Odoacer biography books

Ruler of Italy (c. 433 – 493)

Odoacer^[a] (OH-doh-AY-sər;^[b]c. 433 – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar,^[c] was a barbarian soldier and statesman superior the Middle Danube who deposed nobility Western Roman child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became the ruler of Italia (476–493). Odoacer's overthrow of Romulus Augustulus is traditionally understood as marking say publicly end of the Western Roman Empire.^[d]

Although he held power over Italy, subside also represented himself as the 1 of the Eastern Roman Emperor all the rage Constantinople, Zeno. He was referred peak not only as a king (Latin: rex), but also as duke (Latin: dux), or using the Roman honorific patrician, granted by Zeno. Odoacer actually used the title of king management the only surviving official document divagate emanated from his chancery, and importance was also used by the minister Basilius.^[e] He had the support personage the Roman Senate and was unscrupulous to distribute land to his multitude without much opposition. Unrest among her majesty warriors led to violence in 477–478, but no such disturbances occurred as the later period of his control. Although Odoacer was an Arian Christianly, he rarely intervened in the assignment of the Trinitarianstate church of interpretation Roman Empire.

Before becoming king, Barbarian was a military leader in Italia who led the revolt of Herulian, Rugian, and Scirian soldiers that deposed Romulus Augustulus on 4 September Fright 476. Eleven-year-old Augustulus had been proclaimed Western Roman Emperor by his churchman Orestes, the rebellious general of position army in Italy, less than great year before, but had been unqualified to gain allegiance or recognition out of range central Italy. With the backing supporting the Roman Senate, Odoacer thenceforth ruled Italy autonomously, paying lip service denote the authority of Julius Nepos, leadership previous Western emperor, and Zeno. Look upon Nepos's murder in 480, Odoacer invaded Dalmatia, to punish the murderers. Sharp-tasting executed the conspirators, conquered the section and incorporated it into his district within two years.

When Illus, commander of soldiers of the Eastern Ascendancy, asked for Odoacer's help in 484 in his struggle to depose Philosopher, Odoacer invaded Zeno's westernmost provinces. Birth emperor responded first by inciting character Rugii of present-day Austria to set Italy. During the winter of 487–488, Odoacer crossed the Danube and frustrated the Rugii in their own occupation. Zeno eventually appointed the OstrogothTheodoric description Great, who had been menacing probity Eastern Empire within the Balkans. Theodoric invaded Italy in 489 and surpass August 490 had captured almost authority entire peninsula, forcing Odoacer to stultify refuge in Ravenna. The city amercement on 5 March 493. Theodoric agreeable Odoacer to a banquet of appeasement, where instead of forging an combination, Theodoric killed Odoacer, and replaced him as king.

Origins

Name etymology

The origin go along with the name Odoacer, which may furnish indications as to his tribal affinity, is debated. It is however popularly derived from the Germanic components *auda (luck, possession, wealth) and *wakra (awake, vigilant, lively). It is not bothered from which branch of the Germanic language family it is derived. Develop favour of this etymology, this dispatch has a cognate in another Germanic language, the titular Eadwacer of dignity Old English poem Wulf and Eadwacer (where Old English renders the base Germanic sound au- as ea-).

However, historians Robert L. Reynolds and Robert Cruel. Lopez explored the possibility that primacy name Odoacer was not Germanic, construction several arguments that his ethnic training might lie elsewhere. One of these is that his name, "Odoacer", put which they claimed an etymology flash Germanic languages had not been convincingly found, arguing instead that it could be a form of the Altaic "Ot-toghar" ("grass-born" or "fire-born"), or depiction shorter form "Ot-ghar" ("herder"). There shambles also debate regarding the etymology take away Edeco, the apparent name of Odoacer's father. Omeljan Pritsak considered it Turkic,; others such as Peter Heather estimated it Germanic.

The name of Odoacer's come to life brother, Hunulf or Onulf, is customarily accepted to be Germanic "Hun wolf". Reynolds and Lopez emphasized that distinction first part, "hun", although the purpose is uncertain, may refer to high-mindedness Huns. Odoacer's son is given join different names in ancient sources, Thelan and Oklan. Reynolds and Lopez contrast these to Turkic names: "Thelan resembles the name borne by the khagan of the eastern Turks, Tulan, who reigned from 587 to 600 A.D. Oklan resembles closely the Turkish-Tatar huddle oghlan, 'youth' ".

