Final answer:
Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, was tolerant of the Catholic population for most of his reign despite being an Arian Christian. His early policy promoted unity and integration, but later he became mistrustful towards Catholics which led to acts of persecution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Regarding the statement that Theodoric, the king of the Ostrogoths in Italy, persecuted Roman Christians because of his Arian beliefs, this can be considered partially true. Initially, Theodoric was noted for his tolerance, maintaining good relations with the Pope and using the structures of Roman government to rule.
Theodoric, while an Arian Christian, generally tolerated the Catholic population and avoided conflict. However, towards the end of his reign, he did become mistrustful of Catholics and there were acts of persecution.
Theodoric's rule was marked by an attempt to forge unity and promote prosperity, but the Arian heresy attributed to him would later be suppressed when Byzantine control reasserted itself.
The change in attitude late in his reign does suggest that there were incidents of persecution, driven by religious distrust and subsequent conflict. Yet, it's important to note that his initial policy leaned towards tolerance and cultural integration between the Goths and Romans.
It is noteworthy that after Theodoric's death, the Ostrogoths faced significant struggles and Italy suffered great devastation due to invasions, further complicating the historical assessment of his reign.