MODERN SOURCES
LITERARY SOURCES
Author	Mabillon, Jean – Germain, Michel
Title	Museum italicum seu collectio veterum scriptorum ex bibliothecis italicis, Paris 1687-1689, vol. I, p. 38-41
Notes	Accompanied by the local clergy, and sometimes even by the Archbishop, they visit the ancient Baptistery next to the Cathedral, the magnificent basilica of St. Vital with its wealth, the ancient little temple built by Galla Placidia with its unknown tombs, the church of St. Apollinaris wanted by Theodoric, the Rotunda of Mary the Blessed preserving the mortal remains of the Ostrogoth king, and - out of the town - the abandoned and ruined monastery of Classe (1685).
Author	Misson, Maximilien
Title	Nouveau voyage d'Italie, avec un mémoire contenant des avis utiles a ceux qui voudront faire le meme voyage, La Haye [L'Aia] 1691, vol. I, p. 209-213
Notes	Only a few remains of ancient times have survived, among which some interesting buildings such as the Mausoleum wanted by Amalasunta for her father Theodoric, particularly the stone that covers it, the churches of St. Vital, St. Apollinaris along with other churches that contain pieces of Greek origin and porphyries, as well as Galla Placidia’s tomb in the basilica of St. Celsus (1688).
Author	Bourdin, Charles
Title	Voyage de d'Italie et de quelques endroits d'Allemagne, 1695 & 1696, Paderborn 1699, p. 145-147
Notes	Ancient town, seat of the reign of Theodoric, king of the Goths: to note the marble gate known as “Golden gate” and the church of the Rotunda, the vault of which is formed by only one block (1696).
Author	La Mottraye, Aubry : de
Title	Voyages du Sr. A. de La Motraye, en Europe, Asie, & Afrique, La Haye 1727, vol. I, p. 78-80
Notes	Notice on the church of St. Vital, on that of St. Andrew and on St. Mary Rotunda, on the origin of which several hypothesis have been proposed that it was the former temple dedicated to Hercules, the Mausoleum of Theodoric king of the Ostrogoths or the tomb of two ship-wrecked persons. This last hypothesis is also supported by an inscription (1697).
Author	Montfaucon, Bernard : de
Title	Diarium italicum sive monumentorum veterum bibliothecarum, musaeorum, etc., Paris 1702, p. 97-102
Notes	Description of the church of St. Vital and of its mosaics: reading of an ancient monogram in the church of St. Agatha; transcription of a Greek inscription from the church located next to the harbour [St Mary out of harbour]; description of the mosaics of the Cathedral (1698).
Author	Deseine, François – Jacques
Title	Noveau voyage d'Italie contenant une description exacte de toutes ses provinces,villes, & lieux considerables..., Lion 1699, p. vol. I, p. 276-281
Notes	One of the most ancient towns in Italy, rich in inscriptions and ancient epitaphs; its history and that of St. Apollinaris; description of the churches of St. Apollinaris, St. John the Evangelist, the Abbey of Classe, and of St. Vital; notice on St. Gervase and Protase, founded by Galla Placidia, on the ruins of an ancient palace that had probably formerly belonged to Theodoric,  the tomb of whom along with his ashes is in the square; long description of the Rotunda dedicated to the Virgin Mary located between Ravenna and Cervia and in which the king of the Goths war formerly buried (1699).
Author	Rogissart : de
Title	Les délices de l'Italie, ou description exacte de ce pays, de ses principales villes et de toutes les raretés qu'il content, Leide 1706, vol. I, p. 204-212
Notes	History of the town and notice on its ancient harbour, on the Golden Gate, on the ruins of Theodoric’s palace and on other monuments of antiquity, on the church of St. Vital, that of St. Gervase with the tomb of Galla Placidia, on the church of St. Andrew, on that of St. Apollinaris founded by Theodoric, on the church of St. Mary of the Rotunda, ancient tomb of Theodoric located out of the town, and on the via Flaminia leading to Rimini towards the south (1700).
Author	Klaute, Johann Balthasar
Title	Diarium italicum…, (Tubinga?) 1722, p. 78-83
Notes	Notice on the Roman harbour and quotation of Martial; notice on St. Apollinaris, Theodoric’s Mausoleum with the porphyry vase and its epigraph, on the ruins of the lighthouse, on St. Vital and Galla Placidia’s Mausoleum (1700).
