The first great achievement of Tautarikis was, when he defeated the Sarmation army and killed their king Babai near Singidunum (modern Belgrade). Enormous treasure and many Sarmations as slaves fell into the hands of Tautarikis. Thus he revenged Sarmatians for their invasion of Tautameris' territory. Not only Goths, but also Romans rejoiced over such Tautarikis' success.
In 474, Tautameris died, and his son Tautarikis became the king of Goths. Then the Gothic nation became powerful and famous. During the reign of Tautarikis, the following remarkable events took place.
For a long time but with a degree of success he waged the war against the Byzantian emperor Zeno. This was the war of revenge against Byzantium, because they treacherously wronged Tautmantas (Thiudamunths), the brother of Tautarikis. Zeno became weary, and in 483 he gave to Tautarikis a vast amount of gold and an enormous tract of land, asking him to conclude the peace.
In 485, two rebel generals of Constantinople, Illus and Romulus, caused some trouble to Zeno. Tautarikis completely defeated their army. For this Zeno was very grateful, and he erected an equestrian statue in a public square of Constantinople in honor of Tautarikis.
On the 15th day of March, 493, Tautarikis with his own hand murdered Vadakaris (Otachar, rex Herulorum) the king of Heruli and of Italy, and declared himself as the king of Italy. This was the nastiest of Tautarikis' crimes, because on account of his personal ambitions he dared to kill his kinsman, and even treacherously. But some historians justify Tautarikis, because it is said that Vadakaris also plotted to murder Tautarikis.
In 497, emperor Anastasius recognized Tautarikis as the king of Italy and had sent to him the purple robe and the diadem.
The whole world feared Tautarikis, sought his favors, respected him and sent him gifts. Even Lithuanian ancestors the Aestii have sent him amber as a present. In those days amber was more valued in Rome than gold. Therefore Tautarikis thanking for the amber, dispatched to the Aestians a letter, worded thus:

"Haestis, Theodoricus rex. Illo et illo legatis vestris venientibus grande vos studium notitiae nostrae habuisse cognovimus; ut in Oceani litoribus constituti, cum nostra mente jungamini: suavis nobis admodum et gratia petitio, ut ad vos perveniret fama nostra, ad quos nulla potuimus destinare mandata. Amate jam cognitum, quem requisistis ambienter ignotum. Nam inter tot gentes viam presumere, non est aliquid facile concupiisee. Et ideo salutatione vos affectuosa requirentes, indicamus succina, quae a vobis per harum portitores directa sunt, grato animo fuisse suscepta, quae ad vos Oceani unda descendens, hanc levissimam substantiam, sicut et vestrorum relatio continebat, exportat; sed unde veniat, incognitum vos habere dixerunt, quam ante omnes homines patria vestra offerente suscipitis. Haec quodam Cornelio scribente legitur in interioribus insulis Oceani ex arboris succo defluens, unde et succinum dicitur, paulatim solis ardore coalescere. Fit enim sudatile metallum teneritudo perspicua, modo croceo colore rubens, modo fiamea claritate pinguescens, ut cum in maris fluerit delapsa confinio, aestu alternante purgata. vestris litoribus tradatur exposita. Quod ideo judicavimus indicandum, ne omnino putetis notitiam nostram fugere, quod occultum creditis vos habere. Proinde requirite nos saepius per vias, quas amor vester aperuit. Quia semper prodest divitum regum acquisita concordia, qui dum parvo munere leniuntur, majore semper compensatione prospiciunt. Aliqua vobis etiam per legatos vestros verbo mandavimus, per quos quae grata esse debeant nos destinasse declaramus." ---- Cassiod. Variar. v. 2.

