Theoderic the Great

“Hans-Ulrich Wiemer’s Theoderic the Great: King of Goths, Ruler of Romans is a monumental exploration of the life and times of this remarkable leader. It is the most important treatment of its subject since Wilhelm Ensslin’s 1947 biography, and since Mr. Wiemer’s book (here in John Noël Dillon’s fluid English translation) surpasses its predecessor in breadth and sophistication, the author can claim the laurel of having written the best profile of Theoderic we have.”—Kyle Harper, Wall Street Journal

“Thanks to John Noël Dillon’s magnificent translation, which came out this year, Theoderic’s world, in all its complexity, can now be reached by an Anglophone audience.”—Samuel Rubinstein, Engelsberg Ideas, “Books of the Year 2023”

“[A] meticulously researched and superbly presented argument… . This is a book which offers much to inspire any reader and gives Theoderic the foundation he emphatically deserves.”—David M. Gwynn, History Today

2024 CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title


“An intellectual feast. A sobering portrait of a much caricatured king, sensitive to the many resonances of his Roman and Gothic worlds.”—Douglas Boin, author of Alaric the Goth

“So much more than biography, this masterly survey is a window into an entire world at a moment of extreme change, when the western Roman Empire had fallen and the future was unwritten. An indispensable book.”—Michael Kulikowski, author of The Tragedy of Empire: From Constantine to the Destruction of Roman Italy

“The English translation of Hans-Ulrich Wiemer’s path-breaking study of Theoderic the Great is most welcome. This is a major new view of Theoderic that shows his importance to Gothic and Roman worlds. John Noël Dillon’s translation is excellent.”—Michele Renee Salzman, author of The Falls of Rome: Crises, Resilience, and Resurgence in Late Antiquity

“This meticulously researched, lucidly written, and beautifully translated book goes in search of the nature and legacy of Theodoric’s reign in Italy. Wiemer explores concepts of migration, tolerance, cultural segregation, and the twilight of empires.”—Julia Hillner, author of Helena Augusta: Mother of the Empire

“This beautifully written and immensely useful book offers a lively narrative that readers will find invaluable, and a pleasure to read.”—Kate Cooper, author of Queens of a Fallen World

Hans-Ulrich Wiemer is professor of ancient history at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. He has published books and articles on Alexander the Great, Hellenistic history and historiography, Late Roman history, and the history of the Goths. He lives in Fürth, Germany.

John Noël Dillon is lecturer in Latin at Yale Divinity School and translates scholarly work from German, French, and Italian. He lives in Branford, CT.

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