Editing Odoacer (section)

== King of Italy ==
{{anchor|King of Italy|Duke of Italy}}<!-- Please leave both for [[Kingdom of Italy (476–493)]] -->
{{Infobox country
| native_name            = ''Regnum Italiae''<br>
| conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Italy
| common_name            = Italy
| iso3166code            = omit
| year_start             = 476
| year_end               = 493
| status                 = 
| status_text            = De jure under Eastern Roman suzerainty 
| event_start            = Odoacer is proclaimed ''Rex''
| date_start             = 23 August
| event_end              = [[Theodoric the Great|Theoderic]] assassinates Odoacer
| date_end               = 15 March
| event1                 = [[Romulus Augustulus]] abdicates
| date_event1            = 4 September 476
| image_flag             = 
| flag                   = 
| flag_type              = 
| image_coat             = 
| symbol_type_article    = 
| symbol_type            = 
| image_map              = Kingdom of Italy - 476 to 479 AD.png
| image_map_caption      = Italy in 476
| capital                = [[Ravenna]]
| common_languages       = {{ubl|[[Latin language|Latin]]|[[Vulgar Latin]]|[[Greek language|Greek]]|[[Gothic language|Gothic]]}}
| currency               = [[Solidus (coin)|Solidus]]
| leader1                = Odoacer
| year_leader1           = 476–493 AD
| title_leader           = [[King of Italy#As "Kingdom of Odoacer"|Dux]]
| p1 = Roman Italy
| s1 = Ostrogothic Kingdom
}}

In 476, Odoacer was proclaimed rex by his soldiers and [[King of Italy|''dux Italiae'']] by emperor Zeno, initiating a new administrative era over Roman lands. Odoacer introduced a few important changes to the administrative system of Italy. According to Jordanes, at the beginning of his reign he "slew Count Bracila at Ravenna that he might inspire a fear of himself among the Romans."{{sfn|Jordanes|1915|p=119 [XLVI.243]}} He took many military actions to strengthen his control over Italy and its neighbouring areas. He achieved a solid diplomatic coup by inducing the Vandal king [[Gaiseric]] to cede Sicily to him. Noting that "Odovacar seized power in August of 476, Gaiseric died in January 477, and the sea usually became closed to navigation around the beginning of November", F. M. Clover dates this cession to September or October 476.{{sfn|Clover|1999|p=237}} When [[Julius Nepos]] was murdered by two of his retainers in his country house near [[Salona]] (9 May 480), Odoacer assumed the duty of pursuing and executing the assassins, and at the same time established his own rule in Dalmatia.{{sfn|Bury|1923|p=410}}

As Bury points out, "It is highly important to observe that Odovacar established his political power with the co-operation of the Roman Senate, and this body seems to have given him their loyal support throughout his reign, so far as our meagre sources permit us to draw inferences." He regularly nominated members of the Senate to the [[Consul]]ate and other prestigious offices: "[[Caecina Decius Maximus Basilius|Basilius]], [[Caecina Mavortius Basilius Decius|Decius]], [[Decius Marius Venantius Basilius|Venantius]], and [[Manlius Boethius]] held the consulship and were either Prefects of Rome or Praetorian Prefects; [[Quintus Aurelius Memmius Symmachus|Symmachus]] and [[Rufius Achilius Sividius|Sividius]] were consuls and Prefects of Rome; another senator of old family, Cassiodorus, was appointed a minister of finance."{{sfn|Bury|1923|p=409}} A. H. M. Jones also notes that under Odoacer the [[Roman Senate|Senate]] acquired "enhanced prestige and influence" in order to counter any desires for restoration of Imperial rule.{{sfn|Jones|1964|p=253}} As the most tangible example of this renewed prestige, for the first time since the mid-3rd century copper coins were issued with the legend ''S(enatus) C(onsulto)''. Jones describes these coins as "fine big copper pieces", which were "a great improvement on the miserable little {{lang|la|[[nummus|nummi]]}} hitherto current", and not only were they copied by the Vandals in Africa, but they formed the basis of the currency reform by [[Anastasius I (emperor)|Anastasius]] in the Eastern Empire.{{sfn|Jones|1964|p=254}}

Although Odoacer was an [[Arianism|Arian Christian]], his relations with the [[Chalcedonian Christianity|Chalcedonian church hierarchy]] were remarkably good. As G. M. Cook notes in her introduction to [[Magnus Felix Ennodius]]'s ''Life of Saint Epiphanius'', he showed great esteem for Bishop [[Epiphanius of Pavia|Epiphanius]]: in response to the bishop's petition, Odoacer granted the inhabitants of [[Liguria]] a five-year immunity from taxes, and again granted his requests for relief from abuses by the [[praetorian prefect]].{{sfn|Ennodius|1942|p=12fn}}{{efn|Cook writes, "One wonders at [Ennodius'] brevity", adding that during "the thirteen years of Odovacar's mastery of Italy&nbsp;... a period which embraced nearly half the episcopate of Epiphanius–Ennodius devotes but eight sections of the ''vita'' (101–107), five of which are taken up with the restoration of the churches." Cook uses Ennodius's brevity as an {{lang|la|[[argumentum ex silentio]]}} to prove that Odoacer was very supportive of the Church. "Ennodius was a loyal supporter of Theodoric the Great. Any oppression, therefore, on the part of Odovacar would not be passed over in silence." She concludes that Ennodius's silence "may be construed as an unintentional tribute to the moderation and tolerance of the barbarian king".{{sfn|Ennodius|1942|p=12fn}}}} The biography of Pope [[Felix III]] in the {{lang|la|[[Liber Pontificalis]]}} openly states that the pontiff's tenure occurred during Odoacer's reign without any complaints about the king being registered.{{sfn|Davis|2001|p=41fn}}

In 487/488, Odoacer led his army to victory against the [[Rugians]] in [[Noricum]], taking their king [[Feletheus]] into captivity; when word that Feletheus's son, [[Frideric|Fredericus]], had returned to his people, Odoacer sent his brother [[Onoulphus]] with an army back to Noricum against him. Onoulphus found it necessary to evacuate the remaining Romans and resettled them in Italy.{{sfn|Amory|1997|p=121}} The remaining Rugians fled and took refuge with the Ostrogoths; the abandoned province was settled by the [[Lombards]] by 493.{{sfn|Paul the Deacon|2003|pp=31–33 [XIX]}}