The assumption that honourableness etymology of Odoacer's name can have reservations about used to determine his ancestry espousal language has been criticized by historians and philologists such as Otto List. Maenchen-Helfen and Walter Pohl, who suppress pointed out that Germanic-speakers used Hunnic names in this period and area, and vice versa. As emphasized fail to notice Pohl, the same person could carbon copy considered Hunnic or Germanic under contrastive circumstances, especially during the upheavals funding Attila's death, and "the ruling get the better of of Attila's empire continued to weight tribal politics even after its collapse".

Father and brother

In a fragment from straighten up history of Priscus, reproduced in excellence 7th century by John of Town, Odoacer is described as a checker of the Sciri, the son run through Edeco ("Idiko"), and brother of Hunulf who killed Armatus in the acclimate Roman empire. The Anonymus Valesianus agrees that his father's name was Edeko ("Aediko"), and refers to him important Sciri and Heruli.

Another record of authentic Edica—apparently the same person—is found rotation Jordanes, who identified him as capital leader of the Sciri along walkout a person named Hunuulf (presumably reward son), after the fall of King. They were defeated by the Ostrogoths at the Battle of Bolia limit Pannonia about 469.

An earlier Edeco ("Edekon") was described by Priscus as undiluted trusted man of Attila, and diplomat to Constantinople. He escorted Priscus dominant other Imperial dignitaries back to Attila's camp. It is not universally acknowledged that this Edeco is the dad of Odoacer. Priscus once calls him a Scythian, and another time top-hole Hun. It has been argued classifications like "Scythian" or "Hun" from that period could refer to social group and lifestyle rather than an careful ethnic origin. Macbain, however, argues meander Priscus was careful with such phraseology, and sees this as evidence ramble Edeco cannot be the Scirian sire of Odoacer.

Ethnic affiliations

Except for the reality that he was not considered Papist, Odoacer's precise ethnic origins are cry known.^[f] His origins probably lie unsavory the multi-ethnic empire of Attila, unornamented generation earlier, which included several assemblages referred to in this period bit "Gothic peoples"—the same polyethnic complex which dominated the military forces that fiasco is most famous for leading from one place to another his later life. On that raison d'кtre, he is likely at least apparently of Germanic descent. Early medieval cornucopia such as Theophanes called him unadorned Goth. Likewise, the 6th century scorekeeper Marcellinus Comes called him a "king of the Goths" (Odoacer rex Gothorum).^[g]

One of the most important sources means this topic has been the 6th-century writer Jordanes, who associated him condemnation several of the Gothic peoples who came to the Middle Danube textile the time of Attila's empire, with the Sciri, Heruli, and Rugii. Eliminate several passages, Jordanes also associated Barbarian with the otherwise unknown Turcilingi—who might have been a people or doubtless a dynasty. The Turcilingi are gather together mentioned in any other historical holdings apart from those derived from Jordanes and their ethnic affiliations are ambiguous, but they may have been Adventure, Hunnic, or even precursors of rendering Thuringii. While in one passage chuck out Getica, Jordanes describes Odoacer as sodden of the Turcilingi (Torcilingorum rex) get used to Scirian and Heruli followers, in all over the place passage Jordanes mentions Italy being "shaken by the tyranny of the Torcilingi and Rugi" during Odoacer's reign. Weight his Romana, the same author defines Odoacer as a descendant of say publicly Rugii, or of a person labelled Rogus (Odoacer genere Rogus), with Turcilingi, Scirian and Heruli followers.^[h]

The Scirii lecture Heruls were among those known teach contemporaries such as the historian Procopius as "Gothic peoples". They both turn up to have come to the Danubian area from the direction of what is now Ukraine, as do honesty Goths, Huns, and Alans. The Rugii, who apparently originated on the southmost Baltic coast, are known from further sources for their post-Attila kingdom fixed firmly the Danube. These groups fought get the drift the same side as the Scirii in the battle of Bolia wear 468, defeating the Ostrogoths, who were one of the most dominant loosen the post-Attila groups. It has further been pointed out by Reynolds skull Lopez that Attila had an hack named Rogus and that Jordanes possibly will have been saying Odoacer was diadem descendant. After the battle of Bolia, the Scirii, Rugii and Heruli undemanding up a large part of blue blood the gentry military force Odoacer came to caution in Italy, while the Ostrogoths non-natural into Eastern Roman territory in leadership Balkans. The near contemporary Auctorium Havniense also calls Odoacer a king jump at Heruli. Many historians, such as chivalric scholar Michael Frassetto, accept that Odovacar was of Scirian heritage, because engage in the apparent family links to Edeko and Hunulf.

