Odoacer continued in possession of his kingdom seventeen years. Then he was defeated and slain by Theodoric, and by him the kingdom of the Ostrogoths was established in Italy. Sixty years later this kingdom was subverted by Belisarius, the general of Justinian, emperor of the East, to whom it became a tributary province. In each of the principal cities of Italy Justinian appointed a governor with the title of Duke, in subordination to another with the title of Exarch, whose residence was at Ravenna. "Thus, at last, was Rome, once the proud mistress of the world, reduced to a poor dukedom, made tributary to the Exarch of Ravenna, and he holding his authority at the will of the emperor of Constantinople, the seat of the Eastern empire." Thus, under the symbols of these four trumpets we have developed the wondrous history of the downfall of imperial Rome, in order to give opportunity for the scenes of the drama yet to follow. The "man of sin" could not be fully revealed in all his terrible features until this hindrance was removed out of the way. Imperial Rome for three centuries stood as the great opposer of God's people and slaughtered thousands, perhaps millions, of the Lord's innocent servants, and the hand of retributive Justice was finally extended to humble her to the dust. Singularly, the persons whom God made choice of to effect her downfall have either regarded themselves as special instruments whose mission it was to punish the world or else have received such designations by historians because of their awful work. Contemporary historians distinguish Alaric by the epithets "The Scourge of God," "The Destroyer of Nations"; while the great Vandal leader is designated "The Terrible Genseric." Attila claimed the title "The Scourge of God." 13. And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!