Author	Addison, Joseph
Title	Remarkes on several Partsof Italy in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London 1745, p. 120
Notes	Quotation of Martial on the town, and notice on the ruins of the lighthouse on the Rotunda and the tombs of Valentinian, Galla Placidia and Honorius (1701).
Author	Branden, Corneille – Jean – Marie : van den
Title	Le voyage en Italie du chevalier van den Branden de Reeth (25 octobre 1713 – 23 septembre 1714), in Ch. Terlinden, «Bulletin de l'Institut historique Belge de Rome» 30 (1957), p. 227
Notes	Notes on St. Apollinaris’ mosaics and refusal to believe that the relics exposed really belong to St. Elias; notice on Theodoric’s tomb and amazement for its monolithic roof; notice on the rich chapel of Galla Placidia (1714).
Author	Kent,William
Title	Remarks by way of painting and architecture, manuscript of the Rawling library,sheets 6-7
Notes	Notice on the church of St. Vitale and on Galla Placidia’s tomb (1714).
Author	Chancel, A. D.
Title	A new journey over Europe…, London 1714, p. 106
Notes	Notice on the neglected churches of the Imperial period, particularly on St. Vital (1714).
Author	Caylus, Anne Claude Philippe : de
Title	Voyage d'Italie 1714-1715, Paris 1914, p. 154-158]
Notes	Notice on the church of St. Vital, on Galla Placidia’s mausoleum, on the Rotunda, on the ancient mausoleum of Theodoric and on St. Apollinaris in which the tomb of the Ostrogoth king is preserved (1715).
Author	Wright, Edward
Title	Some observations made in travelling through France, Italy, &c. in the years 1720, 1721, and 1722, London 1730, vol. I, p. 108-110
Notes	Notice on the mosaics of the Cathedral, on the church of St. Vital, and with more details on Galla Placidia’s tomb, Theodoric’s mausoleum with the drawing of the monolithic ceiling and on some ancient epigraphs (1720/1721).
Author	Breval, John Durant
Title	Remarks on several parts of Europe, relating chiefly to their antiquities and history, London 1738, vol. I, p. 179-194
Notes	Notice on Theodoric’s mausoleum, Galla Placidia’s tomb and the church of St. Vital (1723).
Author	Thompson, Charles
Title	The travels of the late Charles Thompson, Market – Place 1744, vol. I, p. 222-223
Notes	Notice on the ancient harbour, and on the role of the town as an Imperial and Gothic capital: description of the ruins of the lighthouse, of Theodoric’s mausoleum, particularly of its porphyry ceiling, of Galla Placidia’s tomb and the church of St. Apollinaris (1730).
Author	[anonym]
Title	Voyage historique et politique de Suisse, d'Italie et d'Allemagne, Frankfurt 1736-1743, vol. I, p. 333-335
Notes	Notice on the ancient history of the town and description of the Rotunda, the former tomb of king Theodoric (1735).
Author	Flachat, Jean – Claude
Title	Observations sur le commerce et sur les arts d'une partie de l'Europe, de l'Asie, de l'Afrique et même des Indes Orientales, Lyon 1766, vol. I, p. 127-128
Notes	Notice on the ancient Roman harbour and on Theodoric’s mausoleum (1740).
Author	Jeffereys, D.
Title	A journal from London to Rome…, London (1743?), p. 86-87
Notes	Notice on the implacability of time that has transformed the capital of an Empire into a decadent town (1741).
Author	Butler, Alban
Title	Travels through France and Italy, and part of Austrian, French and Dutch Netherlands, during the years 1745 and 1746, London : Newcastle 1803, p. 342-344
Notes	Historical outline on the role of Imperial capital of the Goths and of the Exarchate and notice on the mosaics of the Cathedral, on the monastery of S. Vitale built by Justinian, on the mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Honorius and Valentinian, on the ruins of Theodoric’s palace and on his mausoleum which is now used as a chapel (1746).
Author	Nugent, Thomas
Title	The grand tour, or a journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and France, London 1778, vol. III, p. 191-196
Notes	Historical outline on the main churches and on Theodoric’s mausoleum (1749).
Author	Cochin, Charles Nicolas
Title	Voyage d'Italie, ou recueil de notes sur les ouvrages de peinture & de sculpture, qu'on voit dans les principales villes d'Italie, Paris 1758, vol. I, p. 85-89
Notes	Negative opinion on the mosaics of St. Vital and St. Apollinaris -the- New, and description of the Rotunda, the tomb of King Theodoric erected by his daughter Amalasunta (1750).