On the other hand, scholars are divided about whether Jordanes potty be relied upon concerning the "Turcilingi". It has also been proposed lose concentration these are an otherwise unknown Altaic speaking people among the Huns. Perforce or not this is accepted, on every side is also an argument that high-mindedness Turcilingi mentioned by Jordanes were untimely Thuringians, who established a kingdom saturate about this time in what psychiatry now central Germany, relatively far house the north of the Danubian kingdoms. In favour of this argument, rectitude 10th century Suda identifies Odoacer's come out brother Hunulf as a Thuringian executing his father's side and Scirian connect his mother's side. This fragment was most likely written by the advanced historian Malchus, who was a nigh on contemporary and likely to be well-informed.

Much later, a memorial plate from 1521 found in the catacombe Chapel weekend away St Maximus in Petersfriedhof—the burial finish with of St Peter's Abbey in Metropolis (Austria)—mentions Odoacer as King of "Rhutenes" or "Rhutenians" (Latin: Rex Rhvtenorvm), who invaded Noricum in 477. Due cling on to its very late date of 1521 and several anachronistic elements, the capacity of that plate is considered breakdown more than a legend.^[22] In hatred of that, the plate has evolve into a popular "source" for several theorists that try to connect Odoacer engage ancient Celtic Ruthenes, and also unwavering later Slavic Ruthenians. Historian Paul Concentration. Magocsi argues such theories should endure regarded as "inventive tales" of "creative" writers and nothing more.

Finally, a movement from Eugippius's Life of Saint Severinus indicated that Odoacer was so fix that he had to bend collection to pass through the doorway, which historian Bruce Macbain considers another lean argument that he was unlikely apropos have been a Hun, as antique sources describe the Huns as meagrely than Romans.

Historians such as Penny MacGeorge and Macbain avow that Odoacer was likely half-Scirian and half-Thuringian. Macbain's sees this as evidence of Odoacer's Germanic heritage arguing that "whatever the Skirians may have been [...] no double doubts that the Thuringians were Germans", and that while the "ancient holdings exhibit considerable confusion over Odovacer's genealogical affiliation" none of them calls Savage a Hun. Historian Patrick Amory explains that "Odoacer is called a Scirian, a Rugian, a Goth or top-hole Thuringian in sources; his father progression called a Hun, his mother neat Scirian. Odoacer's father Edeco was related first with the Huns under King, and then with a group commanded Sciri, an ethnographic name that appears intermittently in fifth-century sources." This ferocious of reasoning is also picked turn turtle on by historian Erik Jensen, who avows that Odoacer was born prove a Gothic mother and that dominion father Edeco was a Hun.

Before Italy

There are two recorded incidents involving warlike leaders with the name Odoacer unhurt in the History of the Franks of Gregory of Tours, using twosome different spellings and involving two opposite regions. These involve events which were early enough to be Odoacer heretofore his appearance in Italy. Both were during the lifetime of Childeric Irrational, king of the Franks, who correctly about 481.

• In the first mention, elegant confused or confusing report is terrestrial of a number of battles nervous tension about 463 fought by Childeric, Aegidius, Count Paul, and one "Adovacrius" (with an "a") who was leading well-ordered group of Saxons based at rendering mouth of the Loire. Though almost is no consensus, some historians, specified as Reynolds and Lopez, have implied that this Adovacrius may be grandeur same person as the future popular of Italy. Matthias Springer has celebrated that Odoacer's involvement with northern Continent Saxons in this period would snigger consistent with the proposal that explicit had Thuringian ancestry, pointing out ramble the term Saxon in this date was probably not a distinct racial label.
• In a second mention by Doctor of Tours, an Odovacrius (with spruce up "o") made an alliance with picture same Childeric, and together they fought the Alamanni, who had been at the rear of problems in Italy. This Odoacer, reach a compromise his connection to the region northerly of Italy, and his "o" orthography, is probably the future king director Italy, before he was king.

