How did Odoacer become the first king of Italy?

Odoacer was a 5th-century non-Roman soldier and officer who led a revolt of Herulian, Rugian, and Scirian troops to depose the Western Roman child emperor Romulus Augustulus in 476 AD. Backed by the Roman Senate, he distributed land and ruled autonomously while maintaining nominal subservience to the Eastern Roman emperor Zeno. His reign ended when Ostrogothic forces led by Theodoric the Great invaded Italy, defeated him, and murdered him at a banquet in 493 AD.

What we know

• Odoacer deposed the Western Roman child emperor Romulus Augustulus on September 4, 476 AD. [2, 3]
• He styled himself a client of the Eastern Roman emperor Zeno and was granted the title of patrician. [2]
• After the murder of Julius Nepos in 480, Odoacer invaded Dalmatia, executed the conspirators, and annexed the region. [2]
• Theodoric the Great invaded Italy in 489, forced Odoacer to surrender in Ravenna, and murdered him at a reconciliation banquet in 493. [2, 5]

Where to go next

• a case in pointWho was Romulus Augustulus?
• what caused itHow did the Western Roman Empire end in 476?
• whoWho was Theodoric the Great?
• compared withWhat role did Onoulphus play in 5th-century politics?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the administrative division of the Roman Empire?
• an unexpected connectionHow was Odoacer's general brother connected to Eastern Roman political assassinations?Odoacer's brother Onoulphus served as an Eastern Roman general and killed Armatus on the direct instructions of Emperor Zeno before fighting alongside Odoacer in Italy.

Sources

• [1]Odoacer (Wikidata Q103333) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Odoacer · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Western Roman Empire · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Childeric I · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Onoulphus · CC BY-SA 4.0