Intellectual Culture And Literary Practices 325
and enlightened ruler. According to Ennodius, Theoderic had triumphed not
only over barbarian hosts but over nature itself, and he restored the empire
to its former splendour, recalling the glorious traditions of the Roman past.
Quoting Virgil and Lucan, Ennodius compared Theoderic to Aeneas, Alexander
the Great, the victorious generals of the Punic Wars, and Cato the Younger.38
Ennodius’ letters show him busy establishing and maintaining an extensive
communication network, which included a vast number of correspondents
in Italy and in his native Provence. Acting as a patron for younger men, he
helped them with their rhetorical exercises, advised them on further studies,
and provided them with letters of recommendation when they left to pursue
their secular and clerical careers elsewhere. Ennodius’ correspondence with
Roman aristocrats and bishops shows that literary interests and intellectual
communications in Ostrogothic Italy continued to facilitate social networking
in the same way as in earlier centuries.39
While Ravenna and Milan were important centres of learning and intellec-
tual life, Rome still appears to have been the ultimate destination for young
people who wished to continue their studies and to join the most refined social
and cultural circles. For Cassiodorus, Rome was “the bountiful mother of elo-
quence... the largest temple of all virtues”, and Ennodius praised Rome as
“the original seat of learning” and “the city friendly to liberal studies”.40 In his
Paraenesis didascalica, Ennodius advised his young protégés Ambrosius and
Beatus on how to pursue their studies and join the best society in Rome. As
examples for the young men, Ennodius named some acknowledged masters
of eloquence and learning, men and women who belonged to the most promi-
nent aristocratic families. Included in this list were Symmachus (to whom the
tract was dedicated and whose patronage Ennodius himself wished to secure)
38 Ennodius, Panegyricus 7 (mastery of nature), 11 (education and civility), 17 (Punic Wars),
19 (victory over Bulgarians), 30 (Cato, restoration of Rome), 63 (Roman empire returned
to its old boundaries), 78 (Alexander). See also the introductions in Rohr, Der Theoderich-
Panegyricus and Rota, Panegirico; Kennell, Ennodius, p. 124; Hen, Roman Barbarians,
pp. 52–3. On late antique panegyrics see MacCormack, “Latin Prose Panegyrics”; eadem,
Art and Ceremony; Whitby, Propaganda of Power.
39 Kennell, Ennodius, pp. 128–67; Schröder, Bildung und Briefe, pp. 111–34; Marconi, Ennodio;
Sessa, Formation of Papal Authority, pp. 105–6.
40 Cassiodorus, Variae 4.6.3: “illa eloquentiae fecunda mater, illa uirtutum omnium latis-
simum templum.” Ennodius, Ep. 6.15, p. 222: “natalem scientiae sedem” id., Ep. 6.23,
p. 225: “urbem amicam liberalibus studiis.” For disussion and more examples see Riché,
Education and Culture, especially p. 26, n. 60; Arnold, Theoderic, especially p. 14.