Tato (died 510) was an early 6th century king of the

Lombards The Lombards () or Longobards () were a Germanic peoples, Germanic people who conquered most of the Italian Peninsula between 568 and 774. The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written betwee ...

. He was the son of Claffo and a king of the Lething Dynasty. According to

Procopius Procopius of Caesarea (; ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; ; – 565) was a prominent Late antiquity, late antique Byzantine Greeks, Greek scholar and historian from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman general Belisarius in Justinian I, Empe ...

, the Lombards were subject and paid tribute to the

Heruli The Heruli (also Eluri, Eruli, Herules, Herulians) were one of the smaller Germanic peoples of Late Antiquity, known from records in the third to sixth centuries AD. The best recorded group of Heruli established a kingdom north of the Middle Danu ...

during his reign. In 508, he fought with King Rodulf of the Heruli, who was slain. This was a devastating blow to the Heruli and augmented the power of the Lombards. According to

Paul the Deacon Paul the Deacon ( 720s 13 April in 796, 797, 798, or 799 AD), also known as ''Paulus Diaconus'', ''Warnefridus'', ''Barnefridus'', or ''Winfridus'', and sometimes suffixed ''Cassinensis'' (''i.e.'' "of Monte Cassino"), was a Benedictine monk, sc ...

, the war started because Tato's daughter Rumetrada murdered Rodulf's brother. Tato was murdered by his nephew

Wacho Wacho (also Waccho; probably from ''Waldchis'') was king of the Lombards before they entered Italy from an unknown date (perhaps c. 510) until his death in 539. His father was Unichis. Wacho usurped the throne by assassinating (or having assassina ...

in 510.

References

*'' Origo Gentis Langobardorum'' *''

Historia Langobardorum The ''History of the Lombards'' or the ''History of the Langobards'' () is the chief work by Paul the Deacon, written in the late 8th century. This incomplete history in six books was written after 787 and at any rate no later than 796, maybe at ...

'' by Paul the Deacon *''Zur Geschichte der Langobarden'' by Dr. Ludwig Schmidt (Leipzig, 1885)

External links

A translation of Historia Langobardorum
*History of the Lombards." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010
Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 25 Mar. 2010
5th-century births 510 deaths 6th-century murdered monarchs 6th-century Lombard monarchs Lombard warriors Lethings Year of birth unknown {{Europe-royal-stub