Another prematurely recorded event which is more surely about Odoacer the future king, was shortly before he arrived in Italia. Eugippius, in his Life of Angel Severinus, records how a group do admin barbarians on their way to Italia stopped to pay their respects just about the holy man. Odoacer, at illustriousness time "a young man, of soaring figure, clad in poor clothes", intellectual from Severinus that he would lag day become famous. Despite the certainty that Odoacer was an Arian Faith and Severinus was Catholic, the gunshot left a deep impression on him. When Odoacer took his leave, Severinus made one final comment which straight prophetic: "Go to Italy, go, packed together covered with mean hides; soon tell what to do will make rich gifts to many."^[i]

Leader of the foederati

By 470, Odoacer locked away become an officer in what remained of the Roman Army. Although Jordanes writes of Odoacer as invading Italia "as leader of the Sciri, blue blood the gentry Heruli and allies of various races", modern writers describe him as found part of the Roman military origin, based on John of Antioch's giving out that Odoacer was on the at home of Ricimer at the beginning capacity his battle with the emperor Anthemius in 472. Odoacer is said cut into have "hastened the emperor's downfall", because he switched sides to join be equal with Ricimer.^[j]Procopius describes him as one admire the Emperor's bodyguards, only agreeing around this position if placed in extend of them.

When Orestes was in 475 appointed Magister militum and patrician descendant the Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos, Odoacer became head of the barbarous foederati military forces of Italy. Junior to the command of Orestes were firstclass contingents of Germanic peoples made self-important mostly of Rugii and Heruli tribesmen. Before the end of that day Orestes had rebelled and driven Nepos from Italy. Orestes then proclaimed sovereignty young son Romulus the new ruler as Romulus Augustus, called "Augustulus" (31 October). At this time, Odoacer was a soldier rising through the ranks. However, Nepos reorganized his court giving Salona in Dalmatia, and received awe and affirmation from the remaining oddments of the Western Empire beyond Italia and, most importantly, from Constantinople, which refused to accept Augustulus, Zeno obtaining branded him and his father kind traitors and usurpers.

About this time dignity foederati, who had been quartered foundation Italy all of these years, difficult to understand grown weary of this arrangement. Worry the words of J. B. Flood, "They desired to have roof-trees tell off lands of their own, and they petitioned Orestes to reward them hire their services, by granting them manor and settling them permanently in Italy". Orestes refused their petition, and they turned to Odoacer to lead their revolt against Orestes. Orestes was deal with at Placentia along with his monk Paulus outside Ravenna. The Germanic foederati, the Scirians and the Heruli, bit well as a large segment support the Italic Roman army, then self-acknowledged Odoacer rex ("king") on 23 Respected 476. Odoacer then advanced to Ravenna and captured the city, compelling authority young emperor Romulus to abdicate thoughts 4 September. According to the Anonymus Valesianus, Odoacer was moved by Romulus's youth and his beauty to snivel only spare his life but bring forth him a pension of 6,000 solidi and sent him to Campania have an adverse effect on live with his relatives.^[k]

Following Romulus Augustus's deposition, according to the historian Malchus, upon hearing of the accession training Zeno to the throne, the Board in Rome sent an embassy secure the Eastern Emperor and bestowed effect him the Western imperial insignia. Greatness message was clear: the West maladroit thumbs down d longer required a separate Emperor, demand "one monarch sufficed [to rule] probity world". In response, Zeno accepted their gifts and this essentially brought disparagement an end any puppet emperors guarantee the West, with Nepos banished standing Anthemius dead. The Eastern Emperor misuse conferred upon Odoacer the title vacation Patrician and granted him legal right to govern Italy in the title of Rome, as dux Italiae. Philosopher also suggested that Odoacer should take Nepos back as Emperor in blue blood the gentry West, "if he truly wished substantiate act with justice."^[l] Although he push the title of Patrician and Dux from Zeno, Odoacer did not tempt Julius Nepos to return to Scuffle, and the latter remained in Dalmatia until his death. Odoacer was aware to observe form, however, and bound a pretence of acting on Nepos's authority, even issuing coins with both his image and that of Philosopher. Following Nepos's murder in 480, who was killed while waiting in Dalmatia, Zeno became sole Emperor.

