Bespalchikova Y.E. Gifts in the Diplomatic Practice of Theoderic the Great [Digital resource] // Vox medii aevi. 2018. Vol. 1(2). P. 29–45. URL: https://voxmediiaevi.com/vol-2-bespalchikova
DOI: 10.24411/2587-6619-2018-00002
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Yana Bespalchikova
Master Student of the Faculty of Philology, Saint Petersburg State University
yana_bes@mail.ru
Gifts in the Diplomatic Practice of Theoderic the Great
The paper analyses gift-acts in diplomatic interactions of Theoderic the Great with other Germanic leaders from the standpoint of semantics of diplomatic gifts, specifics of diplomacy in the Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, and power representation in Ostrogothic Italy. The diplomatic letters from Cassiodor’s Variae include information about seven gift-acts. Three acts involved delivering presents to Theoderic; three acts pertained to gifts from him; and one act was interrupted because Theoderic did not accept the diplomatic gift from Trasamund, the King of Vandals. All objects, which constituted these acts of gift exchange, were chosen according to the specificity of the situation and imperial or Germanic traditions of diplomatic exchange. Finally, the author assumes that Theoderic the Great was intentionally exceptional in the sphere of diplomatic gift-giving.
Key words: Theoderic the Great; Power Representation; Variae; Gifts; Diplomacy.