The Ostrogoths, or East Goths, who had settled in Southern Russia,
at length pushed southward and westward to the mouth of the Danube.

They were continually invading countries belonging to the Romans
and their warlike raids were dreaded by the emperors of the Eastern
Roman Empire, who lived at Constantinople. One emperor gave them
land and money, and thus stopped their invasions for a time.

The most famous of the Ostrogoth kings was Theodoric (The-od'-or-ic)
the Great. He was the son of Theodemir (The-od'-e-mir), who was
also a king of the Ostrogoths. When Theodoric was eight years old
he was sent to Constantinople to be held as a hostage by Leo, the
Emperor of the East. In former times, when kings made treaties
with one another, it was customary for one to give to the other a
pledge or security that he would fulfill the conditions of the treaty.
The pledge usually given was some important person or persons,
perhaps the king's son or a number of his chief men. Persons so
given as a security were called hostages. When Theodoric was a boy
he was given as a hostage for his father's good faith in carrying
out a treaty with the Emperor and was sent to Constantinople to
live. Here the youth was well treated by Leo. He was educated
with great care and trained in all the exercises of war.

Theodemir died in 475, and then Theodoric returned to his own country
and became king of the Ostrogoths. At this time he was eighteen
years of age. He was handsome and brave and people loved him, for
in those days a man who was tall and strong and brave was liked by
everybody.