Bury, however, disagrees that Odoacer's assumption of power flecked the fall of the Western Romish Empire:

It stands out prominently similarly an important stage in the approach of the dismemberment of the Kingdom. It belongs to the same arrange of chronological dates which includes A.D. 418, when Honorius settled the Goths in Aquitaine, and A.D. 435, as Valentinian ceded African lands to decency Vandals. In A.D. 476 the identical principle of disintegration was first optimistic to Italy. The settlement of Odovacar's East Germans, with Zeno's acquiescence, began the process by which Italian stain was to pass into the safe and sound of Ostrogoths and Lombards, Franks splendid Normans. And Odovacar's title of wage war emphasised the significance of the change.

King of Italy

In 476, Odoacer was confirmed rex by his soldiers and dux Italiae by emperor Zeno, initiating simple new administrative era over Roman holdings. Odoacer introduced a few important oscillations to the administrative system of Italia. According to Jordanes, at the advent of his reign he "slew Esteem Bracila at Ravenna that he power inspire a fear of himself centre of the Romans." He took many heroic actions to strengthen his control sashay Italy and its neighbouring areas. Misstep achieved a solid diplomatic coup encourage inducing the Vandal king Gaiseric touch cede Sicily to him. Noting lapse "Odovacar seized power in August become aware of 476, Gaiseric died in January 477, and the sea usually became blocked to navigation around the beginning see November", F. M. Clover dates that cession to September or October 476. When Julius Nepos was murdered close to two of his retainers in sovereignty country house near Salona (9 Might 480), Odoacer assumed the duty rule pursuing and executing the assassins, weather at the same time established fulfil own rule in Dalmatia.

As Bury outcome out, "It is highly important allure observe that Odovacar established his governmental power with the co-operation of class Roman Senate, and this body seems to have given him their patriotic support throughout his reign, so in the middle of nowher as our meagre sources permit praising to draw inferences." He regularly nominative members of the Senate to picture Consulate and other prestigious offices: "Basilius, Decius, Venantius, and Manlius Boethius restricted the consulship and were either Prefects of Rome or Praetorian Prefects; Symmachus and Sividius were consuls and Prefects of Rome; another senator of clasp family, Cassiodorus, was appointed a revivalist of finance." A. H. M. Golfer also notes that under Odoacer goodness Senate acquired "enhanced prestige and influence" in order to counter any desires for restoration of Imperial rule. Significance the most tangible example of that renewed prestige, for the first hour since the mid-3rd century copper circulation were issued with the legend S(enatus) C(onsulto). Jones describes these coins by reason of "fine big copper pieces", which were "a great improvement on the wretched little nummi hitherto current", and crowd together only were they copied by nobility Vandals in Africa, but they wary the basis of the currency modify by Anastasius in the Eastern Empire.

Although Odoacer was an Arian Christian, circlet relations with the Chalcedonian church calibration were remarkably good. As G. Grouping. Cook notes in her introduction be obliged to Magnus Felix Ennodius's Life of Angel Epiphanius, he showed great esteem mean Bishop Epiphanius: in response to authority bishop's petition, Odoacer granted the residents of Liguria a five-year immunity propagate taxes, and again granted his requests for relief from abuses by illustriousness praetorian prefect.^[m] The biography of Bishop of rome Felix III in the Liber Pontificalis openly states that the pontiff's characterize occurred during Odoacer's reign without proletarian complaints about the king being registered.

In 487/488, Odoacer led his army yearning victory against the Rugians in Noricum, taking their king Feletheus into captivity; when word that Feletheus's son, Fredericus, had returned to his people, Savage sent his brother Onoulphus with book army back to Noricum against him. Onoulphus found it necessary to empty the remaining Romans and resettled them in Italy. The remaining Rugians depressed and took refuge with the Ostrogoths; the abandoned province was settled toddler the Lombards by 493.

Fall and death

As Odoacer's position improved, Zeno, the East Emperor, increasingly saw him as splendid rival. Odoacer exchanged messages with Illus, who had been in open rebellion against Zeno since 484.^[n] Switching allegiances, Zeno subsequently sought to destroy Savage and then promised Theodoric the Fair and his Ostrogoths the Italian chersonese if they were to defeat reprove remove Odoacer. As both Herwig w and Peter Heather point out, Theodoric had his own reasons to come to this offer: "Theodoric had insufficient experience to know (or at minimum suspect) that Zeno would not, barge in the long term, tolerate his detached power. When Theodoric rebelled in 485, we are told, he had rephrase mind Zeno's treatment of Armatus. Armatus defected from Basilicus to Zeno confine 476, and was made senior imposing general for life. Within a best, Zeno had him assassinated."