"To the Haestii, Tautarikis the king. From your distinguished envoys that have arrived, who attracted our attention, we have learned about your activities; although you inhabit the distant shores of the Ocean, at least with your hearts unite with us: it is gratifying and surprising to us to learn that our fame has reached you, to whom we were unable to send any communication. Love the one with whom you are now acquainted, the one whom (unknown) you seeked for a long time. Indeed to press through so many nations and to find the way is not so easy. And therefore we affectionably greet you, noting the amber, which was sent by you through your couriers, and we acknowledge that we have received it with a grateful heart, which the descending waves of the Ocean cast out to you on the shore, this lightest of all substances, as it was revealed to us by the story of your envoys; but how it comes thither, they say that you know not, and amongst all the nations you are the only ones to obtain it generously in your native land. But as we are informed by a certain uathor named Cornelius, it is a juice (succum) that was flowing down from the trees in the innermost islands of the Ocean, whence it is called succinum (amber), and gradually hardened by the heat of the sun. Thus it becomes an exuded metal of transparant consistency, sometimes blushing with the colour of saffron, sometimes glowing with flame----like brightness; and then gliding down to the margin of the sea, and being purified by the rolling tides, it is at length cast out upon your shores. We have thought it better to point this out to you, lest you should think that all this has escaped our knowledge, which you believe is your secret. By all means visit us more often through the same roads which your affection had opened up. Because it is always advantageous to keep the acquired friendship of the wealthy kings, who being pleased with a small present, always foresee a greater compensation. The rest of the message we send you through your ambassadors, through whom we declare what caused us to express our gratitude."

The world is grateful to Tautarikis, because he loved and protected Roman art. He punished those that ventured to destroy ancient statues and architecture. Once he learned that someone had stolen a bronze statue from a public square at Cumae; he immediately sent a message to the Gothic senator Dankyla (Thankila) with a promise of 100 pounds of gold shillings for the recovery of that statue. Later he sent another letter stating that he would pardon the thieves if they would confess and return that statue; otherwise they would be punished by death. Every year he assigned 200 pounds of gold (about 40,000 dollars) for the repairs of ancient structures. He always propagated the idea, that "it is more sublime to preserve what is ancient, than to build new structures."

In religious matters, Tautarikis was very tolerant. He respected the Catholic bishops just as much as the Arian bishops. He himself was of the Arian faith, but always sided with justice. He protected those that were maltreated. If an Arian priest wronged a Catholic, he punished that Arian priest by death.

To his enemies he was austerely cruel, but to his faithful subjects he was merciful and just. In cases where the crops failed, he absolved the farmers from the government taxes. If he discovered that some official wronged somebody, then he severely punished that official. Tautarikis even encouraged the people to come directly to him with their complaints. Therefore Roman citizens highly esteemed their "barbarian" king.

In his old age, however, Tautarikis became feeble-minded and despotic. Then he began suspecting even his nearest friends as conspirators. He doomed many innocent persons. He kept in prison the famous philosopher and writer Boethius, innocently, until there he died. He also murdered Symmachus, the greatest historian of that age, only from a fear lest Symmachus might avenge the death of Boetius, simply because he was an uncle of Boetius. Pope John the First was suspected of treason, because it was supposed that during his visit to the Byzantian emperor he remarked that the dominion of Tautarikis is weakened, and for this he was thrown into prison where he died in May A.D. 526. Then Tautarikis, suspecting that all the Catholics were digging under the foundations of his government because of the pope's martyrdom, began to despise and persecute all the Catholics. Everybody thought then, that the Neronian age would come back to Rome again.

In the beginning of August, 526, Tautarikis suddenly became ill. It is said, that he saw on the table a head of a big fish, and suddenly he began to cry that it was the head of Symmachus which stared at him with revengful eyes. Then he went to bed, became delirious, called to his bedside all the Gothic leaders, said farewell to everybody, taking an oath from each that they should be faithful to his nephew Alarikis and to his daughter Amalasvinta, and expired on the 13th day of August, A.D. 526.
(15) ATALARIKIS (Athalareiks). The name of this king is composed of two words: Athala (Atolus in Lithuan.) means noble, and –rikis.
Atalarikis, ten years old boy, on the 26th day of August, 526, became the lawful king of Italy and the Grand Chief of the Ostrogoths. The regents of this youthful king were general Dulbins (Thulvins) and his mother Amalasvinta. Amalasvinta was Romanized and full of ambitions renegate. She tutored her son Atalarikis in a Roman atmosphere; therefore this young king admired everything that was Greek, venerated everything that was Roman, and loathed anything that was Gothic. He always insulted the Goths and was ashamed of his own nationality. He was a dissolute drunkard, and on account of his lewdness he lost his health. There are many examples in history of the fact that the descendants of geniuses, as a rule, are degenerates.

