On the occasion of the 1500th anniversary of the death of the Ostrogothic king Theoderic the Great (d. 526), the conference Theoderic of Verona in the Germanic Traditions: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Verona, 24–26 June 2026) aims to provide a forum for interdisciplinary discussion. It will explore how the legend of Theoderic of Verona was shaped and transmitted across different linguistic and cultural contexts, from its origins through the Middle Ages to the post-medieval and modern era.
Participation in the conference is free of charge and open to all interested attendees. Those wishing to participate are kindly asked to complete the registration form. Registration is open until 10 June.
Organized by:
- Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, University of Verona
- Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures and the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna
- In cooperation with Fondazione Biblioteca Capitolare, Verona
Scientific Committee:
Davide Bertagnolli, Anna Cappellotto, Lorenzo Ferroni, Alessandro Zironi
Call for Papers
CFP (deadline: 15.12.2025)
Program
Download the program of the Conference here
June 24
14:30 – Saluti accademici / Welcome address
15:00-18:00 – Sessione 1: Teoderico il Grande e l’emergere della leggenda / Session 1: Theoderic the Great and the Emergence of the Legend
15:00-15:30 – M.C. La Rocca (Università degli Studi di Padova), Teoderico dopo Teoderico. Dimenticare e trasformare la memoria di un sovrano
15:30-16:00 – A.A. Verardi (Pontificia Università Gregoriana, Roma), Teoderico visto dalla Chiesa di Roma: le redazioni del Liber Pontificalis e il Frammento Laurenziano
16:00-16:30 – D. Fruscione (Independent scholar), Teoderico legislatore
16:30-17:00 – Coffee break
17:00-17:30 – M.L. Meneghetti (Accademia dei Lincei, Roma), Teoderico e Boezio: uno sguardo dal Medioevo romanzo
17:30-18:00 – A. Zironi (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna), Rex nefandissimus: Teoderico nella trasmissione testuale in inglese antico
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18:00 – MOSTRA Fondazione Biblioteca Capitolare, Visita della mostra Sotto il segno di Teodorico: storia e miti della Verona gota / Visit to the exhibition Under the Sign of Theoderic: History and Myths of Gothic Verona
June 25
9:30-12:30 – Sessione 2: Teoderico nella tradizione nordica / Session 2: Theoderic in the Nordic Tradition
9:30-10:00 – M. Males (Universitetet i Oslo), Theoderic in Ninth-Century Scandinavia
10:00-10:30 – P. Peratello (École nationale des chartes-PSL, Paris), Theoderic and the Rök Stone: A Runological Perspective
10:30-11:00 – B. Patria (Università degli Studi di Firenze), Theoderic Rides Northwards: The Rök Stone and the Origin of the Norse Epic Metre
11:00-11:30 – Coffee break
11:30-12:00 – O.E. Haugen (Universitetet i Bergen), 800 Years of Editing: The Saga of Theoderic of Verona in the Medieval Nordic Tradition
12:00-12:30 – V. Szőke (Università degli Studi di Cagliari), Þiðreks saga af Bern at the court of Hákon IV Hákonarson: New Perspectives on Kingship
12:30-14:00 – Pausa pranzo / Lunch break
14:00-16:30 – Sessione 3: Teoderico nella tarda tradizione eroica / Session 3: Theoderic in the Late Heroic Tradition
14:00-14:30 – M. Bampi (Università di Trento), Translation and Power: The Reception of Þiðreks saga af Bern in Late Medieval Sweden
14:30-15:00 – A. Maini (Independent scholar), The Norwegian ballad The Death of the king of Gautland and the North German ballad Van Dirick van dem Berne
15:00-15:30 – Coffee break
15:30-16:00 – F. Kragl (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg), A Late Hero? Some Reflections on the “Career” of Dietrich von Bern in German Heroic Poetry
16:00-16:30 – C. Kropik (Universität Bayreuth), Theoderic the Great is dead – long live Dietrich von Bern!
***
16:30 – TOUR (2h ca.) K. Galvetto (Coordinamento Guide Verona): visita guidata nei luoghi di Teoderico a Verona / Guided tour through Theoderic’s sites in Verona
June 26
9:30-12:00 – Sessione 4: La ricezione postmedievale / Session 4: The Postmedieval Reception
9:30-10:00 – P. Friedhofen (Universität Mannheim), Her Ditraykh and mayster Hildebrand: Adapting German Texts on Theoderic of Verona in Old Yiddish
10:00-10:30 – C. Rosenzweig (Bar-Ilan University), Ditrikh fun Bern in Yiddish Literature
10:30-11:00 – Coffee break
11:00-11:30 – J. Hermann (Albert-Ludwig-Universität Freiburg), A Paragon for Home, School, and Nation?! Dietrich von Bern in German Young Adult Fiction of the 19th and 20th Century
11:30-12:00 – A. Cappellotto (Università degli Studi di Verona), Dietrich’s Negotiations: From the Medieval Heroic Tradition to Der Diplomat (2024)
12:00 – Chiusura convegno / Closing remarks
Info
Conference Venue: Fondazione Biblioteca Capitolare di Verona (Piazza Duomo, 19, 37121 Verona VR)
Accomodation:
How to get there:
If you are arriving by plane, the easiest way to reach the venue is to take bus number 199, which connects the airport directly to Porta Nuova train station.
From Porta Nuova station, you have several options:
- By public transport: several bus lines stop near the conference venue, including 20, 41, 73, 61, and 22. All of them stop at Via Diaz / Porta Borsari B, from where the venue can be reached on foot in a few minutes.
- On foot: if you prefer to walk, the venue can be reached from the station in approximately 35 minutes.