Who commissioned Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna?

Theodoric the Great commissioned the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna.

The Ostrogothic king built the church in the early sixth century as his palace chapel. It was originally associated with Arian Christianity, the confession followed by Theodoric and many Goths in his kingdom.

After Byzantine forces conquered Ravenna, the church was rededicated to Catholic worship. Its dedication changed over time, and the building eventually received the name Sant’Apollinare Nuovo.

The church is famous for its long mosaic processions. One side shows female saints moving toward the enthroned Virgin and Child, while the opposite side shows male saints approaching Christ. Later alterations removed or modified some earlier imagery, so the surviving decoration reflects more than one phase of Ravenna’s religious history.