Theodoric Strabo Theodoric Strabo ( died 481 ) was an Ostrogoth chieftain who was involved in the politics of the Byzantine Empire during the reigns of Byzantine Emperor s Leo I , Zeno and Basiliscus . He was a rival for the leadership of the Ostrogoths with his kinsman Theoderic the Great , who would ultimately supplant him . An Amal ? Theodoric called " Strabo " , son of Triarius , was a chieftain of the Thracian Goths ; he had two brothers . The wife of the Alan general Aspar was his sister . Strabo had a wife , Sigilda , and a son called Recitach . He was a contemporary of the more famous Theodoric the Amal , who was a Moesian Goth of the royal Amal family , and who would become known as Theoderic the Great . Around 459 , he is attested as in friendly relationship with the Byzantine Empire , possibly one of the " foederati " , and receiving an annual subsidy by the Byzantines . Under Leo I . In 471 , the Alan Aspar , at the time " magister militum " of Emperor Leo I , was murdered by order of the emperor himself . Strabo , who was at the command of his people in Thrace , revolted to avenge his relative , but was defeated by the Byzantine generals Zeno and Basiliscus , who were both later emperors . However , Strabo was able to set three conditions to end his unrest : receiving the properties left as legacy by Aspar , being allowed to settle his Goths in Thrace , and being raised to the rank of " magister militum " . Since Leo had rejected the requests , offering the rank of " magister militum " only in exchange of an oath of loyalty , Strabo started a military campaign against the cities of Thrace . Part of the Gothic army attacked Philippi ( or Philippopolis ) , while he led the remaining men to attack and occupy Arcadiopolis . When the Goths ran out of supplies , Theodoric signed a peace with Leo ( 473 ) ; according to its terms the Byzantines were to pay an annual tribute of 2000 pounds of gold to the Goths , whose independence was recognized , and Strabo was to obtain the rank of " magister militum " . Under Zeno . At the death of Leo ( January 474 ) , Strabo rebelled against the newly appointed Emperor Zeno . He killed Heraclius , the " magister militum per Thracias " , despite the payment of a ransom , probably because Heraclius was involved in the murder of Aspar . The support of Theodoric was fundamental for the overthrowing of Zeno and the rise of Basiliscus to the Byzantine throne ( 475 ) , so Basiliscus confirmed him " magister militum " and gave him other honours . However , Theodoric was very upset when Basiliscus appointed his nephew Armatus " magister militum praesentialis " , because he despised him . When Zeno returned to Constantinople in 476 and defeated Basiliscus , Strabo is not reported to defend the city . In 476 / 477 , Zeno allied himself with Strabo ' s rival , Theodoric the Amal , and ordered him to attack Strabo . The leader of the Thracian Goths sent an embassy to the Byzantine emperor , offering peace and blaming the Moesian Theodoric . Zeno understood that this offering was hiding further conspiracies , and obtained that the Byzantine senate and army declare Strabo a public enemy . The plan of Zeno was to have the two Theoderics attack each other . He sent the Amal against Strabo , with the promise of a huge Roman force as renforcement ( 478 ) . When Theoderic the Amal arrived through the mountains at Mount Soundis , he did not find the Roman renforcement army he expected , but Theoderic Strabo ' s army instead , in a strongly fortified camp . Strabo provoked the Amal , running in front of the Moesian Gothic camp and claiming that the leadership of the Amal had reduced the Goths to fighting each other , and only for the Roman gain , to have none of the wealth for which they had moved from their territories . With this speech recalling the common interest of the Goths , Strabo forced the Amal to ask for peace . The two Theodorics agreed to put forward a joint request to the Roman Emperor , in order to extend to the south the settlement territory of the Goths in Moesia . Zeno tried to divide the two Theodorics , bribing the Amal , who refused . The imperial army obtained some initial successes , however Zeno did not capitalize upon his victory , and allowed the Amal to move westward in Thrace , plundering the territories as he went . With the Amal far away , Strabo accepted an agreement with Zeno : Strabo was to be given back his wealth , money to pay 13 , 000 soldiers , the command of two " palatina e " units , and the title once more of " magister militum " . However , the army of Theodoric Strabo , 30 , 000 - men strong was still a menace for Zeno , who convinced the Bulgars to attack the Thracian Goths in their own base . Strabo defeated the Bulgars in 480 / 481 , and moved towards Constantinople , but he had to deal with problems with his own men , so he could not capitalize upon his victory and was forced to return to Greece . On his way back , during an encampment at Stabulum Diomedis , near Philippi in Thrace , he was trying to break in an unruly horse , when he fell onto a spear hung before a tent or hanging from a wagon and died . In fiction . In the novel Raptor by Gary Jennings , Strabo is a major character . In the book , the fictional Strabo has his limbs amputated by the main character , Thorn , who was at the time marshal of Theoderic the Great . Some years later , Strabo dies before an imminent battle with Theoderic the Great , when the litter carrying him spills him on the tip of a soldier ' s spear . Though Strabo did actually die at the speartip of his own soldier , the specific manner of his amputations and death were inventions of the author .