Page 214 - Envoys and Political Communication in the Late Antique West 411 - 533

Envoys and Political Communication,411–533

tuitio of a senatorial envoy, this document indicates the deployment of pri-
vate resources, here financial, by the court in order to support diplomatic
activities. Again there are parallels with provincial embassies to imperial
centres in earlier periods, for most if not all of the costs of undertaking
a provincial embassy were commonly borne by the envoy himself, even
when civic or imperial funds were nominally available, as an assertion of
wealth and status with the individual’s community. Cassiodorus’ letter,
however, suggests a quid pro quo for this financial burden. Cassiodorus
represents an embassy, at least to Constantinople, as an opportunity for
cultivating ties and patronage through the generous distribution of gifts.
Such an opportunity, Cassiodorus implies, had assisted Agapitus in his
dealings with Justinian on doctrinal matters, conducted in parallel with
the main, political purposes of the mission. By annulling Agapitus’ debt
to the court, Theodahad was enabling the Church of Rome to ben-
efit from Agapitus’ munificence in Constantinople, without having to
bear the expense. This of course is only a generous interpretation put
by Cassiodorus on an otherwise unattested situation; but it accords with
evidence from earlier periods, and of Sidonius and Ennodius, of provin-
cial embassies exploited by their leaders as opportunities for personal
influence.
Both these letters, concerning tuitio and financing, are unique attes-
tations of the particular arrangements concerned. Their example can be
generalised only tentatively for regular practice in the Ostrogothic king-
dom, or other areas or times. Both concern arrangements for embassies
to be undertaken on behalf of the court by wealthy, socially prominent
individuals, not currently holding secular office. There is no indication
whatarrangements for tuitio and financing of missions were made for
embassies undertaken by non-senatorial court functionaries.
None of the formulae of Books vi and vii addresses arrangements for
outgoing embassies. Several of the formulae, however, are more informa-
tive regarding incoming legations, and the responsibilities of a number
of senior magistrates – the praetorian prefect of Italy, the magister officio-
rum,the comes patrimonii, and the cura palatii – for the provisioning and
care of envoys. The legates whom these letters concern are primarily not
emissaries of the cities or provinces under Theoderic’s rule, but those
of external gentes, who ‘come from almostevery partof the world’. In
each case, the letters emphasise the need to impress the visitors with
the abundance and hospitality of the court. Envoys of the gentes are ex-
pected to be voraces; the satisfaction of their appetites will redound to
the praise of the state. Grandeur and munificence were tools commonly
exploited in ancient diplomacy to command the respect of other parties.

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