Dulbins and other noted Gothic chiefs reprehended Amalasvinta for demoralizing Atalarikis, therefore Amalasvinta managed to murder the great Gothic patriot Dulbins.

October 3rd, 534, Atalarikis died from tuberculosis, achieving nothing worth while for the Gothic nation.
(16) TAUTAGODA (Thiudagoda). The name of this king is composed of two words: Thiuda (Tauta in Lithuanian) means nation, and goda (goda in Lithuanian also) means honor. Hence this name means "The honor of the nation".
In 534, both Amalasvinta and Tautagoda were raised to the throne of Italy. Amalasvinta endeavored to outwit Tautagoda; and Tautagoda strived to find the means of getting rid of Amalasvinta. The Goths really hated Amalasvinta on account of her degeneracy. In a short time the avengers of Dulbins killed everybody that participated in the murder of Dulbinas, and at the same time they captured Amalasvinta and took her to prison on the island of lake Bolsena. Later the worshipers of Dulbinas broke into that prison and smothered Amalasvinta in a bath. Other historians believe that Theodora, the wife of Justinian, and Gudelina the wife of Tautagoda, planned the murder of Amalasvinta from jealousy, because Amalasvinta was a very beautiful woman and quite coquettish.

The Byzantian emperor Justinian for a long time wished to free the Roman Empire from the Gothish yoke. Now there was a good pretext. Immediately he denounced Tautagoda as a murderer, and pretending to avenge the death of Tautarikis' daughter Amalasvinta, he declared war against Tautagoda. Tautagoda was a coward, unworthy the name of Goth. Secretly he began to inquire how much of gold he would obtain from Justinian for the surrender. The Gothic chiefs learned about these treacherous plans of Tautagoda, they rebelled against him and elected VITIGIS for their Grand Chief. Tautagoda was fleeing to the fortress of Ravenna, but the general of Vitigis named Aptakarys (Optaharyis) overtook and killed him. Such was the doggish end of a villain and a coward.
(17) VITIGIS (Vitiges), means "a brave knight". The Russian word "Vitiaz" is borrowed from the Lithuanian "vytis" (= a knight).
There are many inhabitants in Lithuania with names: Vytis, Vytautas, Vitika, Vitginas, Bud-vitis, etc., etc.

King Vitigis was loyal to Goths, was brave in war, and enduring, but he lacked wit in some strategical questions. He made a terrible mistake when he left in Rome only 4000 warriors, while he himself with his whole grand army withdrew to Ravenna. The Byzantian general Belisarius immediately besieged Rome. When Gothic defenders saw the immense and well equipped Byzantian army, they lost their courage and quietly deserted the city. Only brave Liaudakarys (Leudaharyis) remained at his post, and naturally he was taken as a prisoner. Belisarius without any opposition took Rome on the 9th day of December, A.D. 536. Belisarius was wise, because he immediately repaired the walls of the city and waited for the Goths. And he wasn't mistaken. Vitigis regreting the loss of Rome, with 150,000 of his men, soon surrounded that city. From the beginning of March, 537, the siege lasted for one year and nine days, till Vitigis succeeded in forcing Balisarius out of Rome.

In this terribly hard siege, the following Gothic generals had shown their valour: Liaudakarys (Leudakaryis), Visants (Wisanths), Vakis (Wakis), Ginvila (Hiunvila), Pocius (Patsis), Albis (Albes), Vilicius (Vilithius), Vireika (Viraihya) and others, whose names are really Lithuanian.