Romulus Augustulus
Romulus Augustulus: last emperor of the West-Roman empire (r. 475-476).
Names:
- 461: Romulus
- 31 October 475: made emperor by Orestes
- Nicknamed Augustulus
- 31 August 476: forced to resign (4 September?)
- Still alive in 510
Successor of: Julius Nepos
Relatives:
- father: Orestes
Main deeds:
- 474 In an attempt to restore order in Italy after the death of Ricimer, the East-Roman emperor Leo I sends a navy, led by Julius Nepos, who dethrones the not-reconized ruler Glycerius; at the same time, Zeno I succeeds Leo I in the east, but is unable to establish himself, or to back Julius Nepos
- 475 Zeno is briefly dethroned by Basiliscus; during this vacuum, a Germanic leader named Orestes expels Julius Nepos from the throne in Rome and makes his son Romulus Augustulus the new emperor of the western empire; Julius Nepos becomes bishop
- 476 Zeno returns with help of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric; meanwhile, the soldiers in Italy have revolted; their leader Odoacer puts an end to the reign of Romulus Augustulus
- End of the West-Roman empire