Ereleuva (born before AD 440, died c. 500?[1]) was the mother of the Ostrogothic king Theoderic the Great. She is often referred to as the concubine of Theoderic's father, Theodemir, although that Gelasius refers to her as regina ("queen") suggests that she had a prominent social position despite the informality of her union with Theodemir.[1]

Ereleuva was Christian, and was baptised with the name Eusebia.[1] She had probably converted from Arianism as an adult, but the details are unclear in the historical record. Ereleuva is regarded as having taken to Christianity quite seriously, as indicated by her correspondence with Pope Gelasius I and mention of her in Ennodius's Panegyric of Theoderic.[2]

Her name was variously spelled by historians in antiquity as Ereriliva (by the fragmentary chronicle of Anonymus Valesianus, c. 527[3]) and Erelieva (by Jordanes), and is now largely known to modern historians as Ereleuva, as she was addressed most frequently by Pope Gelasius I.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Amory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 450. ISBN 0-521-57151-0.
  2. ^ Amory, Patrick (1997). People and Identity in Ostrogothic Italy, 489-554. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 268–269. ISBN 0-521-57151-0.
  3. ^ See Anonymus Valesianus Pars Posterior: Chronica Theodericiana. The Latin Library.
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