Rex Italiae

[ladyofnúmenor]

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"The Germanic foederati, the Scirians and the Heruli, as well as a large segment of the Italic Roman army, then proclaimed Odoacer rex Italiae."

476-477 AD
As Orestes and his brother Paulus lay slain, blood dripping from their corpses, Odoacer could only ponder the future. By no means did he intend to destroy Rome, but if the Foederati and the Italians wished him to be their King..he would not deny them. Securing Ravenna and placing Romulus Augustulus under house arrest in Campania. Leaving a garrison of the Heruli, he marched with the Scirians and Italians to Rome. He entered the city, not as a rampaging barbarian, but as the leader of a nominally Roman army to 'restore' the rule of Julius Nepos. He proclaimed that he acted only as the governor of Italy and Noricum in the name of Nepos, despite him sending the Imperial regalia to Constantinople, and the Senate applauded him. He granted them many honors, and appointed Romans to act as his advisors and ministers. Though an Arian, he also swore to respect the institutions of the Church, and the Foederati would practice their religion separately from the Chalcedonian Romans. Eventually, word was received from the East that he was recognized as 'Patrician' and the Governor of Italy and Noricum. Pointedly, his title as King of Italy was largely ignored. Even so, this meant Odoacer now commanded the still sizable army of Italy, and was able to bring Gaiseric to the negotiating table. In exchange for the end of Vandalic raids, Odoacer gave economic concessions. In addition, much of Sicily besides Lilybaeum would be ceded to Odoacer's Realm. This was the beginning of a new era in Rome - one of renewed Senatorial strength and a preservation of Roman culture.

 

[ladyofnúmenor]

477-480 AD
Odoacer made many appointments, all in the name of Nepos. He, for one, primarily based himself out of Rome. Ravenna, while secure, was not centrally located for what his realm would be. A realm centered in Italy. Onto the appointments, he made Decius the Prefect of Rome and charged him with the restoration of roads, churches, and other property still left destitute and damaged by the Vandals. He appointed a man named Basilius as Consul in the year 480 as soon as word reached him of Nepos' demise. Cassiodorus, a senator of one of Rome's noble families, was appointed the minister of finances and charged with the granting of land to Odoacer's foederati and the comitatenses. In addition, they abolished the inflated coinage of the Western Roman Empire and put in place new copper coins bearing the face of Nepos (and, once he died, the Eastern Emperor) and on the back the words 'Senatus Consulto'. A man named Boethius was appointed the Praetorian Prefect of Italy. With these put in place and his men granted an increase in pay, he set out to conquer Dalmatia. Nepos had been assassinated by two of his retainers and he therefore claimed it was his duty to avenge his Emperor. Of course, there was some debate in the Senate if they should raise one of their own to the purple, but without Odoacer's backing few felt the need to possibly anger him. Thus, the year 480 ends with Odoacer entering Dalmatia at the head of an army.

 

[ladyofnúmenor]

480-486
Disorder was strong in the last Roman-ruled part of the Imperium Romanorum. The Magister Militum Theoderic Strabo had taken advantage of a victory against the Bulgars to rise up in Serdica, and upon finding that Constantinople was in an unresolved crisis between the usurper Marcianus who had the support of an Isaurian general under Zeno, Ilus. With this additional support, he had been able to besiege Constantinople - for he had been forced out of the city - for the better part of the year. Therefore, in exchange for retaining his title he went to the support of Marcianus and kept Zeno there until the year 482. Meanwhile, Zeno's governor in Macedonia appealed for help from another Theoderic - the King of the Ostrogoths. Seeking to remove his rival, Strabo, he marched east against Strabo at the same time Odoacer entered Dalmatia. In a short war against the Goth Ovida he proved triumphant after the majority of the Romans within his army deserted, and Odoacer eventually negotiated a peace that allowed the Goths to go to the service of Strabo in exchange for Ovida's head, which arrived the next day. The year 480 over, Odoacer set out to campaign against Theoderic the Ostrogoth, nominally in support of Zeno. Facing little resistance due to the departure of Theoderic, he is able to secure much of Illyria and Pannonia. Learning of this, Theoderic abandoned Strabo and marched with all haste to defeat Odoacer lest another Goth attempt to usurp him. In a pitched battle just before the winter of 481, the Goths were defeated by Odoacer's foederati and comitatenses. Desperate to maintain his rule, Theoderic agreed to become a ally of Rome and met with Odoacer to seal the deal. Only to be stabbed and another ruler proclaimed the Dux Gothorum. The rest of the Ostrogothic Aristocracy fled across the Danube and into Noricum, destabilizing the region and paving the way for future conquest by Odoacer. Meanwhile, Zeno had finally been able to use reinforcements from Asia Minor to defeat Strabo and Marcianus, resulting in their deaths. He quickly recognized Odoacer's conquests and proclaimed him the Governor of Pannonia and charged him with restoring order to Noricum. Using his new Gothic foederati, he subjugated much of Noricum by the year 486. Odoacer was praised by the Senate, and he returned to Rome a hero.

 

[ladyofnúmenor]

487-497
The Kingdom of Italy now secure, Odoacer continued his reforms and appointed new Consuls, Praetors, and other officials from among the Senatorial class to rule while making his eldest son, Thela, leader of the Ilyrian Comitatus consisting of Foederati and the Italic Roman Army. New roads would be built, and great projects to improve the churches of the land and even the walls of some settlements. His brother, Onoulphus, would be granted administrative control over Pannonia and charged with the protection of the border from potential betrayal by the Ostrogoths. He would levy new taxes, and diplomacy would be conducted with the Franks and Visigoths to secure the western border. In 491, Zeno would finally die and Anastasius was elevated to the position of Emperor of the Romans. Odoacer would swear fealty to the rightful Roman Emperor, and his status as patrician and King was upheld.


The future is seemingly bright for the Kingdom of Italy.