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The Visigoths were never called Visigoths, only Goths, until Cassiodorus used the term, when referring to their loss against Clovis I in 507. Cassiodorus apparently invented the term based on the model of the "Ostrogoths", but using the older name of the Vesi, one of the tribal names which the fifth-century poet Sidonius Apollinaris, had already used when referring to the Visigoths.
The Gothic Christians were followers of Arianism. [1] Many church members, from simple believers, priests, and monks to bishops, emperors, and members of Rome's imperial family followed this doctrine, as did two Roman emperors, Constantius II and Valens. After their sack of Rome, the Visigoths moved on to occupy Spain and southern France.
The Visigoths founded the only new cities in Western Europe between the fifth and eighth centuries. It is certain (through contemporary Spanish accounts) that they founded four, and a possible fifth city is ascribed to them by a later Arabic source. All of these cities were founded for military purposes and three of them in celebration of victory.
The first Germanic people to convert to Arianism were the Visigoths, at the latest in 376 when they entered the Roman Empire. This followed a longer period of missionary work by both Orthodox Christians and Arians, such as the Arian Wulfila, who was made missionary bishop of the Goths in 341 and translated the Bible into Gothic. [8]
The Visigothic kings and nobles were traditionally Arian Christians, while the Hispano-Roman population were Chalcedonian Christians. The bishop Leander of Seville was instrumental in converting the elder son and heir of Leovigild, Hermenegild, to Chalcedonianism. Leander supported his rebellion and was exiled for his role.
There is evidence of martyrs in the third century. By the fourth century, church councils were held throughout Spain. The Romans would then fall to the Visigoths in 409. The Visigoths were not Christian initially, but by the sixth century, King Recared held councils regarding Christianity in Toledo. [3]
The most prominent Christian scholar in the Kingdom of Asturias of this period was Beatus of Liébana, whose works left an indelible mark on the Christian culture of the Reconquista. Beatus map . Beatus was directly involved in the debate surrounding adoptionism, which argued that Jesus was born a man, and was adopted by God and acquired a ...
The Visigoths were a new Gothic political unit brought together during the career of their first leader, Alaric I. [190] Following a major settlement of Goths in the Balkans made by Theodosius in 382, Goths received prominent positions in the Roman army. [191] Relations with Roman civilians were sometimes uneasy.