ODOA'CER (also ODOVACER, ODOBAGAR, ODOVACIIAR, °TAMAR, etc., and, according to St. Martin, the same as OrrocuAn, a name frequent in Germany during the middle ages), the ruler of Italy from the year 476 to 493, was the son of Edecon, a secretary of Attila, and one of his ambassadors to the court of Constantinople. This Edecon was also capt of the Scyrri, who formed the bodyguard of the king of the Huns. After the, death of Agile he remained faithful to the family of his Master, but perished about 463 in an unequal struggle with the Ostrogoths. He left two sons, Onull and Odoacer, the former of whom went to seek his fortune in the east; while Odoacer, after leading for some lime the life of a bandit, chief among the Noric Alps, determined to proceed to Italy, whither barbarian adventurers were flocking from all Europe. According to a monkish legend, a pious hermit, St. Severinus, whom he went to visit before his depart ure, prophesied his future greatness. °dormer entered the military service of the western Roman empire, and rapidly rose to eminence. He took part in the revolution by which Orestes (475) drove the emperor Julius Nepos from the throne, and conferred on his son Romulus the title of Augustus, which the people scoffingly changed into Angustulus. He soon perceived the weakness of the new ruler, and resolved to profit by it. He had little difficulty in persuading the barbarian soldiery, who had effected the revolution. that Italy belonged to them, and in their name demanded of Orestes the third part of the land as the reward of their help. This Orestes refused ; and Odoncer, at the head of his Herulians, Rugians, Tureiliugians, and Seyrii, marched against Pavia, which Orestes had garrisoned, stormed the city, and put his opponent to 'death (476). Romu lus abdicated, and withdrew into obscurity. What became of him is not known. Thus perished the Roman empire. Odoacer showed himself to be a wise, moderate, and politic ruler, quite unlike our general notion of a barbarian. In order not to offend the Byzantine emperor Zeno, he took the title of king only. and caused the senate to despatch to Constantinople a flattering letter, in which it declared one emperor to be enough for both east and west: renounced its right of appointing the emperors, expressed its confidence in the civil and military talents of Odoacer, and begged Zeno to confer upon him the administration of Italy. After some hesitation the Byzantine emperor
yielded to the entratic p.f oustOclonr.Fekiiyed He fixed his residence at Ravenna. According to his promise he divided among his com panions the third part of the land of Italy—a measure far less unjust than at first sight, may seem, for the peninsula was then almost depopulated, and many domains were lying waste and ownerless. This barbarian ruler did everything in his power to lift Italy out of the deplorable condition into which she had sunk, and to breathe fresh lifts into her municipal institutions—those venerable relics of nobler daysl He even tablished the consulate, which was lield by eleven of the most illustrious senators in succession, maintained peace throughout the peninsula, overawed the Gauls and Germans. and reeonquered Dalmatia and Noricum. In religion, though an Arian himself, lie acted with a kingly impartiality that more orthodoX monarchs have rarely exhibited. Gibbon remarks, with his usual pointed sarcasm, that the silence of the Catholics attests the toleration which they enjoyed. The valor, wisdom, and success of Odoacer appear to have excited the jealousy and alarm of Zeno, who encouraged Theodorie, king of the Ostrogoths, a still greater warrior and sovereign than Odoacer himself, to undertake an expedition against Italy. The first battle was fought on the banks of the Isontius (mod. Isonzo), Aug. 28, 489. Odoacer was beaten, and retreated. During his retreat he haz arded another battle at Verona, and was again beaten. He now hastened to Rome to rouse the inhabitants, but the gates of the city were closed against him. Returning northwards to his capital, Ravenna, he reassembled the wrecks of his army, and in 4110 once more marched against the Ostrogoths, whose advance guard he defeated and pur sued to the walls of Pavia. Another great battle now took place on the banks of the Adda, when Odoacer was vanquished for the third time. He now shut himself up in Ravenna, where Theodoric besieged him for three years. Odoacer then capitulated, on condition that the kingdom of Italy should be shared between him and Theodonc. This agreement was solemnly sworn to by both parties, Feb. 27, 493; but on March 5 Odoacer was assassinated at a feast, either by Theodoric himself or by his command.