Editing Odoacer (section)

== Origins ==
===Name etymology===
The origin of the name Odoacer, which may give indications as to his tribal affiliation, is debated. It is however traditionally derived from the Germanic components *''auda'' (luck, possession, wealth) and *''wakra'' (awake, vigilant, lively). It is not clear from which branch of the [[Germanic languages|Germanic language family]] it is derived.{{sfn|Reichert|2002}} In favour of this etymology, this form has a cognate in another Germanic language, the titular ''Eadwacer'' of the [[Old English]] poem ''[[Wulf and Eadwacer]]'' (where Old English renders the earlier Germanic sound ''au-'' as ''ea-'').{{sfn|Voyles|1992|p=141}}

However, historians [[Robert L. Reynolds]] and [[Robert S. Lopez]] explored the possibility that the name Odoacer was not Germanic, making several arguments that his ethnic background might lie elsewhere. One of these is that his name, "Odoacer", for which they claimed an etymology in Germanic languages had not been convincingly found, arguing instead that it could be a form of the [[Turkic languages|Turkic]] "Ot-toghar" ("grass-born" or "fire-born"), or the shorter form "Ot-ghar" ("herder").{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=45}} There is also debate regarding the etymology of Edeco, the apparent name of Odoacer's father. [[Omeljan Pritsak]] considered it Turkic;{{sfn|Pritsak|1982|pp=456-457}} others such as [[Peter Heather]] continue to consider it Germanic.{{sfn|Heather|2005|p=329}}

The name of Odoacer's apparent brother, Hunulf or Onulf, is generally accepted to be Germanic "Hun wolf".{{sfn|Castritius|2005}} Reynolds and Lopez emphasized that the first part, "hun", although the meaning is uncertain, may refer to the Huns.{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=49}} Odoacer's son is given two different names in ancient sources, Thelan and Oklan. Reynolds and Lopez compare 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 word oghlan, 'youth' ".{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=49}}

The assumption that the etymology of Odoacer's name can be used to determine his ancestry or language has been criticized by historians and philologists such as [[Otto J. Maenchen-Helfen]] and [[Walter Pohl]], who have pointed out that Germanic-speakers used Hunnic names in this period and region, and vice versa.{{sfn|Macbain|1983|p=324}} As emphasized by Pohl, the same person could be considered Hunnic or Germanic under different circumstances, especially during the upheavals after Attila's death, and "the ruling class of Attila's empire continued to influence tribal politics even after its collapse".{{sfn|Pohl|1986}}

=== Father and brother===
In a fragment from a history of [[Priscus]], reproduced in the 7th century by [[John of Antioch (chronicler)|John of Antioch]], Odoacer is described as a man of the Sciri, the son of Edeco ("Idiko"), and brother of Hunulf who killed [[Armatus]] in the eastern Roman empire.{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=44}}{{sfn|Kim|2013|pp=98–99}} The ''[[Anonymus Valesianus]]'' agrees that his father's name was [[Edeko]] ("Aediko"), and refers to him leading Sciri and Heruli.{{sfn|Pohl|1986}}

Another record of an Edica—apparently the same person—is found in [[Jordanes]], who identified him as a leader of the [[Sciri]] along with a person named Hunuulf (presumably his son), after the fall of Attila. They were defeated by the Ostrogoths at the [[Battle of Bolia]] in [[Pannonia (Roman province)|Pannonia]] about 469.{{sfn|Heather|2005|pp=314–317}}

An earlier Edeco ("Edekon") was described by Priscus as a trusted man of Attila, and ambassador to Constantinople. He escorted [[Priscus]] and other Imperial dignitaries back to Attila's camp. It is not universally accepted that this Edeco is the father of Odoacer. Priscus once calls him a Scythian, and another time a Hun. It has been argued classifications like "Scythian" or "Hun" from this period could refer to social type and lifestyle rather than an exact ethnic origin.{{sfn|Castritius|2005}} Macbain, however, argues that Priscus was careful with such terms, and sees this as evidence that Edeco cannot be the Scirian father of Odoacer.{{sfn|Macbain|1983|p=326}}

===Ethnic affiliations===
Except for the fact that he was not considered [[Roman people|Roman]], Odoacer's precise ethnic origins are not known.{{efn|For more on this, see: Stefan Krautschick, [https://www.jstor.org/stable/4435971 "Zwei Aspekte des Jahres 476", ''Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte''], '''35''' (1986), pp. 344–371.}} His origins probably lie in the multi-ethnic empire of [[Attila]], a generation earlier, which included several groups referred to in this period as "Gothic peoples"—the same polyethnic complex which dominated the military forces that he is most famous for leading throughout his later life. On that basis, he is likely at least partly of [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]] descent. Early medieval sources such as [[Theophanes the Confessor|Theophanes]] called him a [[Goths|Goth]].{{sfn|MacGeorge|2002|p=284}}{{sfn|Pohl|1986}} Likewise, the 6th century chronicler [[Marcellinus Comes]] called him a "king of the Goths" (''Odoacer rex Gothorum'').{{efn|Marcellinus Comes, ''Chronicon'', s. a. 476.}}

