Forget Rome, Rimini or San Remo: Ravenna should be the destination of travelers to Italy! The city with a population of about 160,000 is located ten kilometers from the Adriatic coast, away from the crowds of tourists, halfway between Venice and Ancona. Locals often go to Ravenna, because there is the grave of the Italian folk poet Dante (1265-1321), less often foreign guests. Although I’ve probably ridden in the boot a dozen or so times, last spring I did the detour for the first time – and I loved it!
“If you’ve never been to Ravenna, you’re really missing something,” writes British historian Judith Herrin (aged 80) in her book, recently published in German. This is not a guide, but a carefully studied work on the heyday of this city from 402 to 751. Emeritus Professor of Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies at King’s College London has rightfully received the prestigious 2020 British Duff Cooper Award for an English original. political, historical and biographical books.
“The capital of the empire, the melting pot of cultures,” is how Herrin calls his book in the subtitle. In fact, at a time when Venice did not yet exist, Ravenna was strategically located by the sea, which is why the emperor Flavius Honorius (384-423) made the fortified place the court city of the Western Roman Empire – as a counterpoint to the Eastern Roman capital of Constantinople, today’s Istanbul . Thousands of tourists admire the Byzantine mosaics in the Hagia Sophia, but there is plenty to see in Ravenna.
Sometimes thanks to a woman. “When the entire court moved from Milan to Ravenna in 402, a small retinue of Galla Placidia was also taken out of the danger zone,” writes Herrin. Placidia (390–450) was the half-sister of the emperor Honorius. When he died, her son Valentinian III. (419–455) nominally in power. But since he was still a child, his mother ruled. “Especially in the first phase, when Galla Placidia was the de facto ruler,” says Herrin, “we can see how she contributed to the survival of the Western Roman Empire.”
Today, the name of Galla Placidia is mainly heard in connection with her mausoleum, which is located in Ravenna. “With its radiant starry sky and blue and gold decor, this is one of the most beautiful tombs ever built,” writes Herrin. “Who wouldn’t want to rest under so many stars, doves, deer, and vines in the company of Christ, the evangelists, and St. Lawrence?” Surprise: Placidia never stayed here, she died in Rome and was buried there.
Judith Herrin, “Ravenna – Imperial Capital, Melting Pot of Cultures”, wbg Theiss
Daniel Arnet
Source: Blick
I am David Miller, a highly experienced news reporter and author for 24 Instant News. I specialize in opinion pieces and have written extensively on current events, politics, social issues, and more. My writing has been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC News. I strive to be fair-minded while also producing thought-provoking content that encourages readers to engage with the topics I discuss.
