Ma Feng, The Romanization of the Ostrogothic Kingdom

　　The Ostrogothic Kingdom was the highest Romanization country among the barbarian countries. The Hellenization of the Goths starting from the 1st century BC laid a foundation for the later Romanization. The process of the Romanization of the Ostrogoths can be divided into two stages with the establishment of the kingdom. Its Romanization was very comprehensive and reflected in many aspects, including cultural education, lifestyle, thinking mode, political philosophy, etc. The Romanization of the Ostrogothic Kingdom had its own characteristics. Its Romanization was ahead of other Germanic groups, and it did not establish an independent ethnic country, during which Romanization and Gothic coexisted. Under the circumstance of the ‘Late Antiquity’, its Romanization was dominated by the Ostrogothic rulers, occurred inside and outside the Roman Empire, while Christianity became the carrier of spreading Romanization. The high degree of Romanization deeply influenced the national construction of the Ostrogothic Kingdom, leading the kingdom to a path of development which was distinct from other barbarian countries in Western Europe. In conclusion, the Romanization of the Ostrogothic Kingdom not only affected the internal stability and development of the kingdom, but also exerted an important influence on the Italian peninsula entering into the Middle Ages. This was a significant factor in the continuation of the Italian urban culture.