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Theodoric (or Theoderic) Strabo (; died 481) was a Gothic chieftain who was involved in the politics of the
Eastern Roman Empire 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 ...
during the reigns of
Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
s Leo I,
Zeno Zeno may refer to: People * Zeno (name), including a list of people and characters with the given name * Zeno (surname) Philosophers * Zeno of Elea (), philosopher, follower of Parmenides, known for his paradoxes * Zeno of Citium (333 – 264 B ...
and
Basiliscus Basiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which ...
. He was a rival for the leadership of the
Ostrogoths The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...
with his kinsman
Theoderic the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal, was king of the Ostrogoths (475–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy between 493 and 526, regent of the Visigoths (511–526 ...
, who would ultimately supplant him.


Background

Theodoric called ''Strabo'', son of Triarius, was a chieftain of the
Thracian Goths The Thracian Goths, also known as Moesogoths or Moesian Goths, refers to the branches of Goths who settled in Thrace and Moesia, Roman provinces in the Balkans. These Goths were mentioned in the 4th, 5th and 6th centuries. History Emperor Valens ...
(Thervingi, Bastarnae and Roxolane in Getea and Peuce island in the Danube delta); he had two brothers. The wife of the
Alan Alan may refer to: People *Alan (surname), an English and Kurdish surname * Alan (given name), an English given name ** List of people with given name Alan ''Following are people commonly referred to solely by "Alan" or by a homonymous name.'' * ...
general
Aspar Flavius Ardabur Aspar (Greek: Ἄσπαρ, fl. 400471) was an Eastern Roman patrician and ''magister militum'' ("master of soldiers") of Alanic- Gothic descent. As the general of a Germanic army in Roman service, Aspar exerted great influe ...
was his sister. Strabo had a wife, Sigilda, and a son called Recitach. He was a contemporary of the more famous Theodoric the Amal, who was a
Moesia Moesia (; Latin: ''Moesia''; ) was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans south of the Danube River. As a Roman domain Moesia was administered at first by the governor of Noricum as 'Civitates of Moesia and Triballi ...
n Goth of the royal Amal family, and who would become known as
Theoderic the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal, was king of the Ostrogoths (475–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy between 493 and 526, regent of the Visigoths (511–526 ...
. Around 459, he is attested as in friendly relationship with the
Byzantine Empire 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 History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
, possibly one of the ''
foederati ''Foederati'' ( ; singular: ''foederatus'' ) were peoples and cities bound by a treaty, known as ''foedus'', with Rome. During the Roman Republic, the term identified the '' socii'', but during the Roman Empire, it was used to describe foreign ...
'', and receiving an annual subsidy from the Byzantines.Martindale.


Under Leo I

In 471, the Alan Aspar, at the time ''
magister militum (Latin for "master of soldiers"; : ) was a top-level military command used in the late Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine the Great. The term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, the e ...
'' of Emperor Leo I, was murdered by order of the emperor himself. Strabo, who was at the command of his people in Thrace, revolted to avenge his relative, but was defeated by the Byzantine generals Zeno and Basiliscus, who were both later emperors. However, Strabo was able to set three conditions to end his unrest: receiving the properties left as legacy by Aspar, being allowed to settle his Goths in Thrace, and being raised to the rank of ''magister militum''. Since Leo had rejected the requests, offering the rank of ''magister militum'' only in exchange of an oath of loyalty, Strabo started a military campaign against the cities of Thrace. Part of the Gothic army attacked
Philippi Philippi (; , ''Phílippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides (, ''Krēnĩdes'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colonists in 360/359 BC. The city was renamed by Phili ...
(or Philippopolis), while he led the remaining men to attack and occupy Arcadiopolis. When the Goths ran out of supplies, Strabo signed a peace with Leo (473); according to its terms the Byzantines were to pay an annual tribute of 2000 pounds of gold to the Goths, whose independence was recognized, and Strabo was to obtain the rank of ''magister militum''.


