Ostrogothic Cities 113
this belief was entirely shared by Theoderic’s Roman contemporaries (par-
ticularly the Roman inhabitants of Ravenna) cannot be said with certainty.
Nevertheless, the king made every possible effort to impress them with a dis-
play of power that was infused with his personality, but which also communi-
cated seamless continuity with the imperial past.
The Invisible Guest: Church and City in Ostrogothic Italy
Theoderic’s building programme in Ravenna indicates a distinct interest in
church building. Nonetheless, one of the most striking features of the Variae
is the absence of reference to the king’s activities on behalf of church main-
tenance or building.38 This omission has been explained by noting the king’s
cautious attitude towards religious matters. Given that he and his people were
Arian Christians, it may be that he did not wish to (or could not) act as Roman
emperors had done by favouring the Nicene church.39 In fact all churches
in Ravenna bearing some direct relationship with him pertain either to the
palatial compound or to the place prepared for his burial. The Arian cathedral
must have been supported by and associated with the king, but there is no
clear evidence for his patronage of building activities concerning the erection
of other Arian churches in Ravenna or elsewhere. On the one hand, as Thomas
Brown noted, one can also detect a clear abatement in the construction of new
Nicene churches at Ravenna during Theoderic’s reign.40 On the other, there
is no indication that an anti-Nicene policy had caused any hindrance to the
construction of new churches.41 Renewed interest in church building at Rome
during this period is indicated by the erection of the two churches of S Stefano
Rotondo (in the second half of the 5th century) and SS Cosmas e Damian
(under pope Felix IV in the late 520s).
It then seems that bishops and churchmen could maintain the prominent
spiritual, political, and economic position gained during the 4th and 5th cen-
turies, thus representing one of the major players within contemporary Italian
society.42 At the dawn of the 6th century a bishop could be found in almost
every Italian city. The Italian diocesan network had become well developed
38 Bjornlie, Politics, pp. 248–49.
39 Azzara, Teoderico, pp. 67–73. However, see Lizzi Testa, Chapter 16, in this volume for an
alternative interpretation of Theoderic’s relationship with the Nicene churches.
40 Brown, “Role of Arianism”, pp. 423–42.
41 Pietri, “Aristocrazie e clero”, pp. 287–310.
42 Otranto, “Civitates propriis”, pp. 33–43.