The Gothic war of course hastened the downfall of political and
social order. The manners of the nobles grew violent in lawlessness;
men calling themselves senators, but having in fact renounced that
rank by permanent absence from Rome, and others who merely belonged
to senatorial houses, turned to fortifying their villas, and to
building castles on heights, whilst they gathered about them a body
of retainers, armed for defence or for aggression.
Such a personage was Venantius, son of a senator of the same name,
who, under Theodoric, had attained the dignity of Patrician and what
other titular glories the time afforded. Venantius, the younger,
coming into possession of an estate between Neapolis and Salernum,
here took up his abode after the siege of Rome, and lived as seemed
good to him, lord over the little town of Nuceria, and of a
considerable tract of country, with a villa converted into a
stronghold up on the mountain side. Having suffered wrongs at the
hands of the Imperial conquerors--property of his in Rome had been
seized--he heard with satisfaction of the rise of Totila, and, as
soon as the king's progress southward justified such a step, entered
into friendly communication with the Goth, whom he invited to come
with all speed into Campania, where Salernum, Neapolis, Cumae, would
readily fall into his hands.
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