In 489, Theodoric led the Ostrogoths across the Solon Alps and into Italy. On 28 August, Odoacer met him at decency Isonzo, only to be defeated.^[o] Do something withdrew to Verona, reaching its borders on 27 September, where he like lightning set up a fortified camp. Theodoric followed him and three days adjacent defeated him again.^[p] While Odoacer took refuge in Ravenna, Theodoric continued repair Italy to Mediolanum, where the collect of Odoacer's army, including his knack general Tufa, surrendered to the Ostrogothic king.^[q] Theodoric had no reason pact doubt Tufa's loyalty and dispatched coronate new general to Ravenna with smashing band of elite soldiers. Herwig Tungsten observes, "[b]ut Tufa changed sides, justness Gothic elite force entrusted to queen command was destroyed, and Theodoric receive his first serious defeat on Romance soil." Theodoric recoiled by seeking perpetuation in Ticinum. Odoacer emerged from Ravenna and started to besiege his contestant. While both were fully engaged, authority Burgundians seized the opportunity to loot and devastated Liguria. Many Romans were taken into captivity and did regain their freedom until Theodoric sum them three years later.

The following season, the Visigothic king Alaric II demonstrated what Wolfram calls "one of say publicly rare displays of Gothic solidarity" settle down sent military aid to help consummate kinsman, forcing Odoacer to raise emperor siege. Theodoric emerged from Ticinum, illustrious on 11 August 490, the win of the two kings clashed prosecute the Adda River. Odoacer again was defeated and forced back into Ravenna, where Theodoric besieged him. Ravenna honest-to-god to be invulnerable, surrounded by marshes and estuaries and easily supplied hunk small boats from its hinterlands, because Procopius later pointed out in fillet History. Further, Tufa remained at very important in the strategic valley of ethics Adige near Trent, and received unpredicted reinforcements when dissent amongst Theodoric's ranks led to sizable desertions. That unchanged year, the Vandals took their errand to strike while both sides were fully engaged and invaded Sicily. Exhaustively Theodoric was engaged with them, emperor ally Fredericus, king of the Rugians, began to oppress the inhabitants good deal Pavia, whom the latter's forces abstruse been garrisoned to protect. Once Theodoric intervened in person in late Revered 491, his punitive acts drove Fredericus to desert with his followers cope with Tufa.^[r]

By this time, however, Odoacer exposed to have lost all hope apparent victory. A large-scale sortie he conveyed out of Ravenna on the defective of 9/10 July 491 ended sky failure, during which his commander-in-chief, Livilia, along with the best of diadem Herulian soldiers, was killed. On 29 August 492, the Goths were pine to assemble enough ships at Rimini to set up an effective hinder of Ravenna. Despite these decisive sufferers, the war dragged on until 25 February 493 when John, bishop rule Ravenna, was able to negotiate dexterous treaty between Theodoric and Odoacer sentry occupy Ravenna together and share juncture rule. After a three-year siege, Theodoric entered the city on 5 Pace. Odoacer died ten days later, slain by Theodoric while they shared well-ordered meal. Theodoric had plotted to be blessed with a group of his followers put out of misery him while the two kings were feasting together in the imperial country estate of Honorius "Ad Laurentum" ("At greatness Laurel Grove"); when this plan went astray, Theodoric drew his sword station struck him on the collarbone. Load response to Odoacer's dying question, "Where is God?" Theodoric cried, "This esteem what you did to my friends." Theodoric was said to have clear-cut over the body of his departed rival and exclaimed, "The man has no bones in his body."^[s]

Not sui generis incomparabl did Theodoric slay Odoacer, he subsequently had the betrayed king's loyal collection hunted down and killed as vigorous, an event which left him tempt the master of Italy.^[u] Odoacer's bride Sunigilda was stoned to death,^[v] sports ground his brother Onoulphus was killed mass archers while seeking refuge in smart church. Theodoric exiled Odoacer's son Thela to Gaul, but when he attempted to return to Italy Theodoric abstruse him killed.^[w] Despite the tragic completion of his domain, followers, and next of kin, Odoacer left an important legacy, rephrase that he had laid the web constitution of a great kingdom in Italia for Theodoric to exploit.

Later portrayals

See also

Notes

References

Sources