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Odovacar. King, AD 476-493. AV Tremissis (14mm, 1.43 g, 6h). In the name of the Eastern Emperor Zeno. Mediolanum (Milan) mint. Struck AD 476-489. Pearl-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Cross within wreath with large central jewel; COMOB. RIC X 3609; Lacam –. Slight wave in flan. Good VF. Very rare.
Ex Trausnitz Collection (Nomos 19, 17 November 2019), lot 461; Lanz 80 (26 May 1997), lot 788.
Traditionally, the reign of Flavius Odovacar (AD 476-493) has been viewed as the end of the Western Roman Empire and the beginning of the Middle Ages in the West. A member of the foederati – allied Germanic tribes who served in the Roman army in return for land – Odovacar was appointed their leader in Italy in AD 475 by the magister militum Orestes, who promised in return a third of the Italian peninsula if Odovacar and his Germans would assist Orestes' revolt against the western emperor, Julius Nepos. Following the defeat of Nepos, Orestes elevated his son, Romulus, to the rank of Augustus, and immediately set about revoking his earlier arrangement with the foederati. Consequently, Odovacar revolted against Orestes, who was ultimately defeated and executed. Subsequently, Odovacar was proclaimed rex Italiae and, on 4 September AD 476, he compelled the young Romulus to abdicate, sending the imperial insignia to Zeno in Constantinople, and thus ending Roman imperial rule in the West. Zeno, however, insisted that the exiled Julius Nepos was still the legitimate western ruler and refused to recognize Odovacar’s reign as legitimate. For his part, Odovacar instituted a number of wise policies during his reign, provided his foederati with lands in Italy and made them beneficiaries of a special tax. He retained the Roman administration, senate, legal institutions, and tax system – all of which gained him the support of the senate and people. This popularity, along with Odovacar's military successes against the Vandals and his alliances with the Visigoths and Franks, prompted Zeno, the Roman emperor in the East, to push for Odovacar’s removal from power. In AD 488, Zeno called on the Ostrogothic king, Theoderic, to overthrow Odovacar. Over the next five years, Theoderic slowly pushed Odovacar back to the old Roman capital at Ravenna where, after a protracted siege, in AD 493, Odovacar surrendered. Under the terms of the peace, Theoderic and Odovacer would share the rule of Italy. At the banquet arranged to celebrate this treaty, however, Theoderic killed Odovacar with his own hands and promptly proceeded to eliminate Odovacar's family and supporters.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 133 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 15-16 September 2026.
CNG Feature Auction 133 – Session Three – Lot 595-896 will be held Wednesday morning, 16 September 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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