Ostrogothic Kingdom

Kingdom of Italy
Regnum Italiae (Latin)
493–553
Ostrogoth coin depicting Theodoric the Great of Ostrogothic Kingdom
Ostrogoth coin depicting Theodoric the Great
The Ostrogothic Kingdom at its greatest extent
The Ostrogothic Kingdom at its greatest extent
Capital
Common languagesGothic, Vulgar Latin, Pannonian Latin
Religion
Official:
Minority:
GovernmentMonarchy
King 
• 493–526
Theodoric (first)
• 552–553
Teia (last)
Historical eraLate antiquity
• Battles of Isonzo and Verona
489
• Fall of Ravenna
493
• Start of the Gothic War
535
553
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Italy under Odoacer
Hunnic Empire
Rugiland
Byzantine Empire under the Justinian dynasty
Exarchate of Ravenna
Duchy of Rome
Avar Khaganate

The Ostrogothic Kingdom, officially the Kingdom of Italy (Latin: Regnum Italiae),[5] 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 modern southern France in the west to the modern western Serbia in the southeast. Most of the social institutions of the late Western Roman Empire were preserved during his rule. Theodoric called himself Gothorum Romanorumque rex 'King of the Goths and Romans', 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.


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