Hospito (''Hospiton'' in
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
, ''Ospitone'' in
Sardinian) was a
Sardinian chief of
Barbagia (''dux Barbaricinorum'') who converted to
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
in the late sixth century.
Gregory the Great
Pope Gregory I (; ; – 12 March 604), commonly known as Saint Gregory the Great (; ), was the 64th Bishop of Rome from 3 September 590 until his death on 12 March 604. He is known for instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rom ...
, in a letter dated to 594, commended Hospito for his Christianity at a time when most of the Sardinians from the interior (''Barbaricini'') were still pagans "living, all like irrational animals, ignorant of the truth of God and worshiping wood and stone."
Hospito confirmed a peace with the
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
''
dux''
Zabardas and allowed the missionaries Felix and Ciriacus into Barbagia.
Notes
Medieval Sardinia
6th-century Christians
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