodiri,”
with Wolfram, Goths, p. 316.
32 Variae 1.11.1: “per provinciam, cui praesides, nulla fieri violenta patiaris, sed totum cogatur
ad iustum, unde nostrum floret imperium.”
33 Cf. Alföldy, Noricum, p. 216, with pl. 58; Wolfram, Goths, pp. 316–17; Heuberger, “Rätien”,
p. 81; and Prostko-Prostyński, “Ostgotischer Statthalter”.