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Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, defeated Rome and — according to @varunram’s post…

2026-08-07 · 05:16 UTC ·@varunram ·2 min read

Brief

Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, captured Rome and reportedly planned to burn it in revenge, but the Roman commander Belisarius sent a plea—preserved by Procopius in Gothic Wars—arguing against destruction. Belisarius’s letter stresses that Rome’s beauty is the cumulative product of many monarchs, artisans, and long time, so destroying it would be a crime against past creators and a loss for future generations. He frames the choice strategically: if Totila wins, razing Rome would destroy his own potential prize; if he loses, destruction removes any hope of mercy and gains nothing. Preserving the city, by contrast, secures gratitude and a lasting reputation. A reply from mass (@Memetic_Theory) underscores the letter’s point by asserting Rome’s uniqueness within the empire—“no one had ever built a city like that before.”

Why it matters

Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, defeated Rome and — according to @varunram’s post (published 2026-08-07) — intended to burn the city as an act of revenge.

Key details

  • Belisarius replied with a letter preserved by Procopius in Gothic Wars that emphasizes Rome was built cumulatively by many rulers, skilled workers, and long time; destroying it would be a crime against past generations and a theft from future ones.
  • Procopius’ letter frames a strategic argument in two outcomes: if Totila triumphs, demolishing Rome would destroy his own prize; if he is defeated, destroying it would eliminate any plea for mercy and yield no benefit — preserving Rome instead guarantees gratitude and reputation.
  • A responding commenter (mass/@Memetic_Theory) adds that Rome was a singular, unprecedented city within the empire, arguing “No one had ever built a city like that before.”
Source evidence

Totila, king of the Ostrogoths, defeated Rome and had a plan to burn the city to the ground as revenge. The commander of the Roman army Belisarius could do nothing but send him a letter, which read:

While the creation of beauty in a city which has not been beautiful before could only proceed from men of wisdom who understand the meaning of civilization, the destruction of beauty which already exists would be naturally expected only of men who lack understanding, and who are not ashamed to leave to posterity this token of their character.

Now among all the cities under the sun Rome is agreed to be the greatest and the most noteworthy. For it has not been created by the ability of one man, nor has it attained such greatness and beauty by a power of short duration, but a multitude of monarchs, many companies of the best men, a great lapse of time, and an extraordinary abundance of wealth have availed to bring together in that city all other things that are in the whole world, and skilled workers besides.

Thus, little by little, have they built the city, such as you behold it, thereby leaving to future generations memorials of the ability of them all, so that insult to these monuments would properly be considered a great crime against the men of all time; for by such action the men of former generations are robbed of the memorials of their ability, and future generations of the sight of their works.

Such, then, being the facts of the case, be well assured of this, that one of two things must necessarily take place: either you will be defeated by the emperor in this struggle, or, should it so fall out, you will triumph over him.

Now, in the first place, supposing you are victorious, if you should dismantle Rome, you would not have destroyed the possession of some other man, but your own city, excellent Sir, and, on the other hand, if you preserve it, you will naturally enrich yourself by a possession the fairest of all; but if, in the second place, it should perchance fall to your lot to experience the worse fortune, in saving Rome you would be assured of abundant gratitude on the part of the victor, but by destroying the city you will make it certain that no plea for mercy will any longer be left to you, and in addition to this you will have reaped no benefit from the deed.

Furthermore, a reputation that corresponds with your conduct will be your portion among all men, and it stands waiting for you according as you decide either way. For the quality of the acts of rulers determines, of necessity, the quality of the repute which they win from their acts.

  • Procopius, Gothic Wars

mass (@Memetic_Theory)

Cool, but let’s remember that Rome was a single city in the empire. No one had ever built a city like that before

— https://nitter.net/Memetic_Theory/status/2085404302492016738#m