Ragnaris
Ragnaris(Greek spellingῬάγναρις, Ῥαγναρίς, Ῥαγναρῆς;Germanic,[1][2]died 555) was aHunnicwarlord who fought for theOstrogothsin the final stages of theGothic Waragainst theEastern Roman Empire.Procopiuscalls him aGoth,but the better informedAgathiasrecords that he was of the Hunnic tribe of the Vittores or Vitgores (possibly the Bittugures mentioned inJordanes).[3]
History
[edit]Ragnaris is first mentioned as the commander of the Ostrogothic garrison ofTarantoin 552. According to Procopius, he began negotiations with the Eastern Roman general Pacurius for surrendering the city and entering imperial service with his men, but when he learned of the accession ofTeiato the Ostrogothic throne he changed his mind. He took fifty Roman soldiers hostage so as to secure the release of his own men held by Pacurius, but the latter marched against him and he had them executed. Ragnaris did not await Pacurius behind his walls, but sallied forth to meet him in open battle, in which he was defeated. The Tarentines then refused to allow him to enter the city, forcing him to flee to nearbyAcheruntia.[3]
He reappears in late 554 as the leader of 7,000 Gothic troops, possibly survivors of Teia'slast standat theBattle of Mons Lactarius.Resolved to continue resisting the Romans, he led them to occupy the fortress of Compsa. The Eastern Roman generalNarseslaid siege to them in the winter, but the Goths were easily able to hold out, having secured large provisions. In spring, Narses and Ragnaris met to discuss possible terms, but could not agree. As they parted, however, Ragnaris tried to shoot Narses with an arrow, whereupon he was set upon and severely wounded by the general's bodyguards. His followers managed to carry him into the fortress, but he died two days later, and the final Gothic stronghold surrendered.[3]
References
[edit]- ^Maenchen-Helfen 1973,p. 383, 389.
- ^Amory 2003,p. 408.
- ^abcMartindale 1992,p. 1076.
Sources
[edit]- Amory, Patrick(2003).People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554.Cambridge University Press.ISBN0521526353.
- Maenchen-Helfen, Otto J.(1973).The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture.University of California Press.ISBN0520015967.
- Martindale, John R.,ed. (1992).The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume III, AD 527–641.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-20160-8.