Ostrogothic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to the East Germanic people who established a kingdom in Italy during the early Middle Ages, known for their culture, language, and historical impact
2. Pertaining to the branch of the Goths associated with the Ostrogoth kingdom; involving their society, art, and influence in late antiquity
3. Connected to the Ostrogoths, including their political rule, linguistic characteristics, and contributions to early medieval European history

Etymology: The adjective "ostrogothic" is simply the English name for the Ostrogoths with the suffix "-ic" added, the same pattern that gives us "Gothic" from "Goth" and "Germanic" from "German." The Ostrogoths were one of the major Germanic peoples of the late Roman period, and the term describes whatever belongs to them: their language, their art, their kingdom in Italy, or their culture. The word's most useful association is with the Ostrogothic Kingdom, which Theodoric the Great ruled from Ravenna after 493 CE. Historians and art historians use "Ostrogothic" to label the buildings, mosaics and metalwork produced under that rule, which often blend Roman and Germanic styles. Because the Ostrogoths are the eastern branch of the Goths, the name sits beside "Visigothic," the western branch, a useful pairing for anyone sorting out the migration-era peoples.

Synonyms: Ostrogoth