Byzantine and Romanesque architecture . er his conquest ofItaly, Theodoric divided one-third of the territory amonginvigor- two hundred thousand of his followers. It is to thisof cferman wholcsome iufuslou of energy from a youthful freedom-infusion loving people, uncorrupted by the vices of an effete andselfish civilization, that we must attribute the vigorouslife of the provinces of the old Western Empire, whichdisplayed itself in the growth of a new and living art,while that of Byzantium, under a semi-oriental despotism,sank into stagnation and immobility in spite of its
Byzantine and Romanesque architecture . er his conquest ofItaly, Theodoric divided one-third of the territory amonginvigor- two hundred thousand of his followers. It is to thisof cferman wholcsome iufuslou of energy from a youthful freedom-infusion loving people, uncorrupted by the vices of an effete andselfish civilization, that we must attribute the vigorouslife of the provinces of the old Western Empire, whichdisplayed itself in the growth of a new and living art,while that of Byzantium, under a semi-oriental despotism,sank into stagnation and immobility in spite of its Under the firm rule of Theodoric, Italy recovered kingdom her prosperity. Though illiterate himself, for he useda stencil to sign his name, he respected the arts andliterature. He peremptorily forbad the spoliation anddestruction of the monuments of ancient Rome, andappointed an architect to take care of them; and he 1 Gibbon, ch. xxxi. ^ Dill, il., ch. I. 3 Formula ad Praefectum urbis de Architecto Publicorum. Cassiod.,Var. VII. CH. xi] RAVENNA, GOTHIC PERIOD 163 adorned his capital at Ravenna with new buildings,palaces, and churches\ Ruins in various parts of hiskingdom supplied him with materials. He writes tothe authorities at Aestunae that he hears columns andstones are lying uselessly in their municipality, andthat they are to send them to Ravenna, for it were betterto use them than to let them lie out of mere sentiment^There are similar letters about the transport of oldmaterial addressed to the Count Suna, and the authori-ties of Faenza and Catania. Of his palace at Ravenna perhaps nothing is left. Theo-The building that goes by that name is of doubtful paiaceorigin, and even if it be part of the palace it is uncertainto what part of the establishment it belonged. It isornamented, though in a more barbarous fashion, withthe miniature colonnading which first appeared at thePorta Aurea of Diocletian at Spalato. But the finest monument which Theodoric has left s. Ap
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