OD'OA'CER, or OD'OVA'CER ( ?-493). Ruler of Italy from 476 to 493. He was the son of -.Uhl), a noble of the race of the Seyrii, and saw his first military service probably in the army of father of the young Romulus Angus tutus. last Emperor of the West. Odommeer per ceived the weakness of the new ruler, and re solved to profit by it. He had little difficulty in persuading the barbarian soldiery that Italy belonged to them, and in their name demanded of ore.des time third part of the land as the reward of their help. Orestes refused; and Odoacer. at. the head of his Seyrii. iberttlinnc. Rugians. and Tureilingians. marched against Pavia, which Orestes had gnrrisoned, stormed the city• and put his opponent to death (476). Romulus abdi eated and withdrew into obscurity. Odoacer showed himself to be wise, moderate, and politie. Ile took the title of king only, and caused the Senate to dispateh to Constantinople a flattering letter. in which it declared one Emperor to lie enough for both East and West. its right of appointing the emperors, expressed its confidence iu the civil and military talents of Odoacer, and begged Zeno to confer upon him the administration of Italy. After sonic 110,ita t1011 the Byzantine Emperor yielded to the en treaties of the Senate, and Odoacer received the title of Patrieius. This is commonly taken as the date for the fall of the Western Empire.
Odoacer fixed his residence at Ravenna. Ac cording to his promise, lie divided among his companions 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 depopu lated, and many domains were lying waste. He maintained peace throughout the peninsula and conquered Dalmatia. In matters of religion,
though an Arian himself, lie acted with great impartiality; nevertheless he was in tensely hated by the native Italians. The success of Odoacer excited the jealousy and alarm of Zeno, the Emperor of the East, who encouraged the Ostrogoth King. Theodorie (q.v.), to undertake an expedition against Italy, hoping at the same time to get rid of the Goths, who were a menaee to Constantinople. The first bat tle was fought on the banks of the Isontius (the modern Isonzo) in 489. Odoacer was beaten, and retreated. During his retreat he hazarded another battle at Verona and was again beaten. He now hastened to Rome to rouse the inhabit ants, but the gates of the city were closed against him. Returning northward to his capital, Ravenna. he reassembled the wrecks of his army, and in 400 once more marched against the Ostro goths, 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 Odoaeer was vanquished for the third time He now shut himself up in Ravenna, where Theo dorie besieged him for three years. Odoaeer then capitulated, on condition that the Kingdom of Italy should be shared between him and Theo dorie. This agreement was solemnly sworn to by both parties, February 27, 493; but on March 5th Odoaeer. invited to a banquet by Then (kirk, was killed by the Gothic King's own hand. Consult: Pailmann, Gesehiehtc der l'iilkeriran derung (Gotha. 1863) ; Hodgkin. Italy and Her Invaders, vol. iii. (Oxford. 1845) : and Dalin, Kii»ige der Crermancn, vol. ii. (Munich, 1861).