One of the most important sources for this topic has been the 6th-century writer [[Jordanes]], who associated him with several of the Gothic peoples who came to the [[Middle Danube]] during the time of Attila's empire, including the [[Sciri]], [[Heruli]], and [[Rugii]]. In several passages, Jordanes also associated Odoacer with the otherwise unknown [[Turcilingi]]—who may have been a people or perhaps a dynasty. The Turcilingi are not mentioned in any other historical sources apart from those derived from Jordanes and their ethnic affiliations are unclear, but they may have been [[Goths|Gothic]], [[Huns|Hunnic]], or even precursors of the [[Thuringii]]. While in one passage of ''[[Getica]]'', Jordanes describes Odoacer as king of the Turcilingi (''Torcilingorum rex'') with Scirian and Heruli followers,{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|p=119 [XLVI.242]}} in another passage Jordanes mentions Italy being "shaken by the tyranny of the Torcilingi and Rugi" during Odoacer's reign.{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|p=135 [LVII.291]}} In his ''[[Romana (Jordanes)|Romana]]'', the same author defines Odoacer as a descendant of the [[Rugii]], or of a person named Rogus (''Odoacer genere Rogus''), with Turcilingi, Scirian and Heruli followers.{{efn|See:Jordanes, ''Romana'' 344.}}

The Scirii and Heruls were among those known to contemporaries such as the historian [[Procopius]] as "Gothic peoples".{{sfn|Castritius|2005}} They both appear to have come to the Danubian area from the direction of what is now [[Ukraine]], as do the Goths, Huns, and [[Alans]]. The Rugii, who apparently originated on the south Baltic coast, are known from other sources for their post-Attila kingdom on the Danube. These groups fought on the same side as the Scirii in the battle of Bolia in 468, defeating the [[Ostrogoths]], who were one of the most dominant of the post-Attila groups. It has also been pointed out by Reynolds and Lopez that Attila had an uncle named Rogus and that Jordanes may have been saying Odoacer was his descendant.{{sfn|Reynolds|Lopez|1946|p=44}} After the battle of Bolia, the Scirii, Rugii and Heruli made up a large part of the military force Odoacer came to control in Italy, while the Ostrogoths moved into Eastern Roman territory in the Balkans. The near contemporary ''[[Auctorium Havniense]]'' also calls Odoacer a king of Heruli.{{sfn|Pohl|1986}} Many historians, such as medieval scholar [[Michael Frassetto]], accept that Odoacer was of Scirian heritage, because of the apparent family links to Edeko and Hunulf.{{sfn|Frassetto|2003|p=275}}

On the other hand, scholars are divided about whether Jordanes can be relied upon concerning the "Turcilingi". It has also been proposed that these are an otherwise unknown Turkic speaking people among the Huns.{{sfn|Kim|2013|pp=98–101}} Whether or not this is accepted, there is also an argument that the Turcilingi mentioned by Jordanes were early Thuringians, who established a kingdom by about this time in what is now central Germany, relatively far to the north of the Danubian kingdoms. In favour of this argument, the 10th century ''[[Suda]]'' identifies Odoacer's apparent brother [[Onoulphus|Hunulf]] as a Thuringian on his father's side and Scirian on his mother's side. This fragment was most likely written by the contemporary historian [[Malchus (historian)|Malchus]], who was a near contemporary and likely to be well-informed.{{sfn|Macbain|1983|p=326}}

[[File:Petersfriedhof-Kat-Martyrer.jpg|thumb|right|Latin memorial plate from 1521, that mentions Odoacer as ''Rex Rhutenorum'' ([[Petersfriedhof]], Salzburg)]]
Much later, a memorial plate from 1521 found in the [[catacombe]] Chapel of St Maximus in [[Petersfriedhof]]—the burial site of [[St Peter's Abbey, Salzburg|St Peter's Abbey]] in [[Salzburg]] (Austria)—mentions Odoacer as King of "Rhutenes" or "Rhutenians" ({{langx|la|Rex Rhvtenorvm}}), who invaded [[Noricum]] in 477. Due to its very late date of 1521 and several anachronistic elements, the content of that plate is considered nothing more than a legend.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stift-stpeter.at/de/kloster/index.asp?dat=Friedhof-Katakomben|title=Friedhof und Katakomben im Stift St. Peter|website=www.stift-stpeter.at}}</ref> In spite of that, the plate has become a popular "source" for several theorists that try to connect Odoacer with ancient Celtic [[Rhuteni (Celtic tribe)|Ruthenes]], and also with later Slavic [[Ruthenians]].{{sfn|Sotiroff|1974|p=93}} Historian [[Paul R. Magocsi]] argues such theories should be regarded as "inventive tales" of "creative" writers and nothing more.{{sfn|Magocsi|2015|pp=50–51}}

Finally, a passage from Eugippius's ''Life of Saint Severinus'' indicated that Odoacer was so tall that he had to bend down to pass through the doorway, which historian Bruce Macbain considers another strong argument that he was unlikely to have been a Hun, as ancient sources describe the Huns as shorter than Romans.{{sfn|Macbain|1983|p=327}}

Historians such as Penny MacGeorge and Macbain avow that Odoacer was likely half-Scirian and half-Thuringian.{{sfn|MacGeorge|2002|p=286}} Macbain's sees this as evidence of Odoacer's Germanic heritage arguing that "whatever the Skirians may have been [...] no one doubts that the Thuringians were Germans", and that while the "ancient sources exhibit considerable confusion over Odovacer's tribal affiliation" none of them calls Odoacer a Hun.{{sfn|Macbain|1983|p=325}} Historian [[Patrick Amory]] explains that "Odoacer is called a Scirian, a Rugian, a Goth or a Thuringian in sources; his father is called a Hun, his mother a Scirian. Odoacer's father Edeco was associated first with the Huns under Attila, and then with a group called Sciri, an ethnographic name that appears intermittently in fifth-century sources."{{sfn|Amory|1997|p=282}} This line of reasoning is also picked up on by historian Erik Jensen, who avows that Odoacer was born to a Gothic mother and that his father Edeco was a [[Hun]].{{sfn|Jensen|2018|p=16}}