Western Roman Empire was being replaced politically by a series of kingdoms ruled by German kings. Although the Germans now ruled, they were outnumbered by the Romans, who still controlled most of the economic resources. Gradually, the two groups merged into a common culture. The Roman emperor, Zeno, in Constantinople, was not pleased with Odoacer’s actions and had plotted to dismount him. In his devotion to act against the German leader, Zeno brought another German tribe, the Ostrogoths, into Italy. More than any other Germanic state, the Ostrogothic kingdom managed to maintain the Roman tradition of government. Ostrogothic were governed by their own customs and their own officials. Although the Roman administrative system was kept intact,
