Ravenna

City on the Adriatic (northern Italy) chosen as a capital of the western Roman empire by Honorius in AD 402. Odoacer and the Ostrogoth king Theodoric also made it their capital (late 5th century). Rivalry between Arian Ostrogoths and native Latin Christians led to the building of its magnificent churches. Ravenna was retaken by Justinian's general, Belisarius, in 540.