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Romulus Augustulus
Coin of Romulus Augustulus. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Wien (Austria). Photo Jona Lendering.
Romulus Augustulus (Kunsthistorisches Museum,  Wien)
 Romulus Augustulus: last emperor of the West-Roman empire (475-476).

Names:

  • 461: Romulus
  • 31 October 475: made emperor by Orestes
  • Nicknamed Augustulus
  • 31 August 476: forced to resign
  • 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
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