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The Ostrogothic Ascendancy: Milan and the Adda River in 490 CE
In the year 490 CE, the political and military landscape of Italy was undergoing a dramatic transformation. The fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE had left a power vacuum, and various Germanic tribes vied for control over the Italian peninsula. Among these tribes, the Ostrogoths, led by their ambitious king Theodoric the Great, were emerging as a dominant force.
By 490 CE, Theodoric had already established himself as a formidable leader, having secured the backing of the Eastern Roman Emperor Zeno. Zeno saw Theodoric as a useful ally in his efforts to stabilize the region and counter the influence of other barbarian groups, particularly the Heruli and the Rugii. Theodoric's mission was to reclaim Italy from Odoacer, the Germanic king who had deposed the last Western Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, in 476 CE.
Theodoric's campaign in Italy began in earnest in 489 CE, and by 490 CE, his forces had advanced into the northern regions of the peninsula. Milan, one of the most important cities in Roman Italy, became a focal point of the conflict. The city, located east of the river Adda, was strategically significant due to its economic wealth, political influence, and its position as a key transportation hub.
In 490 CE, Theodoric's Ostrogothic forces successfully captured Milan and the surrounding territories east of the Adda River. This victory was a crucial step in Theodoric's broader campaign to consolidate control over Italy. The capture of Milan not only provided Theodoric with a stronghold in the north but also demonstrated his ability to challenge Odoacer's authority effectively.
The fall of Milan to the Ostrogoths marked a turning point in the struggle for Italy. Theodoric's forces continued to press southward, eventually leading to the siege of Ravenna, Odoacer's capital. After a protracted conflict, Theodoric emerged victorious, and in 493 CE, he personally killed Odoacer during a banquet, allegedly in an act of treachery. With Odoacer's death, Theodoric became the undisputed ruler of Italy, establishing the Ostrogothic Kingdom, which would endure until the Byzantine reconquest in the mid-6th century.
The events of 490 CE, particularly the capture of Milan and the surrounding regions east of the Adda River, were pivotal in shaping the future of Italy. Theodoric's success laid the foundation for a period of relative stability and cultural flourishing under Ostrogothic rule, blending Roman administrative traditions with Germanic military prowess. This chapter in history underscores the complex interplay of power, ambition, and diplomacy in the post-Roman world.