This Rugian war was probably an indirect cause of the fall of Odoacer. His increasing power rendered him too formidable to the Byzantine court. At the same time, Zeno was embarrassed by the formidable neighbourhood of Theodoric the Ostrogoth. In these circumstances arose the plan of Theodoric's invasion of Italy, the details of which belong properly to the life of Theo doric. It is sufficient to state here that he entered Italy in August 489, defeated Odoacer at the Isontius (Isonzo) on the 28th of August, and at Verona on the 3oth of September. Odoacer then shut himself up in Ravenna, and there maintained himself for f our years, with one brief gleam of success, during which he emerged from his hiding place and fought the battle of the Addua (Aug. 11, 49o), in which he was again defeated. A sally from Ravenna (July 1o, 491) was again the occasion of a murderous defeat. At length, the famine in Ravenna having be come almost intolerable, and the Goths despairing of ever taking the city by assault, negotiations were opened for a compromise (Feb. 25, 493). It was stipulated that Ravenna should be sur rendered, that Odoacer's life should be spared, and that he and Theodoric should be recognized as joint rulers of the Roman state.
The arrangement was evidently a precarious one, and was soon terminated by the treachery of Theodoric. He invited his rival to a banquet in the palace of the Lauretum on the 15th of March, and there slew him with his own hand. "Where is God?" cried Odoacer when he perceived the ambush into which he had fallen. "Thus didst thou deal with my kinsman," shouted Theodoric, and clove his rival with the broadsword from shoulder to flank. Thelan, his son, was not long after put to death by order of the conqueror. Thus perished the whole race of Odoacer.