The Kingdom of Odoacer, officially known as the Kingdom of Italy (Latin: Regnum Italiae), was a barbarian kingdom (476–493), that came into existence with the deposition of the last Roman emperor Romulus Augustulus at the battle of Ravenna in 476. The battle resulted in the self-proclamation as Rex by Odoacer. The creation of the state traditionally marks the end of the Western Roman Empire. Odoacer's Kingdom lasted until the assassination of Odoacer by Theodoric the Great, after which he proclaimed himself king of Italy and began to reign over the Ostrogothic Kingdom.
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Kingdom of Odoacer in the context of Ostrogothic Kingdom
The Ostrogothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of Italy (Latin: Regnum Italiae), was a barbarian kingdom established by the Germanic Ostrogoths that controlled Italy and neighbouring areas between 493 and 553. Led by Theodoric the Great, the Ostrogoths killed Odoacer, a Germanic soldier and erstwhile leader of the foederati. Odoacer had previously become the de facto ruler of Italy following his deposition of Romulus Augustulus, the final emperor of the Western Roman Empire, in 476. Under Theodoric, the Ostrogothic kingdom reached its zenith, stretching from Southern France in the west to Western Serbia in the southeast. Most of the social institutions of the late Western Roman Empire were preserved during his rule. Theodoric called himself "King of the Goths and Romans" (Latin: Gothorum Romanorumque Rex), demonstrating his desire to be a leader for both peoples.
Under Justinian I, the Byzantine Empire embarked on a campaign to reconquer Italy in 535. Witiges, who was the Ostrogothic ruler at that time, could not defend the kingdom successfully and was finally captured when the capital Ravenna fell. The Ostrogoths rallied around a new leader, Totila, and largely managed to reverse the conquest, but were eventually defeated. The last king of the Ostrogothic Kingdom was Teia.