L’opera di Venanzio tra letteratura e storia. Il caso di Radegonda e del suo monastero

The article focuses on Venantius Fortunatus’ important contribution to our knowledge of the historical profile of Radengund and the monastery she founded. Venantius’ works constitute, in fact, one of the main sources on the Thuringian princess, first war booty and Clotaire I’s wife, then founder of the Abbey of the Holy Cross at Poitiers. The study is introduced by a brief methodological premise on the controversial issue of the use of literary sources for history, and especially for the history of late-antique Christianity, with reference to the debate on historical research and writing.