Capitalhood in the Visigothic Kingdom

Type:

Book Chapter

Author:

Damián Fernández

Published:

2025

Publisher:

Routledge

Visigothic scholarship has traditionally seen in the choice of Toledo as ‘capital’ of the kingdom a feature of imitatio imperii. Such imitation of Rome or Constantinople would have coincided with changing ideas of capitalhood among Visigothic elites, who progressively abandoned the idea of a ‘head city’ as the seat of a king (sedes regia) and embraced the notion of a royal city (urbs regia)—that is, a city with its own intrinsic central status. This chapter challenges this interpretation in two ways. First, the idea of Toledo as urbs regia grew within Toledan church circles to affirm the city’s primacy within the ecclesiastical province. Thus, strategic use rather than imitation provides a better framework of understanding. Second, it is very likely that this concept of Toledo was not universally accepted; in royal circles and other important cities, the sedes regia view probably prevailed.

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