I wouldn't assume none of it happened. I would definitely agree that characterisations and motives and specific details are likely to be wrong or embellished as with Alboin's motivation for marrying Rosamund... but the basic tale seems realistic enough, though I too doubt the ending i.e., Peredeus managing to take out two doubles... That doesn't make much sense. Why would the Emperor be concerned about a foreign regicide? And even if the Emperor was concerned and wanted to do something about it on the basis that no commoners should ever assault God chosen royalty, why then receive him after having blinded him? And, if you were going to receive him, why would you be so suspicious as to be using 2 doubles? Those parts seem made up, though Justin could definitely have blinded or executed Peredeus.
Still, I'm with you. Peredeus was delt a shit hand by fate.
But Rosamund story brings to mind that of Fredegund, though that one has a happier ending, at least for the main female character... :)
Yeah, I assume Alboin (and certainly Justin & Longinus) was a real person, he probably got assassinated, and maybe with the contrivance of his wife (and possibly with the contrivance of Longinus, although Gibbon doesn't suggest this). I think it was Chris Wickham who said that the most you can learn from period texts is "this is the sort of thing people from that period thought was plausible." That's probably too cynical/suspicious (and I'm probably misquoting something I read 13 years ago), but, as you point out, some of Peredeus's details don't make sense…or make more sense as an exciting story than as real history. I forgot to mention, and perhaps should go back and add in, how much Rosamond reminds me of the Nibelungenlied's Gudrun.
I've got Gregory of Tours up here on my shelf, but I've been putting off reading it…I should pick it up and get the straight dope on Fredegund!
I wouldn't assume none of it happened. I would definitely agree that characterisations and motives and specific details are likely to be wrong or embellished as with Alboin's motivation for marrying Rosamund... but the basic tale seems realistic enough, though I too doubt the ending i.e., Peredeus managing to take out two doubles... That doesn't make much sense. Why would the Emperor be concerned about a foreign regicide? And even if the Emperor was concerned and wanted to do something about it on the basis that no commoners should ever assault God chosen royalty, why then receive him after having blinded him? And, if you were going to receive him, why would you be so suspicious as to be using 2 doubles? Those parts seem made up, though Justin could definitely have blinded or executed Peredeus.
Still, I'm with you. Peredeus was delt a shit hand by fate.
But Rosamund story brings to mind that of Fredegund, though that one has a happier ending, at least for the main female character... :)
Yeah, I assume Alboin (and certainly Justin & Longinus) was a real person, he probably got assassinated, and maybe with the contrivance of his wife (and possibly with the contrivance of Longinus, although Gibbon doesn't suggest this). I think it was Chris Wickham who said that the most you can learn from period texts is "this is the sort of thing people from that period thought was plausible." That's probably too cynical/suspicious (and I'm probably misquoting something I read 13 years ago), but, as you point out, some of Peredeus's details don't make sense…or make more sense as an exciting story than as real history. I forgot to mention, and perhaps should go back and add in, how much Rosamond reminds me of the Nibelungenlied's Gudrun.
I've got Gregory of Tours up here on my shelf, but I've been putting off reading it…I should pick it up and get the straight dope on Fredegund!