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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Tejas, post: 7947388, member: 84905&quot;]The western empire disintegrated in stages over the course of around 100 years (as I wrote earlier). In AD 535 nobody would have regarded the year 476 as the year when it all came to an end. All that happened was that one usurper repaced another usurper. The significance, however, of that usurpation was that, for the first time, a non-Roman, i.e. a German chieftain decided that he would rule in his own name, rather than through a Roman puppet emperor, as Ricimer, Stilicho and many others had done before.</p><p>Odovacer - despite his competent and beneficial rule - was never recognized by the East Roman emperor, however, his successor Theoderic was. Nominally, the western part had returned to Roman control in 497 when Anastasius accepted Theoderic as legitimate king of Italy. Theoderic was careful not to give Anastasius and Justin I reason for war. After Theoderic&#039;s death the Roman emperor was content that Amalasuntha would rule in place of Athalaric. Amalasuntha had offered to return Italy to the Eastern Emperor. Hence, when Theodahad had here murdered, this was a welcome casus belli.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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