Romanus (usurper)
| Romanus | |
|---|---|
| Usurper of the Western Roman Empire | |
| Reign | 470 |
| Predecessor | Anthemius |
| Successor | Anthemius |
| Died |
470 Rome, Italia |
Romanus was a Roman usurper in the West Roman Empire who unsuccessfully rebelled against the Emperor Anthemius in 470 before being executed at Rome.
Career
Romanus was a Roman Senator[1] and a Patrician[2] who had achieved the rank of Magister officiorum during the final decades of the Western Roman Empire.[3] A known supporter of Ricimer, the Magister militum,[4] this brought him into conflict with the Emperor Anthemius, who both distrusted and disliked Ricimer.[5]
In 470, Anthemius fell seriously ill, and it was rumored that sorcery had been used to afflict the emperor.[6] Ricimer saw an opportunity to install a new puppet emperor, and began to lay the groundwork for the accession of Romanus to the imperial throne.[7] However, Anthemius eventually recovered, and accused a number of Ricimer’s supporters of using sorcery to try to bring about his death, including Romanus, whom he also accused of seeking to usurp his throne.[8] He had the senator beheaded in 470, an act which he hoped would secure his throne.[9]
In fact, it did the opposite. Ricimer became furious about the death of Romanus, and was the trigger which he used to move against Anthemius, whom he deposed in 472.[10]
Sources
- Mathisen, Ralph W., "Anthemius (12 April 467 - 11 July 472 A.D.)", De Imperatoribus Romanis, 1998
- Jones, A.H.M., Martindale, J.R. The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. II: AD395-527, Cambridge University Press, 1980
- Canduci, Alexander (2010), Triumph & Tragedy: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Immortal Emperors, Pier 9, ISBN 978-1-74196-598-8
- MacGeorge, Penny, Late Roman Warlords, Oxford University Press, 2002
References
- ↑ Mathisen, Anthemius; Canduci, pg.168
- ↑ Mathisen, Anthemius; Jones, pg. 947
- ↑ Jones, pg. 947
- ↑ Mathisen, Anthemius
- ↑ MacGeorge, pg. 246; Canduci, pg. 168
- ↑ MacGeorge, pg. 246; Mathisen, Anthemius
- ↑ MacGeorge, pg. 246
- ↑ Canduci, pg. 168; Mathisen, Anthemius
- ↑ Jones, pg. 947; Canduci, pg. 168
- ↑ Mathisen, Anthemius; MacGeorge, pgs. 246-247