Letter 10010: VARIAE, BOOK 10, LETTER 10
VARIAE, BOOK 10, LETTER 10
From: Queen Amalasuintha, regent for King Athalaric
To: Empress Theodora Augusta
Date: ~534 AD
Context: A letter from the Ostrogothic queen regent to the Byzantine empress — a rare piece of female-to-female diplomatic correspondence from the ancient world.
[1] Since it is our intention to seek those things that contribute to the glory of a pious ruler, it is fitting that we honor you with our words — you who are known to be adorned with every good quality. The correspondence between queens is no mere formality; it carries the weight of the nations they represent, and the friendship between two women in positions of supreme authority can accomplish what armies and treaties alone cannot.
[2] We commend to Your Serenity the matters outlined in the accompanying documents, trusting in the goodwill that has characterized our exchange. Let the bond between us serve as an example to our courts and peoples — proof that wisdom and grace govern our realms no less effectively than strength and law.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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