Author	Maihows : dr.
Title	Letters from several parts of Europe and the East, London 1753, vol. I, p. 338-369
Notes	Description of the ruins of the harbour and of the lighthouse, of the mosaics of the Cathedral, of St. Vital and its miraculous fountain, of Theodoric’s mausoleum, of the mosaics, sarcophagi and other ancient ruins scattered everywhere (1750).
Author	La Porte, Joseph : de
Title	Le voyageur françois ou la connoissance de l'ancien et du nouveau monde, Paris 1765-1795, vol. XXVI, p. 66-71
Notes	The churches bear the traces of their ancient splendour thanks to their rare marbles; the ancient harbour does not exist anymore but the tomb that Amalasunta erected for her father, king Theodoric (and that the French have pillaged) is still visible (1758).
Author	Grosley, Pierre-Jean
Title	Opera: Nouveaux memoires, ou observations sur l'Italie et sur les Italiens, par deux gentilshommes suedois, London 1764, vol. I, p. 316-341
Notes	History of the very ancient town and of the harbour, now in decadence because of the retreat of the sea: excavations have brought to light three different towns covered by waters in ancient times; the little splendour that it still preserves today it is due to ancient monuments: the rare marbles in the churches wanted by Justinian, Galla Placidia and Theodoric, that even exceed Greek ancient monuments; description of St. Apollinaris “di Classe de Dentro”, wanted by Justinian and Theodoric’s tomb, pillaged by the French; notice on St. Apollinaris “in the Golden sky”, on Galla Placidia’s tomb and  St. Apollinaris “de Classe de fuora”; mention of the ancient seat of the archbishops and of their power at the time of the Western Empire, allowing the town to mint coin (1758).
Author	Grosley, Pierre-Jean
Title	Nouveaux memoires, ou observations sur l'Italie et sur les Italiens, par deux gentilshommes suedois, London 1764, vol. I, p. 315-316
Notes	The church of St. Apollinaris is the only remain of the ancient town of Classe, while Caesaraea has completely disappeared (1758).
Author	Coyer, Gabriel Francois
Title	Voyages d'Italie et de Hollande, Paris 1775, vol. II, p. 7-9
Notes	Notice on the history, the ancient harbour and Theodoric’s Mausoleum pillaged by the French in order to obtain bronze.
Author	Moore, John
Title	A view of Society and manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany: with anecdotes relating to some eminent characters, London 1781, vol. I, p. 313-315
Notes	Notice on the ancient role and Theodoric’s Mausoleum and the ruins of his palace (1775).
Author	Martyn, Thomas
Title	A tour through Italy…, London 1791, p. 111-112
Notes	Historical notice and notes on the churches of St. Vital, St. John and Theodoric’s mausoleum (1778).
Author	Meyer, Friedrich – Johann – Lorenz
Title	Darstellungen aus Italien, Berlin 1792, p. 63-64
Notes	Short notice on Theodoric’s mausoleum (1783).
Author	Beckford, Peter
Title	Familiar letters from Italy to a friend in England, Salisbury 1805, vol. II, p. 423
Notes	Notice on the role of Imperial capital of the Goths (1787).
Author	Matthison, Friedrich : von
Title	Erinnerungen, Zürich 1810-1816, p. vol. V, p. 34-40
Notes	Description of Theodoric’s mausoleum, considered as the best city curiosity, of Theodoric’s Palace with the porphyry sarcophagus containing his ashes, and notice on the church of St. Vital, particularly on the bas-relief with Neptune’s throne dating back to the II cent., on Galla Placidia’s tomb also containing the burials of Honorius and Valentinian II and probably of  Constans, Galla Placidia’s husband.
Author	Wilde, Oscar
Title	Ravenna,  in The Works of Oscar Wilde, London, Galley Press, (1987), pp. 804-811
Notes	Lyrical ode dedicated to the town of Ravenna, to its millenarian history and its immortal personages, among which Theodoric, king of the Goths.
Author	Fo, Dario
Title	La vera storia di Ravenna, Ed. Panini, Modena, 1999
Notes	Reflections and emotions stirred up by the town. The visitor’s feelings entering Galla Placidia’s mausoleum.
	Mabillon, Jean – Germain, Michel
ICONOGRAPHIC SOURCES
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