Final answer:
The decline of Roman military power allowed Odoacer and Theoderic to exploit vulnerabilities and establish their rule, illustrating the critical role of military strength in their rise.
Step-by-step explanation:
Military strength significantly contributed to the rise of Odoacer and Theoderic. With the Roman armies in the west underfunded and under-manned, and the overall Roman power waning due to a cycle of lost land, lost revenue, and poor military performance, someone with a robust military backing had an opportunity to seize control. Odoacer, a Germanic chieftain, capitalized on this vulnerability and deposed the last Emperor of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, marking the end of the Western Empire.
Similarly, Theoderic, who led the Ostrogoths, utilized his capable and well-organized military forces to establish a kingdom in Italy. His reign began in 493 AD after he murdered Odoacer following a treaty and a few years of joint rule, which quickly turned into conflict. Both Odoacer's and Theoderic's rises were made possible because the Roman military structure was too weakened to defend against their well-organized and ambitious forces.