The Goths, from the earliest times to the end of the Gothic dominion in Spain . ion of the buildings and statues ofantiquity. But perhaps there had never been aRoman emperor who was so anxiously concernedabout this matter as this barbarian king. In theofficial letters of his secretary Cassiodorus »ve findcontinual proofs of Theoderics endeavours ^o arrestthe destruction of the works of ancient art. Judginghim by his conduct in this respect, we might fairlysay that he was the first civilized ruler th^xt Italy hadhad for centuries. The Christian emperors nad allowedtheir subjects to use the temp
The Goths, from the earliest times to the end of the Gothic dominion in Spain . ion of the buildings and statues ofantiquity. But perhaps there had never been aRoman emperor who was so anxiously concernedabout this matter as this barbarian king. In theofficial letters of his secretary Cassiodorus »ve findcontinual proofs of Theoderics endeavours ^o arrestthe destruction of the works of ancient art. Judginghim by his conduct in this respect, we might fairlysay that he was the first civilized ruler th^xt Italy hadhad for centuries. The Christian emperors nad allowedtheir subjects to use the temples and other publicedifices of heathen days as quarries for their ownbuildings, and not seldom had they been themselvesguilty of pulling down venerable historical monu-ments to erect new buildings in their place. Theodericindignantly forbade this work of waste and ruin. Hewas himself a great builder, and bestowed honoursand rewards freely on those who adorned the citieswith splendid works of architecture; but it was asaying of his that reverently to preserve the old was 12. CHURCH OF SAN VITALE, RAVENNA.{Com itoiced by Thcoderic in 525 : completed under Witigis in 539.) ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE ARTS, 163 even better than to build afresh. Except an act ofextortion or oppression on the part of one of his ownofficials, nothing excited his anger so fiercely as anywanton destruction of works of art. On one occasionhe was informed that a bronze statue had been stolenfrom a public place at Como during the night. In hothaste he writes to Thankila the senator (from hisname evidently a Gothic officer, and apparentlygovernor of the city), ordering him to offer a reward ofa hundred gold pieces for the discovery of the perpe-trator, and to have a strict inquiry made of all themetal smiths of the town, as it was probable that sucha theft could not have been carried out withoutskilled assistance. This letter was promptly followedby another, in which a free pardon was offered to theguilty person
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectgoths, bookyear1887
