Cassiodorus was a Roman statesman, great writer and (later) monk, serving in the administration of Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. He spent his career trying to bridge the cultural divides that were fragmenting the 6th century, between East and West, Greek culture and Latin, Roman and Goth, Christian people with an Arian ruler. He speaks fondly in his Institutiones of Dionysius Exiguus, responsible for the Anno Domini dating system.

In his retirement he founded the monastery of Vivarium on his family estates on the shores of the Ionian Sea, and his writings turned to religion. The twin structure of the Vivarium was to permit coenobitic monks and hermits to coexist. The library of Cassiodorus was a last effort, at the very close of the Classical period, to bring Greek learning to Latin readers, a concern shared by his contempoary Boethius. In the end both efforts failed, the library was dispersed and lost.... More • http://en.wikipedia. ... assiodorus View • Books • Images • Videos • Search Related • Statesmen • Byzantine • Italy • Literature • Monks • Politicians • Roman Age • Writers • People