Athalaric (; 5162 October 534) was the king of the Ostrogoths in Italy between 526 and 534. He was a son of Eutharic and Amalasuintha, the youngest daughter of Theodoric the Great, whom Athalaric succeeded as king in 526. Athalaric was described to live a hedonistic lifestyle by Procopius of Caesarea. His mother managed the kingdom during his reign, and he died as a teenager.
Life
Athalaric's grandfather was Theodoric the Great (470–526). His area of rule encompassed Italy, southern Spain, southern France, and the western Balkans. Theodoric died in 526, For example, around 533, she had Emperor Justinian protect the Ostrogothic Kingdom. Amalasuintha adhered to Roman learning and customs that were especially objectionable to other Goths, as they saw it as cowardly and submissive.
File:Museo delle cere anatomiche (Bologna) abc22.jpg|Alleged skull of Athalaric at the Anatomical Wax Museum of Bologna, now believed to have belonged to a middle-aged, 16th-17th century man.