Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 23.djvu/275

Rh from Ravenna by the besieged king, who was defeated in a bloody battle in the Pine Wood. At length (26th February 493) the long and severe blockade of Ravenna was ended by a capitulation, the terms of which Theodoric disgracefully violated by slaying Odoacer with his own hand (15th March 493). See.

The thirty-three years reign of Theodoric was a time of unexampled happiness for Italy. Unbroken peace reigned within her borders (with the exception of a trifling raid made by Byzantine corsairs on the coast of Apulia in 508). The venality of the Roman officials and the turbulence of the Gothic nobles were sternly repressed. Marshes were drained, harbours formed, the burden of the taxes lightened, and the state of agriculture so much improved that Italy, from a corn-importing, became a corn-exporting country. Moreover Theodoric, though adhering to the Arian creed of his forefathers, was during the greater part of his reign so conspicuously impartial in religious matters that a legend which afterwards became current represented him as actually putting to death a catholic deacon who had turned Arian in order to win his favour. At the time of the contested papal election between Symmachus and Laurentius (496-502), Theodoric's mediation was welcomed by both contending parties. Unfortunately, at the very close of his reign (524), the emperor Justin's persecution of the Arians led him into a policy of reprisals. He forced Pope John to undertake a mission to Constantinople to plead for toleration, and on his return threw him into prison, where he died. Above all, he sullied his fame by the execution of Boetius and Symmachus (see ). It should be observed, however, that the motive for these acts of violence was probably political rather than religious, jealousy of intrigues with the imperial court rather than zeal on behalf of the Arian confession. Theodoric's death, which is said to have been hastened by remorse for the execution of Symmachus, occurred on 30th August 526. He was buried in the mausoleum which is still one of the marvels of (q.v.), and his grandson Athalaric, a boy of ten years, succeeded him, under the regency of his mother Amalasuntha.

Genealogy of Theodoric. THKL d. A first wife = or a concubine. DKMiR=Erel 474. = THEODORIC = 454-526., AMALAS d. 51 eva, = Audefl sist kin; TNTHA = 4. eda,;r of Clovis, j of the Franks. =Eutharic, a descendant of the Amals.
 * Germanus, nephew of Justinian, j Postumus, death by is fins Ostrogothd (or Arevagni), married Alaric II., king of the West Goths. 1

Amalaric, king of the West Goths, d. 531. Theudegothc married Sigismund, king of the Burgundians Segeric, murdered by his father's orders, 522. 1 1 ATHALARIC, Witigis=MAiAscENTHA= d. 534. Germanu put to Phnn J. 1IUUU3, UV/e/. Amalafrida, a full sister of Theodoric, married Thrasamund, king of the Vandals, and was mother, by an earlier marriage, of Theodahad.(d. 536).

Authorities.—The authorities for the life of Theodoric are very imperfect. Jordanes, Procopius, and the curious fragment known as Anonymus Valesii (printed at the end of Ammianus Marcellinus) are the chief direct sources of narrative, but far the most important indirect source is the Varies (state-papers) of Cassiodorus, chief minister of Theodoric. Malchus furnishes some interesting par ticulars as to his early life, and it is possible to extract a little information from the turgid panegyric of Ennodius. Among German scholars Dahn (Konige der Germanen, ii., iii., and iv.), Manso (Geschichte des Ostgothischen Reichs in Italien), and Sartorius ( Versuch iiber die Regierung der Ostgothen, &c. ) have done most to illustrate Theodoric's principles of government. The English reader may consult Gibbon's Decline and Fall, chap, xxxix., and Hodgkin's Italy and her Invaders, vol. iii., and Letters of Cassiodorus.

 THEODOSIA, or, a seaport and district town of Russia, situated on the east coast of Crimea, 69 miles to the east-north-east of Simpheropol. Its roadstead, which has a width of 18 miles and is never frozen, is well protected from east and west winds, and partly also from the south, but its depth is small, ranging from 11 to 14 feet and reaching 35 feet only in the middle. The want of railway communication with the interior prevents it from gaining the commercial importance it might otherwise have possessed, so that its population was only 10,800 in 1881, a low figure when compared with the 20,000 it had in 1672 and still more with the figure returned in last century. Many remains of its former importance exist in the city and neighbourhood, the chief being a beautiful mosque formerly a Genoese cathedral synagogues several centuries old, old towers with inscriptions, baths, and a palace of Shah-Ghirei in the suburbs. Gardening is one of the leading industries; fishing, a few manufactures, agriculture, and trade are also carried on. The foreign trade, which in 1830-40 reached an average of 90,000 for exports and 66,500 for imports, afterwards fell off, but it has experienced a revival in the course of the last 15 years, the exports of corn, linseed, and wool having reached 167,853 in 1884. The imports are insignificant.

Theodosia, a Milesian colony, was in Strabo's day a flourishing seat of trade (especially in grain), with a harbour capable of accommodating a hundred ships; but before Arrian's time (c. 125 A.D.) it appears to have been destroyed. More than a thousand years later (1263 to 1267) the Genoese established here their colony Kafa or Kefa, which grew rapidly up notwithstanding the rivalry of the Venetians. It was fortified, and became the see of a bishop, as well as the chief centre for the Genoese colonies on the Black-Sea coasts. It remained nearly independent until 1475, when it was taken by the Turks, but it continued to prosper under their rule, under the name of Kutchuk-Stambul, or Kryon-Stambul (Stambul of Crimea). The Russians took it in 1771, and annexed it in 1774. From that date it began to decay, and had only 3200 inhabitants in 1829, the emigration of the Crimean Tartars and the competition of Odessa being obstacles to its further growth.

 THEODOSIUS I., emperor of Rome, surnamed the Great, was the son of Theodosius, Valentinian's great general, who in 368–69 drove back the Picts and Scots from the Roman territories in Britain, and, after other successes on the Continent, was at last despatched to suppress the revolt of Firmus in Mauretania (372). Shortly after (376), the elder Theodosius, despite his great services, was put to death by order of Valens, probably through fear lest he should be the Theodosius or Theodore whom the prophetic tripod indicated as the future emperor.

The younger Theodosius was born about the year 346. He was a native of Spain, but the exact place of his birth is uncertain (Cauca in Galicia according to Idatius and Zosimus, Italica according to Marcellinus). Pacatus and Claudian seem to claim for him at least a relationship to Trajan, of which, however, there is no satisfactory proof. He accompanied his father into Britain (368), and a little later distinguished himself by defeating the Sarmatians who had invaded Mcesia (374). On his father's death he retired to his native place, where he lived quietly till after the great battle of Adrianople (August 9, 378), when Gratian summoned him to share the empire. Theodosius was made Augustus at Sirmium, January 19, 379, and was assigned all the Eastern provinces, including Illyricum. It was a time of great peril for the Roman state. The Huns had just made their appearance on the western shores of the Black Sea, and, after overthrowing the great nation of the Ostrogoths, had driven the more southern Visigoths to take shelter within the empire. Valens had consented to receive them (376) on condition that they should deliver up their arms and surrender their children as hostages to be distributed throughout the cities of the East. The latter half of the compact was enforced, but not the former; and the barbarians, left without any sustenance, began to plunder the open country. After their great victory at Adrianople they reached the walls Rh