Theodoric the Great (454-526), king of the Ostrogoths, was a historical figure that in cultural memory became Theodoric of Verona (Dietrich von Bern), that is one of the most popular epic-heroic legends within the Germanic literature (Haymes 2020; Wisniewski 1986). The association with Verona stems from Theoderic’s bond with the town, where traces of the historical and legendary presence of the Ostrogoths can still be identified.
This project aims to create an annotated corpus of literary witnesses concerning the legend of Theoderic (Heinzle 1999; Lienert 2008), which starts from the local context and highlights the modes of evolution and sedimentation of this legend within the Germanic literary traditions.
The figure of Theodoric permeates both Latin and vernacular European cultures in an ambivalent way, as the king is sometimes depicted as a valiant hero and other times as a foolish and heretical king. His popularity across the Alps is evidenced by various texts, such as the Norwegian Saga of Theoderic of Bern and the so-called ‘Theodoric cycle,’ a series of Middle High German works blending historical and legendary elements around the Gothic king’s exploits.
Within the scope of this project, Germanic Philology intends to connect its studies to the local territory of Verona. Our findings will be disseminated not only through traditional academic channels but also to the local and international public at large via the digital media. By 2026, marking with celebrations and events the 1500 years since King Theodoric’s death, we plan to launch a digital application featuring an interactive thematic itinerary through Theodoric’s historical sites in Verona. This resource will be multilingual and multimedia, with a strong focus on accessibility.
In collaboration with local institutions and bodies, the project aims to contribute to the development of an inclusive and sustainable tourism, by giving value to lesser-known aspects of local cultural heritage and linking them to the Germanic literary traditions.
Group leader: Anna Cappellotto (PA)
Internal members: Maria Adele Cipolla (PO)
Actions: WP 1.3
References:
Haymes, Edward R., & Susann T. Samples. Heroic Legends of the North: An Introduction to the Nibelung and Dietrich Cycles. London and New York: Routledge, 2020.
Heinzle, Joachim. Einführung in die mittelhochdeutsche Dietrichepik. De-Gruyter-Studienbuch. Berlin: De Gruyter, 1999.
Lienert, Elisabeth. Dietrich-Testimonien des 6. bis 16. Jahrhunderts. Tübingen: De Gruyter, 2008.
Wisniewski, Roswitha. Mittelalterliche Dietrichdichtung. Stuttgart: Metzler, 1986.