Under Zeno

At the death of Leo (January 474), Strabo rebelled against the newly appointed Emperor Zeno. He killed Heraclius, the ''magister militum per Thracias'', despite the payment of a ransom, probably because Heraclius was involved in the murder of Aspar. The support of Strabo was fundamental for the overthrowing of Zeno and the rise of
Basiliscus Basiliscus (; died 476/477) was Eastern Roman emperor from 9 January 475 to August 476. He became in 464, under his brother-in-law, Emperor Leo I (457–474). Basiliscus commanded the army for an invasion of the Vandal Kingdom in 468, which ...
to the Byzantine throne (475), so Basiliscus confirmed him ''magister militum'' and gave him other honours. However, Strabo was very upset when Basiliscus appointed his nephew
Armatus Flavius Armatus (died 477), also known as Harmatius, was an Eastern Roman military commander, ''magister militum'' under Emperors Leo I, Basiliscus and Zeno, and consul. He was instrumental in the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his ...
''magister militum praesentialis'', because he despised him. When Zeno returned to
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
in 476 and defeated Basiliscus, Strabo is not reported to defend the city. In 476/477, Zeno allied himself with Strabo's rival, Theodoric the Amal, and ordered him to attack Strabo. Strabo sent an embassy to the Byzantine emperor, offering peace and blaming Theodoric Amal. Zeno understood that this offering was hiding further conspiracies, and obtained that the Byzantine senate and army declare Strabo a public enemy. The plan of Zeno was to have the two Theoderics attack each other. He sent the Amal against Strabo, with the promise of a huge
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
force as renforcement (478). When Theoderic the Amal arrived through the mountains at Mount Soundis, he did not find the Roman renforcement army he expected, but Theoderic Strabo's army instead, in a strongly fortified camp. Strabo provoked the Amal, running in front of the Moesian Gothic camp and claiming that the leadership of the Amal had reduced the Goths to fighting each other, and only for the Roman gain, to have none of the wealth for which they had moved from their territories. With this speech recalling the common interest of the Goths, Strabo forced the Amal to ask for peace. The two Theodorics agreed to put forward a joint request to the Roman Emperor, in order to extend to the south the settlement territory of the Goths in Moesia.Wolfram. Zeno tried to divide the two Theodorics, bribing Amal, who refused to misally. The imperial army obtained some initial successes, however Zeno did not capitalize upon his victory, and allowed the Amal to move westward in Thrace, plundering the territories as he went. With the Amal far away, Strabo accepted an agreement with Zeno: Strabo was to be given back his wealth, money to pay 13,000 soldiers, the command of two '' palatinae'' units, and the title once more of ''magister militum''. However, the army of Theodoric Strabo, 30,000-men strong was still a menace for Zeno, who convinced the
Bulgars The Bulgars (also Bulghars, Bulgari, Bolgars, Bolghars, Bolgari, Proto-Bulgarians) were Turkic peoples, Turkic Nomad, semi-nomadic warrior tribes that flourished in the Pontic–Caspian steppe and the Volga region between the 5th and 7th centu ...
to attack the Thracian Goths in their own base. Strabo defeated the Bulgars in 480/481, and moved towards Constantinople, but he had to deal with problems with his own men, so he could not capitalize upon his victory and was forced to return to Greece. On his way back, during an encampment at Stabulum Diomedis, near Philippi in Thrace, he was trying to break in an unruly horse, when he fell onto a spear hung before a tent or hanging from a wagon and died.Marcellinus Comes, 481.1.


In fiction

In the novel Raptor by Gary Jennings, Strabo is a major character. In the book, the fictional Strabo has his limbs amputated by the main character, Thorn, who was at the time
marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used fo ...
of Theoderic the Great. Some years later, Strabo dies before an imminent battle with Theoderic the Great, when the litter carrying him spills him on the tip of a soldier's spear. Though Strabo did actually die at the speartip of his own soldier, the specific manner of his amputations and death were inventions of the author.


Notes


References


Primary sources

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Secondary sources

* * * {{refend 481 deaths 5th-century Byzantine people 5th-century Ostrogothic people Accidental deaths in Greece Gothic kings Gothic warriors Magistri militum Year of birth unknown Deaths by edged and bladed weapons