Located on the northeastern coast of Italy, Ravenna served at various points as the capital of the Western Roman Empire, the Ostrogothic kingdom, and the last Byzantine stronghold in Italy. Its defensible position made it a recurring refuge and stronghold: emperors and generals retreated to it, Odoacer entered it in 476 after deposing the last western emperor, and Belisarius captured it through ruse in the Gothic War after its Ostrogothic defenders considered it virtually impregnable. Its fall to the Lombards in 751 ended Byzantine control of the city and pushed the papacy to seek Frankish protection rather than rely on Constantinople.
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What each episode says
Episode 2 (1 mention)
The city Diocletian traveled to in 304 to escape the marshy climate of Rome after falling ill at the celebration of his twentieth year in power, collapsing on the road before eventually recovering.
“He traveled to Ravenna to get away from the marshy climate, but on the way collapsed.”
Episode 3 (1 mention)
The city to which Severus fled after his army was bribed away from him at the walls of Rome. He was captured there, forced to abdicate, and killed.
“Severus then fled to Ravenna, was captured, abdicated, and killed.”
Episode 6 (3 mentions)
The capital of the Western Empire at the time of its fall, where Odoacer entered in September 476 and showed clemency to Romulus Augustulus. It was also where Theodoric blockaded Odoacer before the final banquet murder.
“In September 476, when the new king entered Ravenna, now the capital of the western empire,”
“Given the choice between ruling through a puppet emperor in Ravenna, or one in Constantinople,”
“fighting and was willing to rule jointly and share the palace in Ravenna.”
Episode 8 (4 mentions)
Ravenna was the capital of the Ostrogothic kingdom and Vittigis's stronghold. Brownworth notes it was 'virtually impregnable,' which is why Vittigis offered Belisarius the western imperial crown in exchange for sparing the city. Belisarius instead used the offer as a ruse to capture it and ship Vittigis to Constantinople.
“only 33 miles from the Gothic capital of Ravenna. Ancient and medieval sieges were often worse on”
“camps and drag the army back to Ravenna. The retreat, however, was made even more humiliating”
“Ravenna was virtually impregnable, and Justinian's armies were far away. Since Belisarius had few,”
Episode 9 (3 mentions)
One of the four Italian cities still defying Totila in 542, and the site where Narses paused to distribute back pay and gather more troops before marching on Rome. Brownworth also notes there are famous mosaics of Justinian and Theodora in Ravenna where the modern visitor can come face to face with the couple.
“Only four major cities still defied him, Rome, Ravenna, Florence, and Naples, and it was”
“Pausing in Ravenna to hand out this money and collect even more men, he headed for Rome,”
“of Justinian and Theodora in Ravenna, where you can come face to face with the couple.”
Episode 11 (1 mention)
The last imperial stronghold in Italy, taken by the Lombard king in 751. Its fall prompted the pope to seek the protection of the Franks rather than the iconoclast emperor in Constantinople.
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